• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2010

In the present work, peak relative efficiency for the energy was obtained and response function was worked out. This study was carried out using the high resolution high efficiency HPGe detector(diameter 78.7 mm, length 86.5 mm) and NaI(Tl) detector for anti-compton. The anti-coincidence of the signals from the two detectors could be used to lessen the Compton effect signal; thus, the $\gamma$-ray energy resolution could be improved. The $\gamma$-ray spectrum was measured at $55^{\circ}$ to the direction of the incident proton beam. Reaction spectrum was obtained from the $^{23}Na$(p, $\gamma$)$^{24}Mg$ reaction at $E_p$ = 1424 keV and $^{27}Al$(p, $\gamma$)$^{28}Si$ reaction at $E_p$ = 992 keV. To accelerate the incident proton which creates the (p, $\gamma$) capture reaction, the 3 MeV Pelletron accelerator at the Tokyo Institute of Technology was used. Response function was worked out by a noble technique. We worked out a response function from 1.2 to 9.4 MeV at intervals of 0.75 MeV.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.849-856
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• 2020

In the gamma-ray energy spectrum study, nuclide analysis through energy analysis is very important. High-purity Ge detectors, which are commonly used for gamma-ray energy measurements, are commonly used because of their high energy resolution and relatively high detection efficiency. However, in order to maintain a high energy resolution, the semiconductor detector has a problem in that it is difficult to maintain the original performance if the noise generated from the surrounding environment is not effectively blocked, and the effect of the expensive device is not achieved. Therefore, in this study, ground loop isolator (NEXT-001HDGL) was used to remove the electrical noise generated from the detector. In order to test the effect of improving energy resolution, HPGe detection device newly installed in the proton accelerator KOMAC was used. In the case of gamma-ray energy 2614 keV, the energy resolution was improved from (0.16 ± 0.02) % to (0.11 ± 0.01) %, and in the case of gamma-ray energy 662 keV of 137Cs isotope, the energy resolution was improved from (0.72 ± 0.07) % to (0.27 ± 0.03) %. This result is considered to be very useful for the gamma ray spectrum study using the HPGe detection equipment of KOMAC(Korea Multi-Purpose Accelerator Complex).

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2017

Background: Different cases exist in the measurement of thyroid radiobioassays owing to the individual characteristics of the subjects, especially the potential variation in the counting efficiency. An In situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) was developed to perform an efficiency calibration based on the Monte Carlo calculation, as an alternative to conventional calibration methods. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the applicability of ISOCS to thyroid radiobioassays by comparison with a conventional thyroid monitoring system. Materials and Methods: The efficiency calibration of a portable high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector was performed using ISOCS software. In contrast, the conventional efficiency calibration, which needed a radioactive material, was applied to a scintillator-based thyroid monitor. Four radioiodine samples that contained $^{125}I$ and $^{131}I$ in both aqueous solution and gel forms were measured to evaluate radioactivity in the thyroid. ANSI/HPS N13.30 performance criteria, which included the relative bias, relative precision, and root-mean-squared error, were applied to evaluate the performance of the measurement system. Results and Discussion: The portable HPGe detector could measure both radioiodines with ISOCS but the thyroid monitor could not measure $^{125}I$ because of the limited energy resolution of the NaI(Tl) scintillator. The $^{131}I$ results from both detectors agreed to within 5% with the certified results. Moreover, the $^{125}I$ results from the portable HPGe detector agreed to within 10% with the certified results. All measurement results complied with the ANSI/HPS N13.30 performance criteria. Conclusion: The results of the intercomparison program indicated the feasibility of applying ISOCS software to direct thyroid radiobioassays. The portable HPGe detector with ISOCS software can provide the convenience of efficiency calibration and higher energy resolution for identifying photopeaks, compared with a conventional thyroid monitor with a NaI(Tl) scintillator. The application of ISOCS software in a radiation emergency can improve the response in terms of internal contamination monitoring.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.801-806
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• 2018

Germanium crystals have a dead layer that causes efficiency deterioration because the layer is not useful for detection but strongly weakens the photons. Thus, when the data provided by the manufacturer is used in the detector simulation model, there is a slight difference between the calculated efficiency and the measured efficiency.The shape and dimensions of the high purity germanium (HPGe) detector were determined by CT scans to accurately characterize the shape for the Monte Carlo roll simulation. It is found that the adjustment of the dead layer is a good match with the relative deviation of ${\pm}3%$ between the measurement efficiency and the simulation efficiency at the energy range of 50 - 1500 keV. Simulation data were compared by varying the thickness of the dead layer. The new Monte Carlo simulations were compared with the experimental results to obtain new blank layer thicknesses. The difference in dead layer results for the 1.5 mm thick end cap simulation model in 1.4 and 1.6 mm thick End Cap simulation models was a systematic error due to the accuracy of the end cap dimensions. After considering all errors including statistical errors and systematic errors, the thickness of the detector was calculated as $1.02{\pm}0.14mm$. Therefore, it was confirmed that the increase in the thickness of the dead layer causes the effect to be effected on the efficiency reduction.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.129-135
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• 2022

