How do I select a Geiger counter for a particular application?
The type of Geiger counter to be purchased will depend on the radiation to be detected. The application will involve the detection of either Alpha, beta, gamma or X radiation. For the detection of Alpha particles a thin end window Geiger tube is required like the ZP1401. This type of radiation is stopped very easily so the window should be no more than 1.5mg/cm2in thickness, other wise the detection efficiency will be too low. Beta particles also need an end window tube which can be 2/3mg/cm2. The exception is high energy betas above 2.5MeV which can be detected by thin side wall tubes. However the thickness of the metal wall of the tube should ideally be no more than 30/40mg/cm2. Gamma rays are high energy rays so the tube thickness is not important. All tubes will detect gamma radiation. The two main gamma ray emission energies are 633KeV (Cs137) and 1.33MeV (Co60). X-Rays are low energy gamma rays and again end window tubes are normally used as the typical X-Ray emission energy is a
