X-rays spectroscopy with a portable Compton selection chamber: detector design and results

In this paper a practical solution to perform spectral analysis of diagnostic X-ray beams is described, based on a miniaturized Compton selection chamber (CSC) using a Si-PIN detector. Results are compared with those obtained with a first prototype of CSC based on nitrogen cooled high purity germanium (HPGe) detector. With this method, the direct X-ray spectrum is Compton scattered inside the CSC, collected by a solid-state detector and reconstructed using a simplified scattering matrix experimentally determined. The results obtained will be compared with a reference standard, represented by direct spectra acquired with an HPGe detector in a laboratory facility, not applicable for on-field measurements