Using LaX scintillator in a new low-background Compton telescope

James M. Ryan; Peter F. Bloser; John R. Macri; Mark L. McConnell

doi:10.1117/12.740646

22 September 2007 Using LaX scintillator in a new low-background Compton telescope

James M. Ryan, Peter F. Bloser, John R. Macri, Mark L. McConnell

Proceedings Volume 6707, Penetrating Radiation Systems and Applications VIII; 670703 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.740646
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The ability of Compton telescopes to perform imaging and spectroscopy in space depends directly on the speed and energy resolution of the calorimeter detectors in the telescope. The calorimeter detectors flown on space-borne or balloon-borne Compton telescopes have included NaI(Tl), CsI(Na), HPGe and liquid organic scintillator. By employing LaX scintillators for the calorimeter, one can take advantage of the unique speed and resolving power of the material to improve the instrument sensitivity and simultaneously enhance its spectroscopic performance and thus its imaging performance. We present a concept for a space-borne Compton telescope that employs LaX as a calorimeter and estimate the improvement in sensitivity over past realizations of Compton telescopes. With some preliminary laboratory measurements, we estimate that in key energy bands, typically corrupted with neutron-induced internal nuclear emissions, this design enjoys a twenty-fold improvement in background rejection.

Citation Download Citation

James M. Ryan, Peter F. Bloser, John R. Macri, and Mark L. McConnell "Using LaX scintillator in a new low-background Compton telescope", Proc. SPIE 6707, Penetrating Radiation Systems and Applications VIII, 670703 (22 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.740646

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