title: A multidetector alpha spectroscopy analysis system.
abstract: This document describes the attributes of an alpha spectroscopy counting and analysis system called Low Level Pulse Height Analysis (LLPHA). It was developed for multi-sample alpha spectroscopy analysis. The LLPHA system is controlled by a MIK-11/2 microcomputer with 28K of memory and uses a double-density, dual floppy disk for data storage. Detectors are interfaced to the computer via CAMAC (Computer Automated Measurement and Control) equipment. The system simultaneously supports 32 active and independent surface-barrier alpha-particle detectors. It operates with the total collection rate of up to 300 counts/sec from all active detectors, using 128 channels per spectrum and a dynamic energy range of 1.4 MeV. The system is not limited, however, to these conditions. In addition to spectral acquisition, the system provides analysis functions which include peak identification, curve-smoothing, integration, linear and logarithmic scale graphics, and corrections for base-line shift, dead-time, and background counts. These functions can be implemented while other spectra are being collected. The LLPHA system represents a highly cost-effective means of acquiring alpha spectrometric data from a large number of samples simultaneously and with rapid data analysis capability.
mesh_terms: D000512:Alpha Particles; D008838:Microcomputers; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*