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Simple method for true coincidence summing correction

Article in Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry · March 1995

DOI: 10.1007/BF02035990

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Jointly published by Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry,
Elsev&r Science S. A., Lausanne and Articles, Vol. 191, No. 1 (1995) 105-114
Akad~miai Kiad6, Budapest

S I M P L E M E T H O D FOR T R U E COINCIDENCE SUMMING

CORRECTION

S. I. KAFALA

Centre for Analytical Research in the Environment, Imperial College,

Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks., S1.5 7TE (U X.)

(Received November 22, 1994)

For the correction of losses due to tree coincidences summing and edge effect, a simple method
which is based on the ratio of a reference single "/-ray energy to that of cascade energies at near and far
geometry is developed. The correction factors fo~-several radioactive sources with simple and complex
decay schemes are experimentally determined for three types of germanium detectors. It is shown that
coincidence summing can be a complex effect and depends on the individual detector, the counting
geometry and on the decay scheme of the radionuclide concemed.

True coincidence summing occurs with nuclides emitting two or more cascading
photons within the resolving time of the spectrometer (Fig. 1). It is independent of the
count rate, but becomes more imporant at short source-to-detector distances, i.e., it
depends on the solid angle sustained by the detector. The probability that Evl and Ev2
deposit energy simultaneously in the crystal giving rise to a sum pulse recorded is
given by:
Ncs= No e 1 e2 w(O) (1)

where N O - is the disintegration rate of the source,

e l, e2 - total efficiencies for Evl and Ev2, respectively,
w(0) - factor accounting for any angular correlation between
the T-rays.
Several authors 1,2 have pointed out the problem of coincidence summing effects.
Elsewhere, 3 where the experimental evidence of the need for corrections is revealed, it
has been pointed that the corrections can be estimated experimentally using the method
of recording the spectra in two detector geometries (near and far). Others have
developed a software program 1 which requires input of the nuclear decay scheme data
of the isotopes, such as the type of decay and energies of X-rays, conversion
coefficients, peak and total efficiency, etc. This can be very time consuming especially
if complex decay schemes are involved. Also angular correlation, due to the finite sold
angle, are difficult to evaluate as the exact shape and size of the sensitive volume of the

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S. I. KAFALA: SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRUE COINCIDENCE SUMMING

X(A,Z)

X(A,Z+I)

Fig. 1. A simple cascade

l
.9 4 0 -
127 _oo
2 cm/25 cm
30-
o o o

HPGe cooxic]l
20 24.6 cmz. 6cm
5cm/25cm
~r~ r3

10-
13cm / 25 cm

ol , I M I i [
50O 1000 1500
E~,key
Fig. 2. Ratio of photopeak efficiencies to those at 25 cm for three source to detector distances showing
edge effects at lower energies

Ge detector are not known. Although in complex decay schemes, where peak loss
effects are most marked and the angular correlation effects are likely to average out and
w(O) can be put equal to 1,4 many of the angular correlation are not known. 5
Furthermore the total efficiency can be measured only with low accuracy because of the
difficulty in extrapolation of the low energy spectrum to zero energy. On the other hand,
detector edge effects can influence the energy dependence of the full energy peak
efficiency at lower energies. These are caused by T-rays entering the detector near the
edge of the front surface at other than normal incidence (i.e., from a source located near
the crystal).6 Because of the edge effect, the shape of the detection efficiency curve
becomes a function of source-to-detector distance. This problem can be serious when
measuring low "y-ray energies in clo~e geometry. This effect is illustrated in Fig. 2. The
ratios of full energy peak efficiencies taken at 2, 5 and 13 cm from a detector, to those

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 S. I. KA'FALA: SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRUE COINCIDENCE SUMMING

at 25 cm show a difference of - 2 4 % , 14% and 6% between 100 keV and 1 MeV,

respectively. It can al~o be seen that this detector demonslrates edge effects up to an
energy of about 300 keV.

