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Educational Experiments

ORTEC supports academic teaching laboratories across a wide range of disciplines: Nuclear Engineering and Technology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Radio-pharmacy. Specifically, ORTEC offers packaged experiments with accompanying scripts, which include tutorial information, experimental set-up instructions, methods and student exercises.

AN34 Teaching Experiments
The ORTEC AN34 Laboratory Manual offers a wide selection of pre-scripted teaching laboratory experiments for use in nuclear science undergraduate laboratories.

Two editions of experiments are offered. Third Edition experiments are based on the use of classic NIM modules. Newly developed Fourth Edition experiments combine both classic NIMs and new offerings including integrated and digital electronic products. The new "EASY-NIM" product suite is featured extensively in the AN34 Fourth Edition.

Experiment Equipment
The broad ORTEC range of nuclear instrumentation relating to radiation detection and spectroscopy includes: Radiation Detectors, Modular (NIM) Signal Processing Modules for pulse counting and fast timing, as well as modules and Digital Electronics for generalized Multichannel Analysis.

This modularity provides a cost-effective, re-configurable approach to teaching experiment instrumentation. For example, several experiments in the AN34 Laboratory Manual may be configured with little or no addition to the basic equipment: simply reconfigure what you already have!

Partnership and Support
ORTEC extends support through partnerships with teaching facilities in universities and other educational institutions to develop and advance, new pre-scripted experiments.

If you have developed teaching experiments employing ORTEC products, we would welcome the opportunity to include them on this site for others to use. We are happy to acknowledge the institution for the contribution of the experimental script, and to provide a link to the contributor's departmental website.

  • Third Edition Experiments +


    Third edition experiments are based on the use of NIM modules while the fourth edition experiments provide an alternative through the use of the more recent products, integrated and often digital electronics products. Our all new “EASY-NIM” products feature extensively in AN34 Fourth Edition.

    The experiments listed here include some of the experiments from the AN34 Laboratory Manual. Additional experiments have been added and more will be added as they become available.

    It is recommended that the references (located under the "Library" tab below) be included with these experiments.

    Please contact the factory if you need assistance, or need to purchase the latest equipment available for any specific experiment.

    Experiment 1 Introduction to Electronic Signal Analysis in Nuclear Radiation Measurements
    Experiment 2 Geiger Counting
    Experiment 3 Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy Using NaI(Tl)
    Experiment 4 Alpha Spectroscopy with Silicon Charged Particle Detectors
    Experiment 5 Energy Loss with Heavy Charged Particles (Alphas)
    Experiment 6 Beta Spectroscopy
    Experiment 7 High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy
    Experiment 9 Time Coincidence Techniques and Absolute Activity Measurements
    Experiment 10 Compton Scattering
    Experiment 11 The Proportional Counter and Low-Energy X-Ray Measurements
    Experiment 13
    		 Gamma-Gamma Coincidence with Angular Correlation
    Experiment 14 Nuclear Lifetimes and the Coincidence Method
    Experiment 15 Rutherford Scattering of Alphas from Thin Gold Foil and Other Optional Metal Foils
    Experiment 19
    		 Gamma-Ray Decay Scheme and Angular Correlation for 60Co
    Experiment 20
    		 A Study of the Decay Scheme of 244Cm by an Alpha and X-Ray Coincidence Experiment
    Experiment 24 Measurements in Health Physics
    Experiment 25 Time-of-Flight Spectroscopy
    Experiment 26 Fission Fragment Energy Loss Measurements from 252Cf
    Experiment 27 Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectrometry

  • Fourth Edition Experiments +


    Third edition experiments are based on the use of NIM modules while the fourth edition experiments provide an alternative through the use of the more recent products, integrated and often digital electronics products. Our all new “EASY-NIM” products feature extensively in AN34 Fourth Edition.

    It is recommended that the references (located under the "Library" tab below) be included with these experiments.

    Please contact the factory if you need assistance, or need to purchase the latest equipment available for any specific experiment.

    Experiment 1 Introduction to Electronic Signal Analysis in Nuclear Radiation Measurements
    Experiment 2 Geiger Counting
    Experiment 3 Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy Using NaI(Tl)
    Experiment 4 Alpha Spectroscopy with Silicon Charged Particle Detectors
    Experiment 7 High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy
    Experiment 10 Compton Scattering

  • Radioactive Source Suppliers +


    Radioactive sources for ORTEC AN34 experiments are available from a variety of world-wide suppliers.

