New numerical algorithm method to calibrate the HPGe cylindrical detectors using non-axial extended source geometries

The knowledge of the full-energy peak efficiency for a specific source–detector arrangement is often required in various fields of research and applications, such as the analysis of nuclear waste or environmental samples, where both require modeling because it is not practical to prepare a standard that matches the physical and nuclear properties of every waste or environmental item. Therefore, a new numerical algorithm method (NAM) is proposed in the present work to calibrate the co-axial HPGe cylindrical detectors. Cylindrical sources are used in the calibration process placed perpendicularly to the detector’s axis. The self-attenuation and the coincidence summing effects at low source–detector distance are also included in the algorithm. A remarkable agreement between the measured and the calculated efficiencies is achieved with discrepancies less than 3%.