Longer Dead Time Reduces Counts - Detector Physics: Dead Time and Coincidence Timing Step by Step

Holding rate and clock fixed, longer recovery lowers the count. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

One-second dead time gives ten counts

With 1 second dead time, the 15 second clock accepts 10 counts.

\tau=1\ \text{s},\quad N=10

Two-second dead time gives six counts

With 2 seconds dead time, the same clock accepts 6 counts, using 12 seconds dead.

\tau=2\ \text{s},\quad N=6,\quad T_d=12\ \text{s}