Methods of construction of Geiger-Mueller counters and their use in coincidence experiments

Abstract

The technique adopted in some experiments employing Geiger-Mueller counters is described. The behaviour of a counter in which the extinction of the discharge is external is contrasted with behaviour of a counter in which extinction is internal and dependent on the addition to the gas of some organic vapour such as alcohol. It is shown that the internally extinguished type of counter may be used with a resistance of the order 50,000 ohms in series with it while still retaining all its useful features.Methods of construction of internally extinguished counters are described, particular attention being paid to the question of developing a thin-walled type suitable for experiments employing the method of coincidences. The effect of using different wall materials and gases is investigated with a view to finding those most suitable.The measurement of the quantum energy of hard γ-radiation by the method of coincidences is discussed and details of a reliable two-stage amplifying circuit with a resolving time T of 10−6 sec. are given. Various factors which may influence the value of T are noted.