Improved method for the stabilization of NaI-photomultiplier gamma detectors against thermal and other drift

Alpha peaks have been used as part of servo systems to stabilize NaI-photomultiplier gamma detectors against drift. However, alpha peaks shift with temperature change differently than do gamma peaks, thus spoiling what would otherwise be a workable scheme for stabilizing against probably the most serious source of NaI-p.m. detector drift, namely thermal effects. It has been found possible to accurately compensate for the difference in the shift with temperature versus gamma peaks using the signal derived from a thermistor in thermal contact with the NaI crystal to control the bias of a discriminator in the servo circuit. The servo circuit utilizing this principle has been used in commercial multichannel analyzers of the type intended for field use under adverse ambient conditions