A Sweep-Type Differential and Integral Discriminator

Abstract

A circuit is described which can be used for obtaining the pulse‐height distributions from scintillation counters, proportional counters, parallel‐plate counters, and other voltage pulse sources. Differential or integral curves can be plotted automatically (J. H. Parsons, ``A sweep type alpha energy analyser,'' Report No. MonC‐416, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (1947); J. H. Parsons, Proc. Inst. Radio Engrs. 37, 564 (1949)) by the attachment of an electronic recorder, or can be obtained manually with the use of the built‐in rate meter or an external scaler. The counting rate loss is approximately one percent per 100,000 counts per minute. The over‐all drift in pulse‐height setting, slit‐width, and counting rate zero is less than one percent per 24 hours. It will operate from any positive output amplifier whose rise time is 0.1 microsecond or greater, and whose output is limited to 100 volts.