Controlling low-rate signal path microdischarge for an ultra-low-background proportional counter
| Autor: | Eric W. Hoppe, Craig E. Aalseth, Emily K. Mace, Cory T. Overman, Ricco Bonicalzi, Allen Seifert, A.W. Myers, Anthony R. Day, Martin E. Keillor |
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| Rok vydání: | 2012 |
| Předmět: |
Preamplifier
business.industry Computer science Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Detector Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Electrical engineering High voltage Pollution Noise (electronics) Signal Analytical Chemistry Background noise Signal-to-noise ratio Nuclear Energy and Engineering Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging Electronics business Spectroscopy |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 296:753-758 |
| ISSN: | 1588-2780 0236-5731 |
| Popis: | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed an ultra-low-background proportional counter (ULBPC) made of high purity copper. These detectors are part of an ultra-low-background counting system (ULBCS) in the newly constructed shallow underground laboratory at PNNL (at a depth of ~30 m water-equivalent). To control backgrounds, the current preamplifier electronics are located outside the ULBCS shielding. Thus the signal from the detector travels through ~1 m of cable and is potentially susceptible to high voltage microdischarge and other sources of electronic noise. Based on initial successful tests, commercial cables and connectors were used for this critical signal path. Subsequent testing across different batches of commercial cables and connectors, however, showed unwanted (but still low) rates of microdischarge noise. To control this noise source, two approaches were pursued: first, to carefully validate cables, connectors, and other commercial components in this critical signal path, making modifications where necessary; second, to develop a custom low-noise, low-background preamplifier that can be integrated with the ULBPC and thus remove most commercial components from the critical signal path. This integrated preamplifier approach is based on the Amptek A250 low-noise charge-integrating preamplifier module. The initial microdischarge signals observed are presented and characterized according to the suspected source. Each of the approaches for mitigation is described, and the results from both are compared with each other and with the original performance seen with commercial cables and connectors. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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