Design and development of a high sensitivity radon detector based on air scintillation

IF 1.5 3区物理与天体物理 Q3 INSTRUMENTS & INSTRUMENTATION

Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section A-accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment Pub Date : 2025-01-24 DOI:10.1016/j.nima.2025.170253

Kangfu Zhu , Yanbo Xue , Yuhang Wang , Xiong Yang , Qingmin Zhang , Haiyu Kong , Zuoming Zhu , Ziqi Cai , Shiyu Liu , Haoxuan Guo , Yaodong Sang , Hulin Zhong , Jinkai Liu , Liangpeng Wu , Eryuan Qu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Radon exposure increases the risk of lung cancer due to its radioactivity after being inhaled. Developing a highly sensitive radon detector with a low limit of detection (LLD) is urgently required to enable online monitoring and meet the need for accurate, rapid early warning at low radon concentrations (a low radiation flux). Previous experiments demonstrated that radon measurement based on air scintillation is feasible using two PMTs and the 2-fold coincidence. However, the design focused on maximizing detection efficiency for alpha particles, resulting in a low sensitivity (0.01 cpm/(Bq/m³)) and a high LLD (137.14 Bq/m³). For rapid early warning at low radon concentrations, reducing the detector's LLD is essential, which necessitates minimizing noise and enhancing sensitivity. The detector was initially designed with M/N (a majority coincidence of M fired PMTs out of N PMTs) majority coincidence logic to address the low light yield of air (about 20 ph/MeV). Simulation was then used to optimize its parameters and operational settings. Subsequently, the new detector was constructed, and its electronic circuit incorporating M/N coincidence logic was developed. Tests of the new detector revealed an experimental LLD of 8.65 Bq/m³ using 3/4 coincidence logic, a threshold of 45 mV, and a 30-min measurement period. The corresponding sensitivity reached 0.32 cpm/(Bq/m³). This technique offers a novel approach for timely and accurate radon monitoring, particularly at low concentrations, with significant implications for public health protection.

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来源期刊

Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section A-accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment 物理-光谱学

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

21.40%

发文量

787

审稿时长

1 months

期刊介绍： Section A of Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research publishes papers on design, manufacturing and performance of scientific instruments with an emphasis on large scale facilities. This includes the development of particle accelerators, ion sources, beam transport systems and target arrangements as well as the use of secondary phenomena such as synchrotron radiation and free electron lasers. It also includes all types of instrumentation for the detection and spectrometry of radiations from high energy processes and nuclear decays, as well as instrumentation for experiments at nuclear reactors. Specialized electronics for nuclear and other types of spectrometry as well as computerization of measurements and control systems in this area also find their place in the A section. Theoretical as well as experimental papers are accepted.