DETECTORS AND DETECTION LIMITS IN INAA - I - GENERAL THEORETICAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DETECTOR SPECIFICATIONS AND DETECTION LIMITS

Expressions have been derived which link detection limits in INAA with the Ge-detector specifications, provided by the vendors: relative eff iciency, peak-to-Compton ratio and resolution. Situations have been di stinguished in which a peak has to be detected on a Compton background , or on a natural background. The expressions allow for a direct indic ation of the improvement in detection limits, or the shortening of tur naround-time to attain equal detection limits, when a given detector i s replaced by a detector with better specifications.