Extracting energies and intensities from complex coincidence matrices

Coincidence intensities and uncertainties are extracted at the statistical limits from γ-γ coincidence matrices. The matrices are decomposed into continuum, ridges and peaks. The continuum is successfully modeled by the product of two vectors which describe the Compton distributions in the coincident detectors or groups of detectors. The ridges are represented by the corresponding continuum vector scaled according to the intensity and energy of the associated γ-ray. The peaks are fitted as the product of two, one-dimensional Gaussians. This technique has been applied to the analysis of prompt gamma-rays from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf and the high spin states in 163Lu populated via the 122Sn(45Sc, 4n) reaction. ((orig.))