Radioactive decay viewed through an extending dead time

Theories of the effect of extending dead times, either single or in series, on a stationary Poisson process have been adapted to the case of a decaying Poisson emitter. The theoretical results obtained are displayed in a general form so that they are independent of the actual value of the nuclide half-life. The theories were confirmed by undertaking measurements with sup(99m)Tc and sup(116m)In which resulted in values for their respective half-lives which are in agreement with those obtained by conventional means. Details of a generator which can impose a controlling dead time of either the extending or non-extending type on a train of pulses are presented in the appendix. (orig.)