    Sources should be ordered directly from the local supplier or the supplier’s local agent in the country in which the sources will ultimately be used. This is because the local agent will be familiar and able to assist with the licensing requirements in the country of ultimate end use. ORTEC has agreements with two suppliers who are referred to in the source suppliers listing:

    Spectrum Techniques
    (referred to as “ST”)
    106 Union Valley Road
    Oak Ridge, TN 37830 USA

    Telephone: +1-865-482-9937

    www.spectrumtechniques.com

    Email: Sales@SpectrumTechniques.com           

    		Eckert & Ziegler Reference & Calibration
    (referred to as “E+Z”)
    1380 Seaboard Industrial Blvd.
    Atlanta, Georgia 30318 USA

    Telephone: +1-404-425-5068

    www.ezag.com

    Email: analytics@ezag.com


    The table below provides the supplier code, and vendor code for each source required, by experiment number. In every case, the relevant supplier should be contacted in the first instance to provide contact details for their local agent from whom the end user can obtain sources under the local licensing regulations. ORTEC is happy to assist in this process if required but direct contact with the source vendor is the preferred route.

    Download table as pdf.

    SUPPLIER MODEL VENDOR CODE DESCRIPTION EXPT #
    ST CO-60S Co60S1 1 µCi Co-60 Source 2, IV-2
    ST ISO (CDRB1385) ISO CDRB1385 Isotope Generator, 10 µCi Cs-137/Ba-137 2, IV-2
    ST RSS2 RSS2 Resolving Time set Split source Tl-204 5 µCi 2ea 2, IV-3
    ST GF-057-M-20 Co57S20 20 µCi Co-57 Source 3, IV-3
    E+Z GF-057-M-20 GF-057-M 20 µCi Co-57 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 3, IV-3
    ST GF-137-M-5 Cs137S5 5 µCi Cs-137 Source 3, IV-3
    ST RSS8 RSS8 Set of eight gamma sources for scintillation spectrometry: Ba-133, Cd-109, Co-57, Co-60, Cs-137, Mn-54, Na-22, and an "unknown" (mixed Cs/Zn) source. 3, IV-3
    ST ZN65S ZN65S 1 µCi Zn-65 Source 3, IV-3
    E+Z AF200 AF200 Alpha Source Set: 0.1 μCi of 241Am, 0.01 μCi of 228Th and 0.01 μCi of 230Th 4, IV-4
    E+Z AF-244-A2-0.1 AF-244-A2-0.1 0.1 µCi Cm-244 Source 4, IV-4
    E+Z AF-210-A AF-210-A 1 µCi Po-210 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 5
    E+Z BF-113-A-1 BF-113-A 1 µCi SN-113 Beta Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 6
    E+Z BF-137-A-0.1 BF-137-A 0.1 µCi Cs-137 Beta Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 6
    E+Z BF-204-A-0.1 BF-204-A 0.1 µCi Tl-204 Beta Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 6
    E+Z GF-057-M-20 GF-057-M 20 µCi Co-57 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 7, IV-7
    E+Z GF-060-M-10 GF-060-M 10 µCi Co-60 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 7, IV-7
    E+Z GF-137-M-20 GF-137-M 20 µCi Cs-137 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 7, IV-7
    E+Z GF-228-D-10 GF-228-D 10 µCi Th-228 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 7, IV-7
    E+Z POSK-22-10 POSK-22 10 µCi Na-22 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 7, IV-7
    E+Z GF-055-M-10 GF-055-M 10 µCi Fe-55 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 8
    ST GF-057-M-20 Co57S20 20 µCi Co-57 Source 8
    E+Z GF-057-M-20 GF-057-M 20 µCi Co-57 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 8
    E+Z GF-109-M-10 GF-109-M 10 µCi Cd-109 Source 8
    E+Z GF-137-M-20 GF-137-M 20 µCi Cs-137 Source 8
    E+Z GF-241-M-10 GF-241 10 µCi Am-241 Source 8
    E+Z BF-060-5 BF-060-5 5 µCi Co-60 Beta Source 9
