STUDY OF BETA-RAY RESPONSE FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF AN INTRINSIC-GERMANIUM DETECTOR MOUNTED IN A SUPERCONDUCTING SOLENOID

A semi-empirical detector response function for a beta spectrometer consisting of an intrinsic germanium detector mounted in the bore of a superconducting solenoid is given and discussed. The performance of this type of beta spectrometer is examined by means of the results obtained from it when spectra from ten well studied nuclei are analyzed. It is found that endpoint-energy determination with an accuracy of ∼ 10 keV is achievable in such a system. The system exhibits sufficient sensitivity to provide information on the shape factors of beta-decay transitions. Information on the beta-decay scheme of nuclei can be obtained from such a system, and thus can provide a useful check on the gross features of decay schemes obtained from γ-ray intensity balances. The large solid angle for β-rays achievable with this type of spectrometer, together with the ease of precise calibration and lack of γ-ray contributions to the beta spectra, make the system an attractive instrument for beta-ray spectroscopy. © 1978.