LaCl3(Ce) scintillation detector applications for environmental gamma-ray measurements of low to high dose rates

A new cerium-doped LaCl3(Ce) scintillator is evaluated with respect to the application in environmental gamma-ray dosimetry and spectrometry. The scintillator is very attractive for gamma-ray spectrometry in the case of high count rate, because it has excellent energy resolution and fast decay time. The performance characteristics of a scintillator with a 25.4 mm×25.4 mm LaCl3(Ce) crystal are studied and compared to those of a NaI(Tl) scintillator with the same size crystal. Acquired pulse height spectra are converted to dose rates by using the G(E)G(E) function method. Though the LaCl3(Ce) crystal itself produces a rather high background in the crystal itself, the scintillator provides good energy information and dose-rate readings from low to high-level (several mGy/h) by subtracting the self-background. The properties of LaCl3(Ce) scintillator suggest that the scintillator could be a promising candidate for monitoring at high dose levels as in emergencies, as well as at ordinary levels of background radiation.