Study of LaBr3 (Ce) detector response to high energy helium ions

Abstract

The space radiation environment is a complex mixed field composed of neutral and charged particles such as photons, protons, alpha, and other particles. The mixture of these different particles creates a challenge in any accurate measurement with radiation detection devices. Lanthanum Bromide scintillator detector (LaBe3: Ce) has been successfully used as a gamma spectrometer inside space crafts. However, data on its response to other particles such as charged particles remains limited. From a radiation protection perspective, it is important to understand the response of the LaBr3 scintillator in the presence of heavy ions to provide more accurate measurements of the gamma fields within such a complex radiation environment. A series of Monte-Carlo simulations using MCNP/X version 2.6 have been performed along with a series of experiments using the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba, Japan. Measurements of the detector response function were conducted using He ion beams at various energies.