Development of a high resolution LaGPS imaging detector with pulse shape discrimination capability of different types of radiations

Abstract

Ce doped (Gd,La)2Si2O7 (LaGPS) is a new scintillator which has high light output and is a promising candidate for high resolution radiation imaging detectors. Thus we developed a radiation imaging detector using a LaGPS plate combined with a position sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT) and evaluated the performance. We found that the decay times of LaGPS were different with the types of radiations and the separations of the images of the different types of radiations were possible using pulse shape discrimination. The spatial resolution for Am-241 alpha particles (5.5 MeV) was better than 0.31 mm FWHM and the energy resolution was 11 % FWHM. The spatial resolution for Sr–Y-90 beta particles was ∼0.6 mm FWHM and those for Co-57 gamma photons (122 keV) and Cs-137 X-ray (∼35 keV) were better than 0.6 mm FWHM and ∼0.8 mm FWHM, respectively. The decay times for alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma photons were 143 ns, 124 ns, and 119 ns, respectively. With these different decay times, the separation of alpha particles and gamma photons or beta particles was possible using the pulse shape discrimination. We conclude that the developed LaGPS imaging detector has high resolution for all types of radiations and is also capable of the simultaneous imaging and separating the different types of radiations.