Application of CeBr$_3$ Scintillator Crystals for Sub-Nanosecond Lifetime Measurements

POSTER

Abstract

Ongoing efforts in the development of next generation radiation detectors has yielded several new scintillation crystals with gamma ray detection properties superior to more traditional materials. Amongst these so-called ``super'' scintillators is CeBr$_3$, which exhibits fast timing properties similar to that of LaBr$_3$ and BaF$_2$, as well as excellent energy resolution. The time resolution of CeBr$_3$ detectors has been found to be as low as 120 ps in coincidence measurements. We are currently investigating the use of CeBr$_3$ detectors for research in basic and applied nuclear physics involving fast timing measurements. In the work presented here, a pair of CeBr$_3$ detectors have been used to directly measure the half-life of a 1.48 ns isomer in $^{152}$Sm using the delayed coincidence technique and a multi-parameter data acquisition system. Further work is underway to apply this method for measuring sub-nanosecond lifetimes in isotopes created through thermal neutron capture at the UMass Lowell research reactor.

Authors

  • N. D'Olympia

    UMass Lowell, Lowell MA

  • Richard D. Averitt

    Trinity College, Department of Physics, Joint appointment in Teacher Education, Wright State University, Graduate School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Littleton High School, Department of Physics, Boston College, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, North Carolina State University, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Harvard University, Department of Chemistry University of Massachusetts Amherst, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Plastics Engineering University of Massachusetts Lowell, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Physics and Applied Physics University of Massachusetts Lowell, RMD Inc., Watertown MA, UMass Lowell, Lowell MA, Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc., Watertown, MA, USA, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA, ANL, IL, UMass Lowell, Brown University / Department of Chemistry, Sciprint.org, Physics Department, LESIMS Laboratory, Badji Mokhtar University, 23000 Annaba, Algeria, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physics Department, Boston University

  • Richard D. Averitt

    Trinity College, Department of Physics, Joint appointment in Teacher Education, Wright State University, Graduate School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Littleton High School, Department of Physics, Boston College, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, North Carolina State University, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Harvard University, Department of Chemistry University of Massachusetts Amherst, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Plastics Engineering University of Massachusetts Lowell, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Physics and Applied Physics University of Massachusetts Lowell, RMD Inc., Watertown MA, UMass Lowell, Lowell MA, Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc., Watertown, MA, USA, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA, ANL, IL, UMass Lowell, Brown University / Department of Chemistry, Sciprint.org, Physics Department, LESIMS Laboratory, Badji Mokhtar University, 23000 Annaba, Algeria, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physics Department, Boston University

  • Richard D. Averitt

    Trinity College, Department of Physics, Joint appointment in Teacher Education, Wright State University, Graduate School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Littleton High School, Department of Physics, Boston College, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, North Carolina State University, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Harvard University, Department of Chemistry University of Massachusetts Amherst, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Plastics Engineering University of Massachusetts Lowell, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Physics and Applied Physics University of Massachusetts Lowell, RMD Inc., Watertown MA, UMass Lowell, Lowell MA, Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc., Watertown, MA, USA, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA, ANL, IL, UMass Lowell, Brown University / Department of Chemistry, Sciprint.org, Physics Department, LESIMS Laboratory, Badji Mokhtar University, 23000 Annaba, Algeria, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physics Department, Boston University

  • Richard D. Averitt

    Trinity College, Department of Physics, Joint appointment in Teacher Education, Wright State University, Graduate School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Littleton High School, Department of Physics, Boston College, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, North Carolina State University, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Harvard University, Department of Chemistry University of Massachusetts Amherst, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Plastics Engineering University of Massachusetts Lowell, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Physics and Applied Physics University of Massachusetts Lowell, RMD Inc., Watertown MA, UMass Lowell, Lowell MA, Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc., Watertown, MA, USA, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA, ANL, IL, UMass Lowell, Brown University / Department of Chemistry, Sciprint.org, Physics Department, LESIMS Laboratory, Badji Mokhtar University, 23000 Annaba, Algeria, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physics Department, Boston University

  • Richard D. Averitt

    Trinity College, Department of Physics, Joint appointment in Teacher Education, Wright State University, Graduate School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Littleton High School, Department of Physics, Boston College, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, North Carolina State University, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Harvard University, Department of Chemistry University of Massachusetts Amherst, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Plastics Engineering University of Massachusetts Lowell, Center for Advanced Materials and Department of Physics and Applied Physics University of Massachusetts Lowell, RMD Inc., Watertown MA, UMass Lowell, Lowell MA, Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc., Watertown, MA, USA, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, USA, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA, ANL, IL, UMass Lowell, Brown University / Department of Chemistry, Sciprint.org, Physics Department, LESIMS Laboratory, Badji Mokhtar University, 23000 Annaba, Algeria, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Physics Department, Boston University