title: Development of decay energy spectroscopy using low temperature detectors.
abstract: We have developed a high-resolution detection technique for measuring the energy and activity of alpha decay events using low-temperature detectors. A small amount of source material containing alpha-emitting radionuclides was enclosed in a 4π metal absorber. The energy of the alpha particles as well as that of the recoiled nuclides, low-energy electrons, and low-energy x-rays and γ-rays was converted into thermal energy of the gold absorber. A metallic magnetic calorimeter serving as a fast and sensitive thermometer was thermally attached to the metal absorber. In the present report, experimental demonstrations of Q spectroscopy were made with a new meander-type magnetic calorimeter. The thermal connection between the temperature sensor and the absorber was established with annealed gold wires. Each alpha decay event in the absorber resulted in a temperature increase of the absorber and the temperature sensor. Using the spectrum measured for a drop of (226)Ra solution in a 4π gold absorber, all of the alpha emitters in the sample were identified with a demonstration of good detector linearity. The resolution of the (226)Ra spectrum showed a 3.3 keV FWHM at its Q value together with an expected gamma escape peak at the energy shifted by its γ-ray energy.
authors.affiliation: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ri
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Y N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Yuryev
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002151:Calorimetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers