Gamma Detector:
Type: 90CC CsI(Tl) scintillator
Energy Range: 30keV – 3MeV
Sensitivity: 1400cps/μSv/h (Cs-137)
Built-in Multichannel: 512 or 1024 channels
Maximum Display Count Rate: 99999cps
Range: 10nSv/h – 100μSv/h (137Cs)
Gamma Detector (High Range):
Type: Silicon diode
Energy Range: 50keV – 6MeV
Sensitivity: 0.03cps/μSv/h (137Cs)
Range: 10nSv/h – 10Sv/h (137Cs)
Neutron Detector:
Type: LiI(Eu) scintillator
Energy Range: Thermal neutrons (0.025eV) – 15MeV
Sensitivity: 0.3cps/cm2/s (252Cf)
Range: 10nSv/h – 10Sv/h (137Cs)
Special Feature:
Automatic energy calibration using K-40 in the background, without the need of any internal radioactive source.
Identity up to 4 simultaneous isotopes.
Varying background suppression algorithm (VBS).
Data Collection:Gamma Detector:
HDSMASS software (available in Mirion’s website after interning your email address)
The thick plastic cover is glued to the copper cap with silica gel, which can be removed by a screw driver. This thick layer of organic material might be used to slow down the fast neutron, since only slow neutron can be effectively detected by the scintillator.
The device applies a CsI(TI)/LiI(Eu) detector produced by Scionix, type 25B3PH43/L5M-LCSTXN. This detector integrated the scintillator crystal, the photomultiplier tube, and the preamplifier.
There boards are inserted into the tube-shaped body in a ridiculous manner. Very hard to take it out without scratching other electronic parts. Be careful to ground the screw when reinstalling the board.
Originally, HDS performs pretty good, easily identifying Th232, Am241, Cs137, and so on even when they are mixed together.
However, after I put it near my fusor for some time, it no longer works. The reading is extremely low, with the background being ~40cpm. The energy calibration also cannot work—often stuck at the energy calibration “Calib.NMD” and identifying wrong isotopes even when the calibration is successful. I guess this is due to the poor electromagnetic field shielding.
Moreover, the HDSMASS software cannot work properly. I have tried my Mac with M1 chip + virtual Win11, Mac with Intel chip + virtual Win10, Win7, WinXP. Either cannot correctly install the driver or cannot download the software. However, I heard people saying that the newer version, HDS101, works fine.
Due to the privacy concern, I will not put the manual and the software here. But you can download them from Mirion’s website easily.