The study of α/γ ratio for inorganic scintillation detectors

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 1998-09, Vol.414 (2), p.274-278
• Main Authors: Sysoeva, E.V, Tarasov, V.A, Zelenskaya, O.V, Sulyga, V.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Energy resolution; Light output; Scintillation detector; Signal formation time; Temperature dependence; α/γ ratio
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-9002(98)00011-4

To optimize characteristics of α-radiation detectors as well as those intended to stabilize γ spectrometers, the α/γ ratio has been studied for inorganic scintillation detectors within a wide temperature range (from −20 to +80°C) and at various signal formation time values (from 0.2 to 20 μs). Inorganic scintillators with high atomic numbers have been studied, namely, alkali halide and oxide crystals as well as a semiconducting single-crystal ZnSe(Te). Though the scintillators on the base of the oxide materials have satisfactory resolution and light output, they cannot be considered as efficient detectors of α-radiation due to a low α/γ ratio (∼0.20). The most appropriate detector of α-radiation remains single crystalline CsI(Tl) having the best scintillation characteristics, nonhygroscopic, convenient to use and comparatively cheap.