Radiation Detection And Measurement [Book Review]

It is a difficult task to produce a textbook that can serve as both a text for teaching the fundamentals and practices in such a diverse field and as a reference work for experienced practitioners of the art. The earlier edition of Knoll's book already serves these dual purposes and has largely displaced earlier texts except in certain specialized areas. The new volume builds upon and improves the earlier work by updating much of the material and by judiciously making major changes in rapidly developing areas of detector technology. The new edition contains considerable changes in the sections dealing with semiconductor detectors and the related signal processing. These changes strengthen considerably the weakest part of the previous edition, thereby enhancing the usefulness of the book to students and practicing scientists. Other, less extensive, changes throughout the book also contribute to its accuracy and value. In summary, Dr. Knoll has produced a notable example of a good textbook and a reference work that should be on the bookshelf of anyone working in this field of radiation detection.