Sistemas e Técnicas de Deteção de Radiação

Objectives

To understand the physical and chemical bases of the methods and radiation detection systems used in radiation protection and safety. Understand the treatment of electric signals. To be proficient on the principles of data acquisition, statistics and equipment control. To be able to install those detection systems, proceed to the adjustment of electric signals, make measurements and evaluate their reliability. To be able to identify malfunctioning conditions, to trace the problems and to propose corrective measures.

Syllabus

• Introduction: Counting statistics. Uncertainties and propagation. Detection limits. Distribution of counting intervals. • Treatment of signals and properties of radiation detectors: Transducers. Treatment of signals. Noise. Temporal resolution. Model of a detector. Energy resolution. Efficiency. Dead time. Monoand multi-channel analyzers. Counting of impulses. Measurement of amplitude. Digital signal treatment. • Simple detectors: Trace detectors. Photographic film. Fricke detector. • Gaseous detectors: Principles. Ionization chambers. Proportional detectors. Geiger regime. Applications. • Scintillation detectors: Principles. Organic scintillators. Inorganic scintillators. Light detection. Applications. • Photo-multipliers and photo- diodes • Spectroscopy with scintillators • Diode detectors: Applications. • Germanium detectors: Principles. Resolution. Applications in gamma spectroscopy. • Neutron detection: Slow neutron detection. Detection of fast neutrons. • Other detectors

Cross Competence Component

- The experience acquired at the UC "Radiation Detection Systems and Techniques" is not limited to nuclear detection systems, providing practical experience with measurement and training equipment in data analysis and statistics, providing useful experimental background training in multiple domains, establishing bridges between “knowing” and “knowing how to do”. At the same time, autonomous and team work is encouraged, requiring the mastery of students' written and oral expression, as well as their critical spirit, in terms of the applications of nuclear sciences and technologies that involve important ethical implications. - The UC will contribute to the acquisition of other interpersonal and intrapersonal skills (eg organizational capacity and team work), namely through laboratory classes. - It is estimated that the transversal skills component contributes about 20% in the evaluation of students.

Laboratorial Component

Laboratory classes are an essential component and will include the following assignments: 1) Assembly and adjustment of a measurement chain used for INa (Tl) detectors; 2) Fricke dosimeter: determination of the calibration curve of a Co-60 installation; 3) Liquid organic scintillators: measurement of radon; 4) Characterization of a Geiger detector; 5) Gamma spectrometry with INa (Tl) and CZT detectors; 6) Alpha spectrometry; 7) Spectrometry with HPGe diode detectors; 8) Neutron detection.

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group’s work In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.