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20 November 2009

What Radiation Detecting Device Should I Use?

Attribute	Geiger-Mueller (GM) Tube	Ion Chamber	Scintillation	Proportional Counter	Semiconductor Detector
Radiation Detected	alpha beta x ray gamma	alpha beta x ray gamma	alpha beta x ray gamma neutron	alpha beta x ray gamma neutron	alpha beta x ray gamma
Sensitive Medium	Gas	Gas	Solid Liquid	Gas	Solid
Ranges	0.04 mR/hr to 500 mR/hr	3 mR/hr to 10,000 R/hr	0.005 mR/hr to 200 mR/hr or to 800,000 c/m	to 500,000 c/m	to 100,000 c/m
Output Signal (V)	1	10^-6	1	10^-2	10^-3
Resolving Time (s)	10^-4	10^-4	10^-7	10^-6	10^-9
Energy Resolution (%)	N/A	N/A	10	15	1
Use	Low dose-rate surveys Area monitors Personnel radiation monitors Low-level contamination surveys	Medium and high dose-rate surveys Area monitors	Low-level contamination surveys LSC for tritium	Low-level contamination surveys Neutron survey	Laboratory Some field use
Advantages	Large output signal Moderate sensitivity	Low energy dependence Simple to operate	High sensitivity Rapid response Good energy resolution	Rapid response	Excellent energy response Short dead time
Disadvantages	Long dead time Energy dependent	Slow response Low sensitivity	Fragile Expensive	Requires stable high-voltage supply	Requires high amplification
Comments	Radiation detected depends on the type of GM tube May be energy dependent Some models saturatedo not use in high radiation fields Sensitive to microwave fields Rate meter and audible pulse Rapid response Rugged, dependable	Wide dose-rate range on a single instrument Low energy dependence Some models can be used in RF fields Some models slow to respond	High sensitivity Rapid response Fragile Audible signal and rate meter Radiation detected depends on instrument and crystal Fast neutron detector where dose rate is not required	Primary use is for alpha detection or neutron surveys Alpha detector can discriminate between alpha and beta-gamma Neutron detector can discriminate against gamma radiation Maintenance may be a problem	Primary use for alpha and gamma counting environmental samples May be used for in situ gamma fields

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