The Energy Response of LaBr3(Ce), LaBr3(Ce,Sr), and NaI(Tl) Crystals for GECAM

摘要: The GECAM series of satellites utilizes LaBr3(Ce), LaBr3(Ce,Sr), and NaI(Tl) crystals as sensitive materials for gamma-ray detectors (GRDs). To investigate the non-linearity in the detection of low-energy gamma rays and address the errors in the calibration of the E-C relationship, comprehensive tests and comparative studies of the three aforementioned crystals were conducted using Compton electrons, radioactive sources, and monoenergetic X-rays. The non-linearity test results of the Compton electrons and X-rays demonstrated substantial differences, with all three crystals presenting a higher non-linearity for X/γ-rays than for Compton electrons. Despite the LaBr3(Ce) and LaBr3(Ce,Sr) crystals having higher absolute light yields, they exhibited a noticeable non-linear decrease in the light yield, especially at energies below 400 keV. The NaI(Tl) crystal demonstrated an "excess" light output in the 6–200 keV range, reaching a maximum "excess" of 9.2% at 30 keV in the X-ray testing and up to 15.5% at 14 keV during Compton electron testing, indicating a significant advantage in the detection of low-energy gamma rays. Furthermore, we explored the underlying causes of the observed non-linearity in these crystals. This study not only elucidates the detector responses of GECAM, but also initiates a comprehensive investigation of the non-linearity of domestically produced lanthanum bromide and sodium iodide crystals.