Slides

Infrastructure

Belonging to Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN)


  Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory - Comparative Method

Nuclear radiation produced by activated products is measured by high-resolution gamma spectrometers, including high purity germanium detectors coupled to pre-amplifiers, amplifiers and multichannel analysers.

The comparative instrumental neutron activation analysis method of CTN/IST allows the determination of 30 chemical elements (Na, K, Fe, Sc, Mn, Cr, Co, Zn, Ga, As, Br, Rb, Zr, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Th and U) with high precision and accuracy in geologic, environmental and biological samples, in samples from cultural heritage (archaeological ceramic and raw materials, monuments stones, outcrops of potential raw material, etc). Besides, it’s also determined by INAA the Au contents (in sediment samples) and Cu, Ge, Ni, Ir and Au (in meteorites). Some synthetic materials (like glass or polyethylene) are also analyzed in INAA laboratory.

Panoramic View

Panoramic of one of the gamma spectrometry laboratory

Equipment available in the gamma spectrometry laboratory:

  • Four high pure Germanium detectors:
    - 3 for high energies (CAMBERRA GC3019 - 5Kv; GC4018 - 3Kv; GC3518 - 3Kv)
    - 1 for low energies (CANBERRA GL3825L - 4Kv)
  • Two amplifiers – CAMBERRA 2020
  • Two amplifiers – CANBERRA 2022
  • One amplifier CANBERRA 2026
  • Two high tension sources – ORTEC 459 (0 – 5Kv)
  • One high tension source – ORTEC 659 (0 – 5Kv)
  • Two high tension source – CANBERRA 3106D (0 – 5Kv)

Sample Changer Gamma Analyst:

  • 1 integrated system DSA 2000/A CANBERRA 3106 (0-5 Kv)
  • 1 CANBERRA detector BE 3830 – 5 Kv

Picture 1 Picture 2

Picture 3

Gamma spectrometer with a high purity Ge detector and a automatic sample changer (Gamma Analyst - CANBERRA)*



*Equipment funded by

FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
National Plan for Scientific Re-equipment (Plano Nacional de Re-equipamento Científico)

Project Reference: REEQ/590/CTE/2005 (pdf).
Responsible Researcher: Maria Isabel Prudêncio, Principal Researcher.
Equipment Access: This equipment is available to the scientific community.
Contacts: Maria Isabel Prudêncio ( iprudenc@ctn.tecnico.ulisboa.pt ); Rosa Marques ( rmarques@ctn.tecnico.ulisboa.pt )