Prompt gamma-ray spectroscopy and its use in elemental analysis

Elemental analysis by nuclear techniques has developed considerably over the last twenty-five years. In this review we consider the analysis of the great majority of chemical elements by irradiation of the sample (solid or liquid) with charged particles, and detection, during such irradiation, of the gamma photons characteristic of each element. A succinct account of the physical phenomena peculiar to prompt photon detection, as compared with activation methods where delayed activity is measured, is followed by a brief description of the experimental apparatus needed for this type of analysis. A large section is devoted to a critical study of recent applications to the analysis of metals, semiconductors and electrical insulators. A set of tables provides the information necessary for selecting the nuclear reaction to be used for a specific analysis. (author)