ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief introductory descriptions of the electronics often used with radiation detectors and how these electronic circuits operate. It presents a brief historical review about the reason for and development of modular units for nuclear radiation detection. From the early attempt at standardizing detector electronics, Nuclear Instrument Modules were developed. A current-sensitive preamplifier is designed to measure the instantaneous current flowing from a detector. The practical implementation of the topologies can be identical for charge sensitive and current-sensitive preamplifiers, but they are used for different purposes. For complex detection systems, such as those encountered at large research facilities and high-energy accelerator centers, there is an international standard for modularized electronics, namely, Computer Automated Measurement And Control which defines a standard bus for data acquisition and control. Thermal or Johnson noise is generated by the thermal motion of charge carriers in a conductive medium, usually electrons in electrical circuits.
