Gaseous ionization detector
radiation detector
Gaseous ionization detectors are radiation detection instruments used in particle physics to detect the presence of ionizing particles, and in radiation protection applications to measure ionizing radiation.
They use the ionising effect of radiation upon a gas-filled sensor. If a particle has enough energy to ionize a gas atom or molecule, the resulting electrons and ions cause a current flow which can be measured.
Gaseous ionisation detectors form an important group of instruments used for radiation detection and measurement. This article gives a quick overview of the principal types, and more detailed information can be found in the articles on each instrument. The accompanying plot shows the variation of ion pair generation with varying applied voltage for constant incident radiation. There are three main practical operating regions, one of which each type utilises.
Types
The three basic types of gaseous ionization detectors are 1) ionization chambers, 2) proportional counters, and 3) Geiger–Müller tubes
All of these have the same basic design of two electrodes separated by air or a special fill gas, but each uses a different method to measure the total number of ion-pairs that are collected. The strength of the electric field between the electrodes and the type and pressure of the fill gas determines the detector's response to ionizing radiation.
Ionization chamber
Ionization chambers operate at a low electric field strength, selected such that no gas multiplication takes place.
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