A Survey of Applications of Radioactivity to Electronics

After a review of the nature of radioactivity and its detection, typical applications of radioactivity are presented in research, development and quality control with emphasis on the field of electronics. Topics discussed include the efficiency of cleaning operations, determination of impurities in semiconductor materials, detection of leakage of air into sealed units, wear of relay contacts, isotopic dating of products, pre-ionization of gases, dissipation of electrostatic charges, location of hidden splices, and verification of installation of small components.