Categories of High Purity Germanium (HPGe) Radiation Detectors
ORTEC offers a wide range of HPGe radiation detector solutions which cover energies for X-rays in the few hundred electron volts (eV) range up to gamma rays in the 10 MeV and above range. These detectors are manufactured using high purity germanium (HPGe) of both P- and N-type. All detectors in these two classes are cryogenically cooled, using either liquid nitrogen or electro-mechanical coolers.
How to Choose the Right HPGe Radiation Detector for Your Application
Choosing the correct detector for your specific application involves many criteria. No single table or graph can uniquely specify a detector for a particular measurement. The energy range chart above, and the key attribute table below should provide an excellent start in making the right choice. You can click the detector type link in the table below for more details regarding that specific detector.
ORTEC also has several unique detectors that are application specific as well as the capability to design and manufacture specialty detectors. Select the links below for more details.
|
FWHM Resolution (in keV) @ Specified Energy
|
|
Detector Series
|
Typical Counting
Geometry
|
Relative Efficiency
Range (%)
|
5.9 keV
|
122 keV
|
1332 keV
|
|
GEM
P-type coaxial
|
Point source
Large surface area source
Marinelli beaker
|
10-150
|
n/a
|
0.80-1.30
|
1.75-2.30
|
|
Profile C
P-type coaxial
|
Point source
Large surface area source
Marinelli beaker
|
20-175
|
0.73-1.23
|
0.85-1.30
|
1.80-2.30
|
|
Profile M
P-type coaxial
|
Point source
Large surface area source
|
20-175
|
n/a
|
0.88-1.30
|
1.80-2.20
|
|
Profile S
P-type semi-planar
|
Point source
Large surface area source
|
7-65
|
0.35-0.50
|
0.65-0.70
|
1.80-1.90
|
|
Profile SP
P-type semi-planar
|
Point source
Large surface area source
|
7-50
|
0.30-0.43
|
0.59-0.63
|
1.80-1.90
|
|
Profile F
P-type semi-planar
|
Point source
Large surface area source
|
7-60
|
n/a
|
0.65-0.85
|
1.80-2.10
|
|
GMX
N-type coaxial
|
Point source
Large surface area source
Marinelli beaker
Neutron background
|
10-100
|
0.60-1.20
|
n/a
|
1.80-2.5
|
|
GLP
P-type planar
|
Point source
Small surface area source
Timing
|
n/a
|
0.17-0.39
|
0.48-0.60
|
n/a
|
|
GWL
P-type reverse
coaxial (well)
|
Small volume source
inside of the well
|
90-450 cc
active volume
(15%-100% rel. eff.)
|
n/a
|
1.20-1.40
|
2.10-2.30
|
| Application |
Most Suitable Detector(s) |
Synchrotron light studies; Soft X-ray (fusion) research
|
GLP |
Large environmental samples with complex spectra
|
GEM, GEM-F, GEM-M, GEM-C, GEM-S, (low-background recommended) |
Environmental samples on filter media, dishes or bottles
|
GEM-F, GEM-C, GEM-S, GEM, GMX |
Small environmental samples
|
GWL (low-background recommended) |
High-grade fissile materials / Safeguards
|
SGD, SGD-GEM |
Neutron activation analysis
|
GMX (PLUS option recommended) |
Post-accident monitoring
|
GEM (PLUS option recommended) |
Compton-suppressed gamma spectroscopy
|
GMX |
Sea or airborne surveillance
|
Micro-trans-SPEC, trans-SPEC-DX-100T, IDM-200-V |
Lung monitoring
|
GEM-S, Actinide-85 |
Measurements in-beam or near fast-neutron fields
|
GMX (special internal heater for in-situ neutron damage anneal recommended) |
| Waste assay |
Micro-trans-SPEC, trans-SPEC-DX-100T, GEM, GMX, GEM-C, GEM-S, IDM-200-V |
Freight / Border Security
|
Micro-Detective, Detective-EX, Detective-DX, Detective-200, IDM-200-P, IDM-200-V |
In-Situ environmental spectroscopy
|
Micro-trans-SPEC, trans-SPEC-DX-100T, GEM, GMX, GEM-C, GEM-S, IDM-200-V |