a radiation counter in which the strength of each electric pulse generated per count is proportional to the energy of the particle or photon producing the pulse, alpha particles producing a different electric pulse from beta rays.
Origin
1935-40
Examples from the web for proportional counter
The prepared samples were counted on both a thin-windowed proportional counter and a windowless proportional counter.
Reported here are the results of tests of a boron-lined proportional counter design variation.
British Dictionary definitions for proportional counter
proportional counter
noun
1.
an instrument for detecting and measuring the intensity of ionizing radiation. It is similar to a Geiger counter but operates at a lower potential difference such that the magnitude of the discharge is directly proportional to the number of gas molecules ionized by the detected particle. This may permit the identification of the particle or the determination of its energy