Detection of Radiation using Scintillation Detectors

1
Detection of Radiation using Scintillation
Detectors

• Brynle Barrett
• 3rd Year
• Advanced Lab Project

2
Motivation

• Construct two scintillation detectors
• Detect radiation from sources in lab and from
  cosmic rays (muons)
• Use to measure cosmic ray flux at local latitude

3
What are Scintillation Detectors?

• Some materials give off light when bombarded with
  radiation ? NaI (Th)
• Can use scintillation light as a trigger
• Consist of three pieces

Photo multiplier tube
Light guide
Scintillator
4
What are Scintillation Detectors?
5
The PMT

• Serves two purposes
• Converts photonic signal to electronic signal
• Amplifies electronic signal enough to be read

6
Construction process

• Gluing in optical alignment
• Wrapping with aluminum foil
• Wrapping with dark plastic
• Secure in mounting device
• Make Light-tight

7
Detecting

• How do we know were detecting radiation?
• Hook up oscilloscope to output of PMT
• Typical pulse ?

8
Detecting

• Light leaks look different ?

9
Detecting Radiation from a source

• Place a source in close proximity to scintillator
• Charged particles work best (electron/positron
  emitters)

10
Detecting Cosmic Radiation

• Not actually cosmic rays
  ? secondary muon emission from interaction
  in atmosphere
• Easiest to detect
• Most energetic
• Least work involved!

11
Detecting Cosmic Radiation
Both detectors give similar results at same input
voltage
12
How to Measure Cosmic Ray Flux

• Unable to complete due to lack of time and
  equipment
• Butnever the less

?2
?1
?1 gt ?2
PMT
scintillator
13
Conclusion

• MY DETECTORS WORK.YAY!!!
• Put em together
• Made em light-tight
• Detected both ß particles (electrons) and µ
  particles (muons)
• Now what?? ? GO TO TRIUMF