Experimental

In order to avoid all the difficulty mentioned above, a simple technique has been
developed to estimate the coincidence summing factor. Let N; be the count rate of a
"t-ray corrected for deadfime and pulse pileup, decay time and decay during counting,
where the subscript (i) could be (r) or (s) standing for reference and source, respectively.
Then:

Ni = t (1 - e-&)e-at. /
(2)
and

where C - net peak area,

Rp R n - ratios of count rates of reference to source
at far and near geometry, respectively,
td, tc - decay and counting times, respectively,
2 - decay constant.
Suppose that the source contains several y-ray energies in cascade, then we expect
the count rate at near geometry to be affected more by coincidence losses than that of
far geometry. If the reference energy is a single y-line, there will be no losses due to
coincidence summing. Hence in a cascade decay we expect R n to be more than Rf by a
factor Cf. Then the coincidence summing correction factor is defined as the ratio of R n
to Rf (ratio of ratios) i.e.:

g n
c f = -~f (3)

where C f = 1 coincidence summing is negligible,

C f ~ 1 if coincidence summing is not negligible.
The uncertainty of the C f factor is mainly the propagation of the uncertainties of the
counting statistics and error due to decay factors of both the reference and the source at

107
S. I. KAFALA: SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRUE COINCIDENCE SUMMING

both geometries, i.e.:

Z=f~Nr)Z (~N=) 2 (3Nr)z (~Ns) z
(~)Cfl c=, <==>

The main advantages in using this teclanique are as follows: (1) it is simple to use,
(2) it involves neither the decay scheme data nor total efficiency, (3) by using the ratio
several errors are minimised such as errors due to peak area evaluation and uncertainty
in photon emission rates, (4) in principle any reference source of a single q-ray energy
greater than 300 keV (to minimise edge effect) can be used, and (5) simultaneously, it
corrects for losses due to edge effect.
To test the validity of the proposed method, different radioactive sources are used.
Some of the sources have simple decay schemes others have complex ones. The
following radionuclides were used; ZZNa, 46Sc, 6~ 75Se, 124Sb, 133Ba, 134Cs, 14~
152Eu, 18ZTa,160Tb,and the reference source is 137Cs(662 keW).The sources are counted
in front of three detectors, two different HPGe and one Ge(Li) detector. The detector
specifications are given in Table 1. The sources are fixed in a perspex holder and
counted at distances 25, 13, 9, 5 and 2 cm. At 25 cm from the detector coincidence
losses are considered to be negligible, hence it is chosen to be the far geometry.
Therefore all the measurements are made with respect to it. For the sake of

Table 1
Specifications of germanium detectors

Specifications HPGe (1) HPGe (2) Ge(Li)

Detector series Ortec GEM Ortec LO-AX Harshaw R-70

Material p-Type HPGe n-Type HPGe
Diameter, mm 56.2 50.7
Length, mm 59.7 19.0
DSTW,* trim 3 3
Absorbing layer 1.0 (A1) 0.5 (Be)
Inactive Ge, mm 0.7 -
Sensitive volume, cm 3 148 38 72
Resolution, keV 1.9 1.9 2.1

*Detector to window distance.

comparison, the total efficiency from HPGe (1) and the coincidence factor is measured
following Reference 1 only in the case of 6~ i.e.:

N T - APT1 eT1
eT~ = A P ~ ( I - P~,x eTX)

108
 S. I. KAFALA: SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRUE COINCIDENCE SUMMING

Table 2
Coincidence summing correction factors at different source to detector distances for HPGe (1)

Nuclide E~ Source to detector dist. ( cm )