    ST CS-137S1 Cs137S1 1 µCi Cs-137 Source 10
    ST CS173-5M CS730000005m 5 milliCi Cs-137 Source 10
    ST RSS8 RSS8 Set of eight gamma sources for scintillation spectrometry: Ba-133, Cd-109, Co-57, Co-60, Cs-137, Mn-54, Na-22, and an "unknown" (mixed Cs/Zn) source. 10
    ST ZN65S ZN65S 1 µCi Zn-65 Source 10
    E+Z GF-055-M-10 GF-055-M 10 µCi Fe-55 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 11
    E+Z GF-057-M-20 GF-057-M 20 µCI Co-57 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 11
    E+Z GF-109-M-10 GF-109-M 10 µCi Cd-109 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 11
    ST GF-137-M-5 CS137S5 5 µCi Cs-137 Source 11
    E+Z GF-241-M-10 GF-241-M 10 µCi Am-241 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 11
    ST ZN65S ZN65S 1 µCi Zn-65 Source 11
    E+Z GF-022D-50 GF-022-D 50 µCi Na-22 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 13
    ST GF-057-M-20 Co57S20 20 µCi Co-57 Source 14
    E+Z GF-057-M-20 GF-057-M 20 µCi Co-57 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 14
    ST CO-60S1 C060S1 1 µCi Co-60 Source 19
    E+Z GF-060-D-100 GF-060-D 100 µCi Co-60 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 19
    E+Z AF-244-PM-0.1 AF-244-A2 0.1 µCi Cm-244 Source Thin window (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 20
    ST CS-137S1 Cs137S1 1 µCi Cs-137 Source 20
    ST GF-057-M-5 Co57S5 5 µCi Co-57 Source 20
    ST CS-137S1 Cs137S1 1 µCi Cs-137 Source 22
    E+Z BF-204-A-0.1 BF-204-A 0.1 µCi Tl-204 Beta Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 24
    E+Z GF-137-M-25 GF-137-M 25 µCi Cs-137 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 24
    E+Z GF-022D-50 GF-022-D 50 µCi Na-22 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 25
    ST GF-060-M-10 GF-060-M 10 µCi Co-60 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 27
    E+Z POSK-22-10 POSK-22 10 µCi Na-22 Source (Activity must be specified on purchase order) 27
    ST CD-109S1 Cd109S1 1microCi Cd-109 Source 3, IV-3
    ST CO-57S1 Co57S1 1 µCi Co-57 Source 3, IV-3
    E+Z AM1A2100U AM1A2100U 100 µCi Am-241 Source
    ST FE-55LDS100 Fe55S100 100 µCi Fe-55 Source
    ST FE55LMW10 Fe55S10 10 µCi Fe-55 Source
    SOURCE SETS
    ST RSS2 RSS2 Resolving Time Set - Split Source
    ST RSS3 RSS3 Set of 3 Solid Sources: Po-210, Sr-90, & Co-60
    ST RSS3EXP RSS3EU Set of 3 Solid Sources: Po-210,0.1 µCI; Sr-90,0.1 µCi & Co-60, 0.5 µCi
    ST RSS5 RSS5 Set of 5 Sources: Po-210, TI-204, C0-60, Cs-137
    ST RSS5-EXP RSS5-EU NRC/IAEA/EU exempt quantity material set, Alpha Po-210@0.1 µCi, Beta Sr-90@0.1 µCi & TI-204@0.25 µCi, Gamma Co-60@1.0 µCi & Cs-137@0.25 µCi
    ST RSS8 RSS8 Set of 8 Gamma Sources for Scintillation Spectrometry 3, IV-3
    ST RSS8EXP RSS8EU NRC/IAEA/EU exempt quantity material set rev 1, Bal-33, Cd-109, Co-57, Co-60, Mn-54, Na-22, Zn-65@1.0 µCi each and Cs-137@0.25 µCi 3, IV-3
    ST RSS8UN RSS8UN NRC/IAEA/EU exempt quantity material set rev 1, Bal-33, Cd-109, Co-57, Co-60, Mn-54, Na-22, Zn-65@1.0 µCi each and Cs-137@0.1 µCi 3, IV-3
    E+Z BF-200 BF-200 Beta Source Set

  • Library +


    Safe Handling of Radioactive Sources
    Electronics Standards and Definitions - NIM and CAMAC Standards for Modular Instrumentation
    Glossary
    Relative Sensitivities of Elements to Thermal Neutron Activation
    X-Ray Critical-Absorption and Emission Energies in keV

    Operating Manual for Tektronix TDS 3054B and TDS 3032C Oscilloscopes

    The Multichannel Pulse Height Analyzer