Determination of radioactivity concentration in a LaBr3(Ce) scintillator

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 2023-08, Vol.1053, p.168258, Article 168258
• Main Authors: Kim, N.Y., Han, I.H., Kang, J.G., Lee, J.Y., Kim, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coincidence measurement method; Intrinsic radioisotope concentrations; LaBr3(Ce) crystal; Pulse-shape discrimination method
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2023.168258

Herein, we determined the radioactivity concentration of isotopes in a ϕ1.5′′×1.5′′ LaBr3(Ce) crystal through a series of measurement experiments involving independent analytic approaches based on a single experimental setup. Experimental data was collected under self-triggering and double-coincidence modes operations inside a shielded chamber. During the self-triggering mode operation, the radioactivity concentration of 227Ac was estimated to be 0.00694 ± 0.00003 Bq/cm3 from the measurement of alpha particles using a pulse-shape discrimination method. During the double-coincidence mode operation, the radioactivity concentration of 138La was calculated from the double-coincidence measurement of electron capture and β-decay processes. The radioactivity concentration of 138La in the LaBr3(Ce) crystal was estimated to be 1.394 ± 0.008 Bq/cm3.