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2 layers140.3 × 36.5 mmGamma spectrometer, the printed circuit board in 3D

Gamma spectrometer

vikulin/OpenGammaKit20

☢️ KiCad DIY Kit for gamma-ray spectrometer using a popular NaI(Tl) scintillator, SiPM and Raspberry Pi Pico 2.

Size
140.3 × 36.5 mm
Copper layers
2
Thickness
1.6 mm
Parts
71
Nets
88
Pads
270
Tracks, vias
355, 24
Pours
4
Routed
Yes
KiCad
KiCad 9.0 (file 20241229)
Created
22 Jan 2025
Updated
20 Jul 2026

Overview

Gamma spectrometer is an open-source printed circuit board by vikulin, from the vikulin/OpenGammaKit repository on GitHub, published under the GPL-3.0 licence. It is a 2-layer board of 140.3 × 36.5 mm with 71 parts on 88 nets, routed with 355 tracks and 24 vias.

It is built around the LM4040AIM3-3.0+T, MICROFC-60035-SMT-TR1 and TLV3201AIDBVR(LX), with the TPS7B6950DBVR-TP, BAT54S and MMBT5088LT1G-HXY among its other parts. Its parts include 22 capacitors, 21 resistors, 10 ICs, 4 diodes and 3 transistors. It belongs with the RP2040 boards of this library.

Main components

8

README

README.md

OpenGammaKit

PCB front and back side

Front View of the detector board
Front view
Back View of the detector board
Back view

OpenGammaKit is an open-source gamma spectrometer hardware platform, inspired by the excellent Open-Gamma-Detector. It takes the original schematic and redesigns the PCB using KiCad (originally designed in EasyEDA), making the project more accessible and modifiable for open hardware enthusiasts.

OpenGammaKit is designed to be affordable, reliable, and easy to integrate with embedded systems, mobile devices, or PCs—ideal for DIY nuclear instrumentation, educational labs, or citizen science.


Order the PCB or PCB + Assembly

You can order the Open Gamma Kit PCB or a fully assembled board directly from PCBWay using the link below:

Order from PCBWay

👉 Order PCB or PCB + Assembly from PCBWay

This helps support the project and ensures high-quality manufacturing.


🔧 Features

  • ✅ Based on the Open-Gamma-Detector schematic
  • ✅ Complete redesign in KiCad with improved layout and routing
  • ✅ USB serial communication (compatible with Android 7.0+ and PCs)
  • ✅ Compatible with OGK Inspector Android app and OGK Firmware
  • ✅ Real-time gamma spectrum output and spectrometer integration
  • ✅ Works with scintillation detectors (e.g., CsI(Tl), NaI(Tl), etc.)
  • ✅ Open and editable source files for schematics and PCB

📘Assembly guide, 3D models for enclosure

https://github.com/vikulin/OGK-3D-Models


📂 Repository Contents

  • /docs/ – Spectrum(OGK Inspector)
  • /kicad-libraries/ – KiCad libraries, including custom footprints

📷 3D render previews of the boards


3d Front View of the detector board
3d Back View of the detector board


📦 Release Contents

OpenGammaKit releases version 0.1.5.5 and later include all the fabrication files required to manufacture and assemble the OpenGammaKit gamma spectrometer hardware:

File NameDescription
open-gamma-kit-gerber-files-<version>.zip🟢 Complete Gerber and Drill files for PCB fabrication.
open-gamma-kit-centroid-file-<version>.csv📍 Centroid (Pick-and-Place) file in mils for automated assembly.
open-gamma-kit-<version>.pdf📄 PDF documentation
BOM.csv📋 Bill of Materials (not archived — listed separately).

📁 Location: All files are available in the Assets release section.


🧠 Companion Projects


Spectrum of ²⁴¹Am source measured with NaI(Tl) detector

ElementSymbolAtomic NumberMass Number
AmericiumAm95241

The spectrum clearly shows two gamma peaks at 59.54 keV and 26.35 keV, both corresponding to emissions from ²⁴¹Am:

  • The 59.54 keV peak is the most intense and commonly used for energy calibration.
  • The 26.35 keV peak is weaker but still visible, depending on detector resolution and shielding conditions.


