• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.8
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• pp.1364-1371
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• 2018

An extensive investigation of photon interaction properties has been made for $Zn_xTe_{100-x}$ alloys (where x = 5, 20, 30, 40, 50) to explore its possible use in sensing and shielding gamma radiations. The results show better and stable response of ZnTe alloys for various photon interaction properties over the wide energy range, with an additional benefit of ease in fabrication due to lower melting points of Zn and Te. Mass attenuation coefficient values show strong dependence on photon energy as well as composition. Effective atomic number has maximum value for $Zn_5Te_{95}$ and lowest for $Zn_{50}Te_{50}$ in the entire energy region. The alloy sample with maximum $Z_{eff}$ shows minimal value of $N_e$ and vice versa. Mean free path follows inverse trend as observed for mass attenuation coefficient. The exposure and energy absorption buildup factors depend upon photon energy, penetration thickness and composition (effective atomic number) of $Zn_xTe_{100-x}$ alloys. It finds its application for sensing and shielding from highly energetic and highly penetrating photons at sites where radioactive materials were used and visibility of material is not a big constraint. Further, energy down conversion property of ZnTe alloys with subsequent emission in green band suggests its potential use in sensing gamma photons.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.284-290
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• 2014

A fiber-optic beta/gamma dual detector system with two types of sensing probes was fabricated to detect the beta- and gamma-rays simultaneously. As scintillators of the sensing probe type 1, two different inorganic scintillators, $CaF_2(Eu)$ and LYSO(Ce) crystals, were used to obtain the each scintillating efficiency with respect to beta-and gamma-rays and the inherent energy spectra of radioactive isotopes. In the case of the sensing probe type 2, which is composed of two identical inorganic scintillators and a beta shielding material based on the lead, it could discriminate beta- and gamma-rays using a subtraction method. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the proposed fiber-optic beta/gamma dual detector could measure and discriminate beta- and gamma-rays using both energy spectroscopy and subtraction method.