IEC 61453:2007

IEC 61453
Edition 2.0 2007-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Nuclear instrumentation – Scintillation gamma ray detector systems for the
assay of radionuclides – Calibration and routine tests

Instrumentation nucléaire – Equipements avec détecteurs à scintillation de
rayonnement gamma, pour le dosage de radionucléides – Etalonnage et essais
individuels
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by
any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either IEC or
IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester.
If you have any questions about IEC copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication,
please contact the address below or your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite
ni utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie
et les microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de la CEI ou du Comité national de la CEI du pays du demandeur.
Si vous avez des questions sur le copyright de la CEI ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette
publication, utilisez les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de la CEI de votre pays de résidence.

IEC Central Office
3, rue de Varembé
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
Email: inmail@iec.ch
Web: www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.
ƒ Catalogue of IEC publications: www.iec.ch/searchpub
The IEC on-line Catalogue enables you to search by a variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical committee,…).
It also gives information on projects, withdrawn and replaced publications.
ƒ IEC Just Published: www.iec.ch/online_news/justpub
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published details twice a month all new publications released. Available
on-line and also by email.
ƒ Electropedia: www.electropedia.org
The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and electrical terms containing more than 20 000 terms and definitions
in English and French, with equivalent terms in additional languages. Also known as the International Electrotechnical
Vocabulary online.
ƒ Customer Service Centre: www.iec.ch/webstore/custserv
If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or need further assistance, please visit the Customer Service
Centre FAQ or contact us:
Email: csc@iec.ch
Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
Fax: +41 22 919 03 00
A propos de la CEI
La Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (CEI) est la première organisation mondiale qui élabore et publie des
normes internationales pour tout ce qui a trait à l'électricité, à l'électronique et aux technologies apparentées.

A propos des publications CEI
Le contenu technique des publications de la CEI est constamment revu. Veuillez vous assurer que vous possédez
l’édition la plus récente, un corrigendum ou amendement peut avoir été publié.
ƒ Catalogue des publications de la CEI: www.iec.ch/searchpub/cur_fut-f.htm
Le Catalogue en-ligne de la CEI vous permet d’effectuer des recherches en utilisant différents critères (numéro de référence,
texte, comité d’études,…). Il donne aussi des informations sur les projets et les publications retirées ou remplacées.
ƒ Just Published CEI: www.iec.ch/online_news/justpub
Restez informé sur les nouvelles publications de la CEI. Just Published détaille deux fois par mois les nouvelles
publications parues. Disponible en-ligne et aussi par email.
ƒ Electropedia: www.electropedia.org
Le premier dictionnaire en ligne au monde de termes électroniques et électriques. Il contient plus de 20 000 termes et
définitions en anglais et en français, ainsi que les termes équivalents dans les langues additionnelles. Egalement appelé
Vocabulaire Electrotechnique International en ligne.
ƒ Service Clients: www.iec.ch/webstore/custserv/custserv_entry-f.htm
Si vous désirez nous donner des commentaires sur cette publication ou si vous avez des questions, visitez le FAQ du
Service clients ou contactez-nous:
Email: csc@iec.ch
Tél.: +41 22 919 02 11
Fax: +41 22 919 03 00
IEC 61453
Edition 2.0 2007-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Nuclear instrumentation – Scintillation gamma ray detector systems for the
assay of radionuclides – Calibration and routine tests

Instrumentation nucléaire – Equipements avec détecteurs à scintillation de
rayonnement gamma, pour le dosage de radionucléides – Etalonnage et essais
individuels
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
R
CODE PRIX
ICS 27.120 ISBN 2-8318-9258-9
– 2 – 61453 © IEC:2007
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.3

1 Scope.5
2 Terms, definitions, symbols and abbreviations.5
2.1 Terms and definitions .5
2.2 Symbols and abbreviations.8
3 Procedure .9
3.1 Total spectrum counting systems .9
3.1.1 General .9
3.1.2 System response calibration.9
3.1.3 Activity determination .10
3.1.4 Routine test.10
3.2 Single-channel analyzer counting systems .11
3.2.1 General .11
3.2.2 Energy calibration.11
3.2.3 Total absorption peak efficiency calibration .11
3.2.4 Activity determination .11
3.2.5 Routine test.12
3.3 Multichannel analyzer counting systems.13
3.3.1 General .13
3.3.2 Energy calibration.13
3.3.3 Total absorption peak efficiency calibration (see 5.10).13
3.3.4 Activity determination .14
3.3.5 Routine test.14
4 Sources of error and uncertainty.15
5 Precautions .15
5.1 Assay of a radionuclide for which no reference source is readily available .15
5.2 Assay of mixtures of radionuclides .16
5.3 Thin-window detectors.16
5.4 Count rates .16
5.5 Geometric correction factors .16
5.6 Counting statistics and range of measurement .16
5.7 Dead time corrections .16
5.8 Correction for decay during the counting period .17
5.9 Counting geometry .18
5.10 Total absorption peak efficiency versus energy function .18
5.11 Net count rate .18
5.12 Temperature effects .18

Bibliography.19

61453 © IEC:2007 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
______________
NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTATION –
SCINTILLATION GAMMA RAY DETECTOR SYSTEMS
FOR THE ASSAY OF RADIONUCLIDES –
CALIBRATION AND ROUTINE TESTS
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any
equipment declared to be in conformity with an IEC Publication.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61453 has been prepared by IEC International Committee 45:
Nuclear instrumentation.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 1997. It constitutes a
technical revision and an expansion of detector types considered.
The major change in comparison with the previous edition of IEC 61453 is an expansion of
detector types considered. Along with sodium iodide detector systems, this new edition
standardizes scintillation detector systems based on other inorganic scintillators for photon
measurements. Furthermore, Clause 2 has been updated.
The revision of the standard is intended to accomplish the following:
• to extend detector systems base from sodium iodide to inorganic scintillators for photon
measurements;
• to review the existing requirements and to update the terminology, definitions and
normative references.
– 4 – 61453 © IEC:2007
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
45/645/FDIS 45/646/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in
the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
...