Purpose: A full-energy-peak (FEP) efficiency correction is required through a Monte Carlo simulation for accurate radioactivity measurement, considering the geometrical characteristics of the detector and the sample. However, a relative deviation (RD) occurs between the measurement and calculation efficiencies when modeling using the data provided by the manufacturers due to the randomly generated dead layer. This study aims to optimize the structure of the detector by determining the dead layer thickness based on Monte Carlo simulation. Methods: The high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector used in this study was a coaxial p-type GC2518 model, and a certified reference material (CRM) was used to measure the FEP efficiency. Using the MC N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) code, the FEP efficiency was calculated by increasing the thickness of the outer and inner dead layer in proportion to the thickness of the electrode. Results: As the thickness of the outer and inner dead layer increased by 0.1 mm and 0.1 ㎛, the efficiency difference decreased by 2.43% on average up to 1.0 mm and 1.0 ㎛ and increased by 1.86% thereafter. Therefore, the structure of the detector was optimized by determining 1.0 mm and 1.0 ㎛ as thickness of the dead layer. Conclusions: The effect of the dead layer on the FEP efficiency was evaluated, and an excellent agreement between the measured and calculated efficiencies was confirmed with RDs of less than 4%. It suggests that the optimized HPGe detector can be used to measure the accurate radioactivity using in dismantling and disposing medical linear accelerators.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2007

From HPGe calibration spectrum of liquid mixed source in cylindrical vial, we developed simulated spectrum for spectrum analysis education. It is the spectrum that combine peaks separated from measured spectrum. After that, spectrum removed statistical variation of channel counts. Statistical fluctuation of the spectrum is made by Box-Muller function. The spectrum contains 18 peaks. The peak's centroid and area were defined exactly. Developed spectra are calibration spectrum, sample spectrum, background spectrum and spectra for efficiency correction for geometry and cascade coincidence.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2004

In order to save time and money needed in the purchase commonly used gamma-ray standard sources, a new radioactive standard source was manufactured by the neutron activation of some regent in the research reactor HANARO. The source was manufactured with an aqueous solution by mixing and dissolving the irradiated reagents. The manufactured source was compared with a commercial standard source. It was confirmed that it could be used as an efficiency calibration source. Also, in order to compare the variation of efficiency due to the volume difference for various containers used in radioactivity assay, the efficiency variation as a function of sample volume was investigated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.2317-2323
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• 2024

Medical linear accelerators with an energy of 8 MV or higher are radiated owing to photonuclear reactions and neutron capture reactions. It is necessary to quantitatively evaluate the concentration of radioactive isotopes when replacing or disposing them. HPGe detectors are commonly used to identify isotopes and measure radioactivity. However, because the detection efficiency is generally calibrated using a standard material with a density of 1.0 g/cm³, a self-absorption effect occurs if the density of the measured material is high. In this study, self-absorption correction factors were calculated for tungsten, lead, copper, and SUS-303, which are the main materials of medical linear accelerator head parts, for each gamma-ray energy using MCNP 6.2 code. The self-absorption effect was more pronounced as the energy of the emitted gamma rays decreased and the density of the measured materials increased. These correction factors were applied to the radioactivity measurements of the in-built and portable HPGe detectors. Furthermore, compared to the surface dose rate measured by the survey meter, the accuracy of the measurements of radioactivity improved by an average of 124.31 and 100.53 % for inbuilt and portable HPGe detectors, respectively. The results showed a good agreement, with an average difference of 3.70 and 5.24 %.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.523-528
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• 2003

The efficiencies of single escape and double escape peaks were calculated by using Monte Carlo method and compared with measured efficiencies. The efficiency was obtained from the area ratio of escape peak to full energy absorption peak and the full energy absorption peak efficiency. For the escape peak interfered with other $\gamma-ray$ peaks, the net area was obtained by area correction. The GEANT code developed in CERN was used for the Monte Carlo calculation. The calculated efficiencies of the escape peaks agreed with the measurement within $12\%$.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.426-429
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• 2003

Neutron induced prompt gamma-ray spectroscopy (NIPS) system equipped with a $^{252}Cf$ neutron source and a n-type coaxial HPGe detector was installed for the quantitative analysis of aqueous samples in KAERI, Korea. Since the thermal neutron flux for the $^{252}Cf$ neutron source is relatively low compared to that for the reactor, the use of a thermal neutron reflector in the NIPS system may lead to improved results. The enhancement by using various reflectors was carried out by comparing the Cl peak with or without a cadmium plate between sample and the $^{252}Cf$ source. The use of pyrolitic graphite as a reflector provided a good result.