Hand-Held Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Gun

As an extension of our present work on small, battery-operated multichannel analyzers,1 the Health Division at Los Alamos has developed a complete, handheld, gamma-ray spectrometer package that is carried and pointed like a hand gun. The system is microprocessor-based, includes 6-hour lifetime batteries, and weighs less than 2 kg. The spectrometer is designed to be easy to use; an untrained operator can quickly learn how to acquire data. In spite of its simplicity, the spectrometer includes a full 128-channel analyzer which will allow qualitative analysis of various gamma-ray sources.