NaI(Tl) Detectors with MCA

NaI(Tl) is the workhorse of the scintillation counter industry. It is the lowest-cost inorganic scintillator. Our MCAs deliver precision spectroscopy on NaI(Tl) for medium-high count rates (500kcps).

The material is sensitive to mechanical and thermal shock. For use outdoors or in portable instruments, proper packaging and thermal insulation is required.

We source our NaI(Tl) from Saint-Gobain, unless otherwise requested.

CsI(Na) Detectors with MCA

CsI(Na) is a slower scintillator. It has the advantage of being quite resistant to mechanical and thermal shock. That makes it an ideal material for outdoor applications that don't expect to see count rates above 100kcps.

If packaged properly, and when using very long integration times (50µs), CsI(Na) can deliver energy resolutions around 5.5% fwhm at 662keV or better. However, that dramatic performance gracefully degrades at count rates above 5kcps.

We source our CsI(Na) from Saint-Gobain or Alpha Spectra, unless otherwise requested.

Brilliance-380 LaBr₃(Ce) — B380

B380 is a fast, high-precision scintillator material. Briddgeport's MCA's achieve high-performance precision spectroscopy at count rates in excess of 4Mcps.

The material is sensitive to mechanical and thermal shock. For use outdoors or in portable instruments, proper packaging and thermal insulation is required.

We source our LaBr₃ exclusively from Saint-Gobain.

SrI₂(Eu) Detectors

SrI₂(Eu) is a slow scintillator that can achieve impressive energy resolutions (2.8% fwhm at 662keV). With typical integration times of 20µs it is best used in applications where count rates are not expected to exceed 50kcps.

Bridgeport Instruments has implemented in the eMorpho MCA a patented method to improve the energy resolution of SrI₂(Eu), canceling much of the impact from self-absorption of the scintillation light inside a large crystal.

We source our SrI₂(Eu) from CapeSym, unless otherwise requested.

Phoswich Detectors

Phoswich Detectors can measure more than one type of radiation in the same detector – and distinguish between them. This not only enhances the accuracy of the measurement, it also drastically cuts instrumentation and operating cost.

Detectors for β/γ discrimination use a dual-window NaI(Tl) crystal covered with a 0.25mm thick plastic scintillator at the entrance window. The extremely thin plastic scintillator gives good β-counting efficiency at the best possible &gamm;-blindness.

Detectors for α/β discrimination use a combination of a 0.25mm thick plastic scintillator covered by a ZnS(Ag) α-detector.

In both cases, the eMorpho MCA uses on the fly pulse shape discrimination to distinguish between the two types of particles.

Beta counter

This is a gamma-blind beta counter using a 0.25mm thick plastic scintillator to detect beta particles. It has a scratch-resistant entrance window window which makes it ideal for whole-body counters and similar applications where people or object might bump or brush against the entrance window. A slightly damaged window can be repaired in place.

The beta panel has a built-in micro-controller to maintain a stable optical gain for the SiPM photo sensors over a wide temperature range. Fr operation at elevated temperatures there is a 250mW Peltier element to keep the sensors cool.

The beta panel can be programmed and calibrated through a serial interface and via a USB to serial converter. For normal operation, no communication is necessary and the panel will use the previously programmed operational parameters and begin sending 200ns wide pulses for each detected beta particle.