Compton suppression in BEGe detectors by digital pulse shape analysis

A new method of pulse shape discrimination (PSD) for BEGe detectors is developed to suppress Compton-continuum by digital pulse shape analysis (PSA), which helps reduce the Compton background level in gamma ray spectrometry. A decision parameter related to the rise time of a pulse shape was presented. The method was verified by experiments using 60Co and 137Cs sources. The result indicated that the 60Co Peak to Compton ratio and the Cs-Peak to Co-Compton ratio could be improved by more than two and three times, respectively.