A portable TDCR system

• A portable TDCR system for activity measurements was developed at PTB.
• A FPGA based module to realize the coincidence and dead-time logic was developed.
• Activity determination with uncertainties of less than 1% is possible.
• Uncertainties increase for nuclides with lower detection efficiency.

The triple-to-double-coincidence ratio method (TDCR) is an important method for activity standardization in metrology institutes worldwide. There is an increasing interest in portable systems that allow activity determination outside of specialized laboratories with high accuracy. Within the framework of the EMRP “MetroFission” project, several portable systems using different designs were developed. The PTB system described here is based on channel photomultipliers incorporated in a portable detection module, a separate electronics bin and a computer for data acquisition and storage. This miniature TDCR system was extensively tested and compared to the PTB reference TDCR system that is very well characterized and has been used in several intercomparisons.