Measurement of effective atomic number and Rayleigh-to-Compton cross-section ratio for 145 keV gamma photons

The effective atomic numbers of composites and Rayleigh-to-Compton cross-section ratio of elements, in the range 6 ≤ Z ≤ 82 for 145 keV gamma photons, are determined experimentally. An HPGe (high purity germanium) semiconductor detector is placed, at scattering angle of 90°, to record the spectra originating from interactions of incident gamma photons with the target under investigations. The intensity ratio of Rayleigh-to-Compton scattered peaks, corrected for photo-peak efficiency of gamma detector and absorption of photons in the target and air column, is plotted as a function of atomic number and a best fit-curve is constituted. From this fit-curve, the respective effective atomic numbers of the scientific samples are determined. The measured values of cross-section ratio increases non-linearly with increase in atomic number and are found to agree with theoretical predictions based upon non-relativistic form factor, relativistic form factor, modified form factor and S-matrix theory. Copyright © 2014 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.