keV 13 9 5 2
22Na 511 0.985-+.003 0.988-+.008 0.96OL-_.008 0.963+-005
1274 1.00OL-_.007 1.005_+.009 1.023+.015 1313+.008
46Sc 889 1.003+.011 1.021_+.012 1.046+.012 1.107+_.012
1121 1.003-+,011 1.019-+.011 1.069+.012 1.138+012
60Co 1173 0,988-+.005 0.984-+.007 1.008+.010 1.060+~007
1333 0.995-+.005 0.995-+.006 1.015_+.013 1.068+.006
75Se 121 0,930-+.013 0,914+.012 0.880-+.012 0.862#_.011
136 0,951+.009 0.949+.009 0.908-+.009 0.919-+.008
265 0,981-+.010 0.986_+.009 1.000&_.010 1.049"-+.010
279 0,979_+.012 0.989-+.011 0.977+.011 1.010-+.011
400 0,946_+.016 0.918_+.014 0.817-+.013 0.621+.009
124Sb 602 0.987_+.010 1.000-+.009 1.011_+.010 1.063+.010
722 0.968-+.025 ,981_+.025 1.020&-_.028 1.098_+.030
1691 0.990-+.014 1,007_+.014 1.051_+.016 1.116+.017
133Ba 276 0.980-L-_.012 0,978_+.012 0.988_+.011
303 0.982-+.010 0.975_+.010 0.979+.010
356 0.984_+.010 0.976_+.010 0.977+.010
384 0,972+.011 0.969-+.011 0.958+.010
134Cs 604 0.996_+.006 1.003_+.009 1.007_+.007 1.043_+.006
795 0.992_+.007 1.002+.010 1.008_+.008 1.034_+.007
140La 328 0.994+.011 1.002#_.011 1.027_+.011 1,102_-+.012
486 0.996_+.010 1.009-+.010 1.036_+.010 1,104+_.010
816 0.994_+.013 1.010-+.013 1.029-L-_.013 1.046_+.013
1596 0.998_+.010 1.024-+.010 1.061_+.010 1.165_+.011
152Eu 122 1.003+.006 0.970-+.004 0.953+.023 0.973+.005
244 1,003_+.003 1.013-+.008 1.045_+.010 1.127+-008
344 1.023+.006 1.020-+.004 1.020-L-_.009 1.055+.003
444 1.005-+.006 1.013-+.006 1,055+,012 1.188+_.008
779 1.000-+,000 1,010-+.007 1.040-L-_.009 1.128+.003
867 1.028-+.015 1.035+.010 1.095_+.006 1.288-+.022
964 1.028_+.011 1.043+.013 1.075_+.013 1.198-+.006
1112 1,000-+.008 1.010-!-_.010 1.030-+.011 1.110-Z-_.017
1408 1.015+.003 1.025_+.009 1.068+.003 1.188+.010

109
S. I. KAFALA:SIMPLE METHODFOR TRUE COINCIDENCESUMMING

(Table 2 cont'd)

Nuclide Ey Source to detector dist. (cm)

keV 13 9 5 2

140Tb 298 0.979-+.011 0.988_+.010 0.986+.010 1.044_+.010

879 0.995_+.014 1.014+.012 1.034+.012 1.112.+..013
966 0.992+.025 1.022+.021 1.037+.022 1.140-L-_.025
1177 1.013-+.018 1.012-+.016 1.027-+.016 1.032+.016
1271 1.036-+.026 1.046+.022 1.058+.022 1.123_+.024
182Ta 1121 1.019+.011 1.048_+.011 1.112.+_.012 1.260-+.013
1189 1.002+.013 1.007+.013 1.035-+.013 1.073_+.014
1221 1.019+.011 1.039-+.011 1.084_+.014 1.207+.014
1231 1.016+.014 1.040-+.015 1.093+.017 1.223_+.021

Table 3
Coincidencesunanaingcorrectionfactorsat differentsourceto detectordistances for HPGe(2)

Nuclide E,/ Source to detector dist. ( cm )

keV 13 9 5 2

46Sc 889 1.021_+.010 1.012_+_.013 1.015_+.009 1.048+.012

1121 1.019-+.009 1.013+.013 1.019-+.008 1.033+.011
75Se 121 1.001+.008 1.018+.010 1.132.+_.011 1.216+.012
136 1.017-+.006 1.024-+.008 1.139!-_.008 1.237+.011
265 1.026d:.007 1.039+_.009 1.147+.009 1.238_+.011
279 1.016:t.009 1.029-L-_.011 1.118+.011 1.196+.013
400 0.966d:.014 0.950-L-_.016 0.951_+.015 0.784+.014
124Sb 602 0.998_+.009 1.005+.012 1.013_+.008 1.038+.008
722 1.0265:.035 1.038+.034 1.049-+.030 1.102_+.035
1691 1.008-+.037 1.014+.036 1.019.+.032 1.053+.038
134Cs 604 0.998+.014 1.005_+.013 0.996_+..012 1.034+.010
795 1.004_+.015 1.004_+.014 1.000-+.012 1.028+.011
140La 328 1.008+.014 1.050-L-_.012 1.18OL-_.012
486 0.992_+.013 1.015_+.009 1.091+.009
816 0.999+.021 0.986_+.018 0.991+.016
1596 0.984-+.015 0.974+.012 0.983+.011
152Eu 122 0.996_+.004 1.005_+.005 1.034_+.004 1.112+.004
244 1.012~.009 1.029+.008 1.065+.009 1.175+.008
 S. I. KAFALA: SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRUE COINCIDENCE SUMMING

