Method and apparatus for the detection of ionizing radiation

A method of detecting ionizing radiation using a scintillation counter and a photomultiplier uses an inorganic solid scintillator having at least a decay time component greater than 100 ns, and measures the photons emitted by the scintillator with a fast single photon counter (40). The single photon counter consists of a fast high gain photomultiplier, a stabilized high voltage supply and a fast amplifier / discriminator with standard pulse output. Through this combination, the measurement of all types of radiation such as alpha, beta, gamma and X-rays can be performed with low cost of the detector, high sensitivity especially at low beta energies, with only small sensitivity changes in a wide temperature range from -20 to + 50 degrees C, and with good long-term stability.