A self-contained energy and pulse shape liquid scintillation spectrometer

The increase in nuclear energy applications and the use of technically enhanced sources of radioactivity engenders a need for rapid, low-level techniques to detect and quantify alpha radionuclides. Existing methods often require extensive chemical separations, ion exchange and thin film deposition onto flat surfaces. Liquid scintillation alpha spectroscopy is a viable alternative to these methods. Coupled with solvent extraction techniques, alpha emitter recovery and counting efficiency can approach 100%. The 4π counting geometry eliminates backscatter and self-absorption. Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) signals may be used to segregate alpha particle from beta-gamma decay events. The concept is called Photon Electron-Rejecting Alpha Liquid Scintillation (PERALS) spectrometry