Normalization of γ–γ angular correlation coincidence counts using characteristic X-rays

A new method to normalize coincidence counts for γ–γ angular correlations measured with a multiple-Ge detector system is described. This method uses characteristic KX-rays emitted following internal conversion or electron capture, which exhibit a coincidence with γ-rays and an isotropic KX-γ angular correlation. Only the ratios between KX-ray counts and γ-ray counts of interest in the same gated spectra are used to deduce normalized coincidence intensities, and any other quantities such as detector efficiencies, γ-ray singles counts and other kinds of efficiencies are not required. Performance of this method was tested in on-line experiments using mass-separated 126La and 128La sources.