Am-241

📌 These lines are useful for calibration and spectral identification in low-energy gamma spectroscopy using NaI(Tl) detectors.


📜 License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.
See the LICENSE file for details.


🙌 Acknowledgements

  • Based on the original design by OpenGammaProject
  • Thanks to the open hardware and spectroscopy communities!

Parts

71
QtyValueFootprintReferences
9100nCL10B104KC8NNNC:CAPC1608X90NC3, C5, C6, C7, C10, C16, C20, C21, C22
61kERJ3EKF1001V:RES_ERJ3EKF1001VR2, R4, R6, R8, R12, R13
622uFCL10A226MP8NUNE:CAPC1608X90NC1, C2, C4, C9, C11, C18
5210kERJ3EKF2103V:RES_ERJ3EKF2103VR1, R3, R7, R9, R15
44.7uCL21A475KBQNNNE:CAPC2012X140NC12, C13, C14, C15
3100RERJ3EKF1000V:RES_ERJ3EKF1000VR5, R10, R16
349.9kERJ3EKF4992V:RES_ERJ3EKF4992VR17, R18, R19
3BLM18KG102SN1DBLM18KG102SN1D:BEADC1608X95NFB1, FB2, FB3
3OPA357AIDBVROPA357AIDBVR:SOT95P280X145-6NU2, U4, U5
210kERJ3EKF1002V:RES_ERJ3EKF1002VR11, R14
22.2uCapacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608MetricC17, C19
249.9RERJ3EKF49R9V:RES_ERJ3EKF49R9VR20, R21
250k3266W-1-503:TRIM_3266W-1-503VR1, VR2
2BAT54SPackage_TO_SOT_SMD:SOT-23D1, D3
2LM4040AIM3-3.0+TLM4040AIM3-3_0-T:SOT95P237X112-3NU6, U7
2MMBT5088LT1GMMBT5088LT1G:SOT95P237X111-3NQ3, Q4
2~Jumper:SolderJumper-2_P1.3mm_Open_TrianglePad1.0x1.5mmJP1, JP2
1*B6B-PH-K-S_LF__SN_:JST_B6B-PH-K-S(LF)(SN)J2
1*B4B-PH-K-S_LF__SN_:JST_B4B-PH-K-S(LF)(SN)J1
12N7002Package_TO_SOT_SMD:SOT-23Q1
1470pECHU1C471JX5:CAP_ECHU1C471JX5C8
147uHNRS4018T470MDGJ:IND_NRS4018T470MDGJL1
1LTST-C190KGKTLTST-C190KGKT:LEDC1608X35ND2
1MAX5026EUT_TMAX5026EUT_T:SOT95P280X145-6NU8
1MICROFC-60035-SMT-TR1MICROFC-60035-SMT-TR1:XDCR_MICROFC-60035-SMT-TR1U10
1PMEG4010BEAPMEG4010BEA_115:DIO_BZX384-C30_115D5
1Pico 2RP PICO:RPi_Pico_SMD_THU1
1TLV3201AIDBVRTLV3201AIDBVR:SOT95P280X145-5NU3
1TPS7B6950DBVRTPS7B6950DBVR:SOT95P280X145-5NU9
1Thermistor_PTCNTCS0603E3103FLT:NTCS0603E3103FLTTH1

Questions

How big is the Gamma spectrometer PCB?

It measures 140.3 × 36.5 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.

What parts does the Gamma spectrometer use?

71 parts, built around the LM4040AIM3-3.0+T, MICROFC-60035-SMT-TR1, TLV3201AIDBVR(LX) and TPS7B6950DBVR-TP. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.

Where can I download the Gamma spectrometer KiCad files?

From the vikulin/OpenGammaKit repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is gamma-spectrometer.kicad_pcb and its schematic gamma-spectrometer.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.

Can I use the Gamma spectrometer design in my own project?

Its repository publishes it under the GPL-3.0 licence: you may reuse it on that licence's terms (keep the author's notice, and for a copyleft licence share your changes alike).

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