A gaseous proportional counter built from a conventional aluminium beverage can

TL;DR

This paper describes a simple, low-cost gaseous proportional counter constructed from an aluminium beverage can, suitable for educational purposes to demonstrate radiation detection principles.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel, easy-to-build gaseous proportional counter using common materials like an aluminium can for educational use.

Findings

Effective detection of ionizing radiation demonstrated

Construction process is accessible with standard equipment

Provides educational insight into gaseous detector operation

Abstract

The gaseous proportional counter is a device that can be used to detect ionizing radiation. These devices can be as simple as a cylindrical cathode and a very thin anode wire centered along its axis. By applying a high voltage, a strong electric field is generated close to the anode wire. Ion-pairs, generated by passing ionizing radiation, create avalanches once they drift into the strong electric field region near the anode. The electrical charges created by the avalanche generate an observable signal which is proportional to the energy loss of the incoming radiation. We discuss the construction of such a device. Our detector was built from an ordinary aluminium beverage can and uses a common electric wire strand as the anode. The construction of this detector offers students at universities or technically oriented high schools a detailed understanding of the design and operation of gaseous radiation detectors. The equipment required to complete the project should be available at most institutions.