sIGAle, a new code for automatically determining radionuclide activities using CdZnTe spectrometry

The sIGAle code is developed by CEA LIST at the request of CEA DEN to analyse spectra measured with CdZnTe detectors. sIGAle is a specific automatic analysis software which allows a complete analysis of the spectrum, with automatic calibration, identification of radionuclides present in the spectrum, determination of fluence rates for each significant peak and, if the transfer function is known, calculation of activity for each radionuclide. The sIGAle code takes into account the asymmetric peaks with tails specific to spectra measured with CdZnTe detector and provides a reproducible evaluation of the peak areas, which was the major requirement of CEA DEN. The sIGAle code has been tested by CEA DEN in the field and in laboratories. This paper presents a detailed description of the general principle of the sIGAle code and experimental results.