A fast-timing array of 2x 2LaBr3:Ce detectors for lifetime measurements of excited nuclear states

With its unique combination of excellent timing properties and good energy resolution, LaBr3:Ce detectors have proven to be effective tool in gamma spectroscopy and in particular fast-timing studies. Eight 2 x 2 LaBr3:Ce detectors used in conjunction with the 16 channel all-digital waveform 500 MHz acquisition module, PIXIE-16 were commissioned at iThemba Laboratory for Accelerator Based Sciences, South Africa. The results presented here give insight of the performance of the 2 x 2 LaBr3 detectors when used in conjunction with a digital pulse processing (DPP) module and electronic read-out module. Initial commissioning experiments were done using radioactive sources, including Co-60, Eu-152 and Ga-67. The detectors were then exposed to an in-beam environment using the AFRODITE array with targets Sc-45 and Ni-64, with a proton beam energy of 27 MeV.

Automated summary

This study evaluates the performance of LaBr3:Ce detectors when used in conjunction with a digital pulse processing module and electronic read-out module, through the use of radioactive sources and in-beam experiments.