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AJAY 3rd Sem.

The document describes a Geiger-Muller counter, which is a device used to detect ionizing radiation. It works by ionizing gas inside a tube when charged particles pass through. This creates a pulse of current that is measured to detect radiation. The document discusses the principle, construction involving a gas-filled tube, how it works through ionization, and issues like dead time and quenching.

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6 views14 pages

AJAY 3rd Sem.

The document describes a Geiger-Muller counter, which is a device used to detect ionizing radiation. It works by ionizing gas inside a tube when charged particles pass through. This creates a pulse of current that is measured to detect radiation. The document discusses the principle, construction involving a gas-filled tube, how it works through ionization, and issues like dead time and quenching.

Uploaded by

neeraj
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GIEGER MULLER

COUNTER

PRESENTED BY: PRESENTED TO:


GAURAV NAUTIYAL DR. T.C.UPADHYAY
M.SC 3rd SEMESTER
CONTENTS

 INTRODUCTION
 PRINCIPLE
 CONSTRUCTION
 WORKING
 DEAD TIME
 QUENCHING
 MAIN USES AND DRAWBACKS
INTRODUCTION

The counter was named after Hans Geiger and W.


Muller, who invented it in the 1926s. It is
sometimes called a Geiger counter or a GM counter
or GM tube and is the most commonly used portable
radiation instrument. Although useful, cheap and
robust, a counter using a GM tube can only detect
the presence and intensity of radiation. Geiger
counters are used to detect ionizing radiation,
usually alpha and beta radiation and other types of
radiation like low energy X-rays, etc.
PRINCIPLE

It works on the principle that nuclear radiations


while passing through the gas contained in GM
counter ionize it.

It is based on the fact that when a charged particle


enters the tube filled with inert gases like argon,
neon etc. , it get ionized their producing the pulse of
current which is then measured.
CONSTRUCTION

 It consists of a hollow cylindrical tube of length


about 15-50cm and is made of copper called GM
tube.
The GM tube is filled with some inert gas (generally
argon gas) at a pressure of 10cm of Hg with 10%
vapors of ethyl alcohol.
 The tungsten wire is connected to the +ve terminal
and metallic G.M tube to the –ve terminal of
H.T( about 1000 V)
construction
Working

 When an energetic charged particle enter G.M Tube


through the window, the gas molecule which interact with
the charged particle, get ionized.
 The generated electrons, get accelerated towards the
central anode and +ve ion towards cathode tube.
 The accelerated electron cause ionization of more gas
molecule, generating a large number of electrons with in a
short interval of time (called avalanche).
 The avalanche give rise to a high current pulse.
 For each particle entering the tube, sensitive current pulses
are produced and counting is done by a suitable advice.
CHARACTERISTIC CURVE :
DEAD TIME OF GM COUNTER

 During the working of G.M Counter the heavier +ve ion


take enough time to reach the surface of cathode tube. Until
all the positive ion have reached the surface of cathode
tube, the next particle is not detected.
 The time interval for which G.M Counter is completely
insensitive to the incoming particle is called dead time of
G.M Counter(generally of the order of a few hundred
microseconds)
 If N particles enter the tube per second and the counter
shows n particles per second then dead time can be written
as :
T=(1/n) – (1/N)
=(N-n)/Nn
QUENCHING

In G.M. Counter the phenomenon of quenching is


to save counter from multiple pulsing. This can be
done in two ways :

Internal quenching : a small amount of gas(butane


or ethanol) is added .

External quenching : a digital circuit is connected


with the counter to reverse the polarity of the
electrodes.
MAIN DRAWBACK

The major drawback of GM counters is that


they can not be used to measure the energy
of radiations.

Uncharged particle cannot be detected.


ADVANTAGES

G.M Counter are very useful for detecting


charged particles like α and β particles.
The pulse height is constant over a wide range
of applied voltage
The counter is light and portable and can be
used for recording cosmic ray event
THANK YOU

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