Evaluation of Well-Type Ge(Li) Detectors for Low-Level Radiochemical Analysis

Well-type Ge(Li) detectors have been evaluated for low-level gamma-ray spectrometry and radiochemical analyses. The detectors were found to have good resolution, high peak-to-Compton ratios and low backgrounds. The use of an anticoincidence shield further improves the detector performance. The detector efficiencies and backgrounds are compared with those obtained with other Ge(Li) detector systems. The well detectors were found to have better detection efficiencies and as low backgrounds as either large coaxial detectors or opposed detector systems. Sum-coincidence effects are more pronounced in the well detector and use of this feature is discussed. Applications which utilize the low-energy response of the detector are described. Minimum detectable activity levels were determined for several nuclides.