Open AccessContamination in LaCl3:Ce Scintillators
Author(s) -
Brian D. Milbrath,
Justin I. McIntyre,
R Runkle,
Leon E. Smith
Publication year - 2005
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/881704
Subject(s) - scintillator , lanthanum , contamination , radiochemistry , crystal (programming language) , radioactive contamination , neutron activation analysis , materials science , physics , mineralogy , chemistry , nuclear physics , radionuclide , optics , biology , ecology , detector , computer science , programming language
The gamma-, beta-, and x-ray-contamination in LaCl3:Ce scintillators due to the presence of the naturally occurring radioisotope La-138 is discussed. As the size of lanthanum halide crystals grows towards commercially useful sizes, and the effects of alpha-contamination due to Ac-227 has been substantially reduced, the effects of La-138 in background and low-count spectra become more problematic. The crystal's performance in high neutron fluxes is also examined