Method and apparatus for detecting beta radiation

摘要

A method and apparatus for detecting beta particles in the presence of high gamma background using secondary electron emission (SEE) as the primary beta particle detector. Diamond-like thin films having coefficients for SEE as high as 50 are preferably used in a small hand-held probe whereby radiolabeled malignancies as small as 3 mm in diameter can be detected. An electron multiplier amplifies the secondary electron signal for generation of an audible signal or a display indicative of the level of beta radiation passing through the air-vacuum interface of the hand-held probe.