Experience with a factory-calibrated HPGe detector

For k0-based analysis, an HPGe detector has to be used. This detector has to be absolutely calibrated in a reference position and with a defined geometry so that, using SOLCOI/KAYZERO software package, for example, efficiencies of other positions and sample geometries can be calculated. This reference calibration is a time-consuming procedure during which the detector is not available for analyses. Therefore, DSM Resolve decided to purchase a “factory-calibrated” detector. Efficiency calibrations were ordered for a point-source geometry at a coincidence-free distance from the detector and for two additional distances closer to the detector. After delivery, the factory calibration was checked at DSM Resolve using a limited set of PTB-calibrated reference sources. At the end, we decided nevertheless to perform a standard and full calibration of the detector, because it turned out that the factory-calibrated detector was not accurate enough to be used for quantitative analyses.