IEEE 301-1988 ✓ Most Recent

These test procedures cover amplifier and preamplifier systems with linear pulse-shaping networks for use with semiconductor, scintillation, and proportional detectors in the spectroscopy of ionizing radiation. The object is to provide a common language and methodology for users and manufacturers of pulse-amplifier systems. This standard supersedes IEEE Std 301-1976, IEEE Standard Test Procedures for Amplifiers and Preamplifiers for Semiconductor Radiation Detectors for Ionizing Radiation. Test procedures for associated detectors are described in ANSI/IEEE Std 300-1988 and ANSI/IEEE Std 325-1986. IEEE Std 194-1977 is a companion document for pulse-shape terminology. Not all of the tests described herein are mandatory, but those that are performed to determine preamplifier and amplifier specifications shall conform to this standard. The emphasis on the methods of measurement is to enhance sensitivity and improve accuracy by working around the limitations of the test instruments, particularly oscilloscopes that have only a visual display for readout. A null technique is used where possible, thereby reducing basic errors to the inaccuracy of a pair of precision resistors. When use of a bridge is inappropriate, such as in measurements of pulse height with an oscilloscope, the pulse is made to occupy a fixed amplitude and vertical position on the face of the cathode-ray tube (CRT). Some measurements require test instruments or fixtures not commercially available at this writing; circuit diagrams for their construction are given in the Appendix. It is not acceptable to make use of a standard nuclear instrument module to test the performance of an amplifier unless the errors introduced by that module can be corrected for or shown to be less than the error caused by the amplifier. Examples are the use of a crossover-pickoff module to measure crossover walk in a bipolar amplifier, and an MCA to measure nonlinearity and noise.