(Table 3 cont'd)

Nuclide Ey Source to detector dist. (cm)

keV 13 9 5 2

344 1.000-2-__.006 1.001_+.006 1.007+.006 1.019"2-.005

"!,'!,'!, 0.979-2-__.026 0.993+.026 1.054+.025 1.100-L-__.024
779 1.030-2-__.017 1.005_+.0.13 1.011_+.014 1.018_+.013
964 1.007_+.017 0.996+.014 1.029+.014 1.084+.013
1112 0.965+.018 0.961+.016 1.007+.015 1.027+.015
1408 1.000-+.014 0.987+.012 1.029+.012 1.065+.012
160Tb 298 1.0065:.008 0.998+.012 1.020L-__.008 1.081+.008
879 0.994+.012 0.985_____.015 1.000-Z-__.014 1.052_-+.013
966 1.003__+.016 0.991+.021 0.996-2--.016 1.029-+.016
1177 0.979-2.018 0.977+.023 0.994__+.018 1.001+.018
]271 1.008+.026 0.991+.033 0.999-2-__.027 1.051+.025
l 2Ta 1121 0.999-2-__.010 0.993+.013 1.018+.009 1.078+.008
1189 0.970L-__.013 0.963+.015 0.949-2-__.011 0.886+.009
1221 0.985-+.011 0.996+.014 0.998+.010 1.031-+.009
1231 0.979-2-__.014 0.969+.016 0.986+.012 1.004-+.011

Table 4
Coincidence summing correction factors at different source to detector distances for Ge(Li)

Nuclide Ey Source to detector dist. ( cm )

keY 13 9 5 2

22Na 511 0.917+.012 0.921_+.012 0.919-&-_.011 0.930-&-_.012

1274 0.949-2--.016 0.938_+.016 0.966+.015 1.029~-.016
46Sc 889 0.954+.014 0.970-L-_.012 0.973+.013 1.060-Z-_.014
1121 0.958+.014 0.982-+.012 0.999-2-_.013 1.080-2-_.014
60Co 1173 1.000-2-_.015 1.005_+.015 1.021+.013 1.048+.014
1333 1.000-2_.016 0.994_.+.015 1.011+.013 1.044+.014
75Se 121 0.905+.014 0.867_+.013 0.836+.012 0.813-+.0I1
136 0.898+.010 0.864_+.010 0.839-+.009 0.834+.009
265 0.937+.011 0.923-+.010 0.911+.010 0.953+.010

111
s. I. KAFALA:SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRUE COINCIDENCESUMMING

(Table 4 conf d)

