Geiger Counters

The introduction of the Geiger counter as a new and powerful technique to detect even the passage of a single ionizing particle or radiation quantum is discussed in this chapter. After briefly recalling the work of Hans Geiger and Walter Müller, the basic working principles of such counters are discussed, together with their main operational conditions and performance. Design considerations about the construction and use of Geiger counters are reported. A brief mention is also given of the neutron detection with Geiger tubes.