Calculation of HPGe efficiency for environmental samples: Comparison of EFFTRAN and GEANT4

Abstract

Determination of full energy peak efficiency is one of the most important tasks that have to be performed before gamma spectrometry of environmental samples. Many methods, including measurement of specific reference materials, Monte Carlo simulations, efficiency transfer and semi empirical calculations, were developed in order to complete this task. Monte Carlo simulation, based on GEANT4 simulation package and EFFTRAN efficiency transfer software are applied for the efficiency calibration of three detectors, readily used in the Environment and Radiation Protection Laboratory of Institute for Nuclear Sciences Vinca, for measurement of environmental samples. Efficiencies were calculated for water, soil and aerosol samples. The aim of this paper is to perform efficiency calculations for HPGe detectors using both GEANT4 simulation and EFFTRAN efficiency transfer software and to compare obtained results with the experimental results. This comparison should show how the two methods agree with experimentally obtained efficiencies of our measurement system and in which part of the spectrum do the discrepancies appear. The detailed knowledge of accuracy and precision of both methods should enable us to choose an appropriate method for each situation that is presented in our and other laboratories on a daily basis. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.