BNC Scientific · Partner Line

SpecTechniques Radiation SourcesSealed and unsealed check sources, and ready-to-use disk source sets, for detector calibration.

These are sealed and unsealed disk check sources, plus pre-configured RSS disk source sets, used to calibrate, verify, and performance-test radiation detection equipment. Health physicists, nuclear labs, first responders, and homeland security teams rely on them to keep isotope identifiers, RIIDs, SPRDs, and gamma spectrometers accurate and traceable.

Made by Spectrum Techniques, represented in North America by Berkeley Nucleonics.

The SpecTechniques line

Two ways to buy a traceable source.

Order a pre-configured disk source set matched to a calibration task, or specify individual isotope disks across alpha, beta, gamma, and electron-capture emitters. Every source is traceable and labeled, so your detectors stay accurate and audit-ready.

SpecTechniques radioactive check sources and disk source sets for alpha, beta, gamma, and mixed isotopes

Disk Source Sets (RSS)

4 kits · RSS2, RSS3, RSS5, RSS8

Pre-built kits of sealed and unsealed disk sources, grouped for a specific job: GM resolving time, alpha-beta-gamma demonstration, or full gamma spectroscopy. Each source carries a labeled activity within plus or minus 20%, with a calibrated plus or minus 5% option on the RSS8.

Sets RSS2 · RSS3 · RSS5 · RSS8

See all four source sets →

SpecTechniques individual isotope check sources

Individual Isotope Sources

13 isotopes · alpha, beta, gamma, EC

Single sealed or unsealed disk sources across 13 isotopes, from Ba-133 and Cs-137 gamma references to a Po-210 alpha and Sr-90 beta. Specify the isotope, activity, and sealing your calibration program requires.

Isotopes Ba-133 · Cs-137 · Co-60 · Po-210 · Sr-90

See the full isotope reference →

SpecTechniques check sources for calibrating isotope identifiers and RIIDs

Detector Calibration

RIIDs · SPRDs · gamma spectrometers

Built to calibrate and verify isotope identification devices (IIDs and RIIDs), spectroscopic personal radiation detectors (SPRDs), and gamma spectrometers. Compatible with devices such as the SAM 940 and similar systems, so field and lab instruments stay compliant and ready.

Works with Isotope ID & RIIDs · Scintillation detectors

Explore isotope ID instruments →

Disk source sets

Radiation source sets.

Each RSS kit is a fixed group of disk sources chosen for one calibration task. The composition of every set is listed below, including the EU and UN activity variants. All sources carry an uncertainty of plus or minus 20% of the labeled activity unless noted.

RSS2 – GM Resolving Time

3 half-disks · for determining the resolving time of GM counters

Set	Composition
RSS2	(2) Tl-204, 5 µCi (185 kBq), sealed half-disk sources (1) Blank half-disk
RSS2EU	(2) Tl-204, 0.25 µCi (9.25 kBq), sealed half-disk sources (1) Blank half-disk

RSS3 – Alpha / Beta / Gamma

3 disks · 1 gamma, 1 beta, 1 alpha emitter

Set	Composition
RSS3	(1) Co-60, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Sr-90, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Po-210, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), unsealed disk (1″ diameter)
RSS3UN	(1) Co-60, 0.5 µCi (18.5 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Sr-90, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Po-210, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), unsealed disk (1″ diameter)

RSS5 – Alpha / Beta / Gamma

5 disks · 2 gamma, 2 beta, 1 alpha emitter

Set	Composition
RSS5	(1) Co-60, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Cs-137, 5 µCi (185 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Tl-204, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Sr-90, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Po-210, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), unsealed disk (1″ diameter)
RSS5EU	(1) Co-60, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Cs-137, 0.25 µCi (9.25 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Tl-204, 0.25 µCi (9.25 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Sr-90, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Po-210, 0.1 µCi (3.7 kBq), unsealed disk (1″ diameter)

RSS8 – Gamma Spectroscopy

8 gamma emitters · 32 keV to 1332.49 keV · plus or minus 5% calibration option

Set	Composition
RSS8	(1) Ba-133, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Cd-109, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Co-57, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Co-60, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Cs-137, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Eu-152, 0.5 µCi (18.5 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) Na-22, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter) (1) “Mixed Unknown” – Cs-137, Zn-65; 0.5 µCi (18.5 kBq), 1 µCi (37 kBq); sealed disk (1″ diameter)

Set

Composition

RSS8

(1) Ba-133, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter)
(1) Cd-109, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter)
(1) Co-57, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter)
(1) Co-60, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter)
(1) Cs-137, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter)
(1) Eu-152, 0.5 µCi (18.5 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter)
(1) Na-22, 1 µCi (37 kBq), sealed disk (1″ diameter)
(1) “Mixed Unknown” – Cs-137, Zn-65; 0.5 µCi (18.5 kBq), 1 µCi (37 kBq); sealed disk (1″ diameter)

Individual check-source isotopes

Single-isotope disk sources.

Individual sealed and unsealed disk sources are available across the following isotopes, spanning alpha, beta, gamma, and electron-capture emitters. Specify the isotope, activity, and sealing your program requires.

Isotope	Atomic Number	Half-life	Mass Number	Decay Mode
Barium 133 (Ba-133)	56	10.551 years	133 (77 neutrons)	Electron Capture
Carbon 14 (C-14)	6	5700 years	14 (8 neutrons)	Beta
Cadmium 109 (Cd-109)	48	461.9 days	109 (61 neutrons)	Electron Capture
Cobalt 57 (Co-57)	27	271.74 days	57 (30 neutrons)	Electron Capture
Cobalt 60 (Co-60)	27	5.27 years	60 (33 neutrons)	Beta
Cesium 137 (Cs-137)	55	30.08 years	137 (82 neutrons)	Beta
Europium 152 (Eu-152)	63	13.51 years	152 (89 neutrons)	Electron Capture
Iron 55 (Fe-55)	26	2.744 years	55 (29 neutrons)	Electron Capture
Manganese 54 (Mn-54)	25	312.2 days	54 (29 neutrons)	Electron Capture
Sodium 22 (Na-22)	11	2.6 years	22 (11 neutrons)	Beta
Polonium (Po-210)	84	138.37 days	210 (126 neutrons)	Alpha
Strontium (Sr-90)	38	28.79 years	90 (52 neutrons)	Beta
Thallium 204 (Tl-204)	81	3.78 years	204 (123 neutrons)	Beta
Zinc 65 (Zn-65)	25	243.93 days	54 (29 neutrons)	Electron Capture