Patent ID: 6732059
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: G01T

Abstract:
A method of operating a gas-filled alpha counter, the method comprising:Providing gas-filled chamber having a sample region, an anode, a preamplifier connected to the anode, and a voltage source; Using the voltage source to apply a bias such that, whenever an ionization rack is generated by an alpha particle passing through the gas with in the chamber, the electrons in the track are collected by the anode and cause the preamplifier to produce an anode output signal pulse associated with the alpha particle and characteristic of the collection process, a given pulse associated with a given alpha particle being considered to have an associated region of emanation that corresponds to the region within the chamber where the ionization track generated by the given alpha particle originates; and, for at least some pulses: Measuring one or more features of the pulse that differ depending on the pulses region of emanation; and Determining, based on the measurement of the one or more features, the pulses region of emanation.