Response of the GAGG(Ce) scintillator to charged particles compared with the CsI(Tl) scintillator

TL;DR

This study evaluates the response of the novel GAGG(Ce) scintillator to charged particles and gamma rays, comparing its performance with the traditional CsI(Tl) scintillator in terms of light output and energy resolution.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed measurements of GAGG(Ce)'s response to charged particles and gamma rays, and compares its efficiency with CsI(Tl).

Findings

GAGG(Ce) exhibits high light output and fast response.

The scintillation efficiency of GAGG(Ce) is comparable or superior to CsI(Tl).

Response characteristics depend on linear energy transfer (dE/dx).

Abstract

GAGG(Ce) is a novel scintillator with a fast response and high light output without a hygroscopic nature. It is expected to be a useful detector for charged particles at high-counting rates. However, the response of the GAGG(Ce) scintillator to charged particles has not been fully examined. In the present work, the light output and energy resolution of the GAGG(Ce) scintillator were measured for protons and alpha particles at $E_{p}=5$-68 MeV and $E_{\alpha}=8$-54 MeV as well as gamma rays at $E_{\gamma}=662$ keV from a $^{137}$Cs source. The results were compared with those of the CsI(Tl) scintillator. The scintillation efficiencies $dL/dE$ of the GAGG(Ce) and CsI(Tl) scintillators were obtained and parametrized as a function of linear energy transfer $dE/dx$.