Study on the γ + X, γ + β, γ + α Coincidence Summing Effects of the Intrinsic Background Instrument Spectrum of a LaBr3(Ce) Scintillation Counter

Abstract

The energy resolution of a LaBr3(Ce) scintillation counter can reach 2.7% (662 keV) at room temperature. As a radiation measuring device, it has remarkably good characteristics. However, the LaBr3(Ce) crystal has its own intrinsic radioactivity background, which mainly comes from 138La and from 227Ac and its daughters. 138La can emit β, γ and X-rays through β and γ decay; 227Ac and its daughters can emit α, β and γ-rays through a, β and γ decay. α, β and X-ray energy are characteristic while β-ray energy is continuous. The energy of α, β and X-rays is mainly deposited in the crystal unless the α, β and X-rays at the edge of the crystal can escape from the crystal. Therefore, the α, β, γ and X-rays generated by the intrinsic radioactivity of the crystal are superimposed on the instrument spectrum, which makes the instrument spectrum more complicated and produces the coincidence summing effects of γ + X, γ + β and γ + α.In this research, the GEANT4.9.5 software package was used to simulate the spectra of α, β, γ and X-rays. On the basis of a combination of fitting decomposition and reconstruction, the simulation spectrum of the LaBr3(Ce) self-radioactive background was obtained accurately and was verified by using physical experiments.