Investigating Triple-to-Double Coincidence Ratio Efficiencies for a SiPM-based LSC*

Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC) is used for radioactive detection for alpha and beta emitting particles. Commercial LSC setups typically use photomultiplier tubes (PMT) as the primary detectors. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) are a compact, low-power alternative that may be viable for fieldable research applications. Analytical techniques such as the triple-to-double coincidence ratio (TDCR) [L’Annunziata, 2012] have been implemented in LSC systems to improve counting efficiency and lower backgrounds. Additionally, this technique enables the absolute detection efficiency to be determined without the need for calibrated standards. At PNNL, we are using the TDCR analytical technique to investigate a potential SiPM-based LSC system. The project’s overall framework and status will be presented.

L'Annunziata, Michael F., Kessler, Michael J. Liquid Scintillation Analysis: Principles and Practice. Handbook of Radioactivity Analysis, 2012; 423-573.