Nuclide Ey Source to detector dist. ( cm

keV 13 9 5

279 0.845+.011 0.831+.011 0.813+.011 0.839-2---.010

400 0.936+.018 0.909+.018 0.813+.015 0.678+.012
t34Cs 604 0.930-+.012 0.925+.011 0.923+.011 0.965+.011
795 0.963+.013 0.956+.012 0.965-+.012 1.017+.012
140La 328 0.942.+..014 0.948+.013 0.967+.013 1.107+.015
486 0.942-+.012 0.945+.011 0.967__+.012 1.109+.013
816 0.959+.016 0.944__+.015 0.957-+.014 1.06OL---.017
1596 0.969-2-__.013 0.967_+.012 0.988-+.012 1.088+.013
152Eu 122 0.907-+.029 0.868_+.024 0.830-2--.028 0.805+.028
244 0.936_+.003 0.916_+.012 0.938-+.006 0.958+.011
344 1.064-+.024 1.058_+.006 1.063-+.017 1.082-+.004
444 0.914+.014 0.902+.005 0.909_+.009 0.964+.013
779 0.925-+.006 0.906-+.001 0.926-+.006 0.950-L-_.003
964 0.941-+.012 0.934-+.008 0.938-+.001 0.971+.003
1112 0.956+.016 0.961+.012 0.964-+.009 0.992+.008
1408 0.916-+.001 0.910-2-_.008 0.932+~ 0.965+.011
182Ta 1 I21 0.970-2-_.013 0.947_+.011 1.006-+.013 1.145+.015
1189 0.939-+.014 0.932-+.013 0.947-+.014 1.012+.016
1221 0.960-+.013 0.948+.012 0.987_+.013 1.088+.015
1231 0.972-+.017 0.967_+.015 1.007-+.017 1.159+.023

Table5
Comparisonof the experimentalcorrectionfactors
with others using 60Co(1333 keV)

cf (5 cm) Cf (2 cm)

This work 1.015 + 0.013 1.068 :t: 0.006

Reference 1.018 1.080

112
 S. I. KAFALA:SIMPLEMETHODFOR TRUE COINCIDENCESUMMING

for 6~
P~ = Pv2 = 1
and
erl = er2= er
then
~ = 1 - ~]1 -N';/A

C~= l _ e r

where Cc - coincidence correction factor for 6~

A - source activity,
1% - total counts in the speclrum up to Ev~ + E~,
P'tl' Py2 - emission probabilities for E~ and Ev2, respectively,
erl, ere - total efficiencies for Evl and Ev2, respectively.

Results and discussion

Tables 2, 3 and 4 show the average results of at least two measurements of the
coincidence factor at different source to detector distances. It can be seen that the three
detectors exhibit some considerable losses at short distances and that the true
coincidence summing effect becomes negligible between 13 and 25 cm from the
detectors. Consequently 13 cm is the minimum distance that can be chosen for
measurements of spectra from nuclides with complex decay schemes if corrections are
to be avoided. At 2 cm detector distance, losses due to coincidence summing can be up
to 30%. Generally it is expected that losses would be the highest in detector HPGe (1)
since it has the largest sensitive volume, i.e., bigger solid angle, and lowest in the Ge(Li)
detector. In spite of the fact that volume of the Ge(Li) detector is larger than that of
HPGe (2), in most of the cases losses in the latter are higher. This could be explained
by the differences in either the detector to window distance (DTW) and/or the
absorbing layer thickness. The efficiency of the detector improves as the DTW
decreases and as the absorbing layer becomes thinner as in the case of a Be window
especially in low •,-my energies. A comparison of the correction factor with the method
used in Reference 1 is shown in Table 5.
It is clear that coincidence summing is a complex effect and depends on the
configuration of individual detector, the counting geometry and on the decay scheme of
the radionuclide concerned. Some peaks lose counts and other gain counts. Correction

113
 s. I. KAFALA:SIMPLE METHOD FOR TRUE COINCIDENCESUMMING

factors, therefore, have to be determined for each source, detector and geometry used.
Whether to neglect the summing effect or not it depends on the required accuracy. If we
aim at an overall accuracy of measurements of no better than 6%, deviation of 3 % in
the correction factors may be neglected.

The useful discussionswith Dr.'K. DEBERTINaboutthe methodused and with Dr. D. T. MACMAHON
about conclusionof this work are greatly acknowledged.

References

1. K. DEBERTIN,U. SCHOTZIG,Nucl. Instr.Methods, 158 (1979)471.

2. G. J. McCALLUM,G. E. COOl'E, Nucl. Instr. Methods, 130 (1975) 189.
3. K. DEBERTIN,R. G. HELMER, Gamma-and X-ray Spectrometrywith SemiconductorDetectors, North
Holland,Amsterdam, 1988.
4. A. ADAMS,R. DAMS, AppliedGammaRay Spectrometry,PergamonPress, 1970.
5. R. J. GEHRKE,R.G. HELMER, R. C. GREENWOOD,Nucl. Instr.Methods, 147 (1977) 405.
6. J. E. CLINE, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. NS--15,No. 3 (1968) 198.

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