Characterization of some modern scintillators recommended for use on large fusion facilities in γ-ray spectroscopy and tomographic measurements of γ-emission profiles

LaBr₃:Ce,CeBr₃ and GAGG:Ce scintillators were investigated and the determined characteristics were compared with those obtained for the well-known and widely used CsI:Tl and NaI:Tl crystals. All the detectors were of the same size of 10 × 10 × 5 mm³. The aim of this test study was to single out scintillation detectors most suitable for γ-ray spectrometry and γ-ray emission radial profile measurements in high-temperature plasma experiments. Decay time, energy resolution, non-proportionality and full energy peak detection efficiency ere measured for γ-ray energies up to 1770 keV. Due to their good energy resolution, short decay time and high detection efficiency for MeV gamma rays, LaBr₃:Ce and CeBr₃ scintillators are proposed as the best candidates for use especially under conditions of high count rates, which are expected in the forthcoming DT experiments.