LaBr3 detector simulations and

experiments
P.Srinivasan
Radiation Safety Systems Division
Bhabha Atomic Research Center

LaBr3 system in RSSD, BARC

Of late LaBr3:Ce gaining popularity over the NaI (Tl) detector.
LaBr3(Ce) has a density of 5.08 gm/cc, a light output of about
61 photons/keV, fast decay time of 16 ns, and an emission
wavelength of 380 nm. The energy resolution is about 3%
(FWHM) at 662 keV.
In our laboratory, 2 no:s of 1.5 x 1.5 LaBr3 detector (Brillance380) coupled to the 51 mm R6231 Photo multiplier Tube was
procured from Saint Gobain in 2009.
One of the units is installed as a fixed system inside a shield in
our Radiation Safety lab of the research reactor fuel fabrication
facility , Trombay.
The other unit is attached to a compact USB MCA designed for
field and portable applications
We use the detectors for quick quantification of various radio
nuclides in gaseous & liquid effluents and other solid matrices
like slurry, sand, concrete, for day to day safety and regulatory
purposes in nuclear fuel processing facilities.

LaBr3 spectrometry system, RSSD,BARC

Fixed System with tailor made shielding for analysis of liquid

and solid sample matrices in various small geometries

Portable LaBr3 spectrometry system

APSARA
Core

PURNIMA DT/DD neutron generator

APSARA Reactor Hall

Detector Simulation and Calibration

MCNP Monte Carlo simulations were performed to
understand the spectral response of the 1.5x1.5
LaBr3 detectors
Full-energy-absorption efficiencies for point and
cylindrical source geometries were estimated for
some routinely used source-detector geometry
conditions by MCNP simulations.
Experimental efficiency calibration of the detector
was also carried out. A comparison of the full energy
peak efficiency values obtained by both the Monte
Carlo methods and by experimental measurements
was carried out.

Internal Radioactivity of LaBr3 (Ce)

LaBr3(Ce) crystal is known to have internal radioactivity
due to naturally occurring radioisotopes 138La and 227Ac
Naturally occurring lanthanum contains about 0.09% of
138La, which has a half-life of 1.06 x1011-years. 138 La
emits two gamma rays: a 788.7-keV gamma ray from beta
decay (34 %) to stable 138Ce and a 1435.8-keV gamma ray
from electron capture (66 %) to stable 138Ba. There are
also Ba K x-rays from 31-38 keV.
These gamma rays are present as a constant background
during counting. Hence the detectors are more suitable for
short counting purposes than for long counting times
where the detector self activity pulses might interfere with
the sample activity. LaBr3 (Ce) detectors are also employed
in hand-held survey devices for radio-isotope identification
in large structures like waste drums and cargo containers.

Advantages and disadvantages of close contact geometry

Close contact geometry counting is advantageous for quick counting

purposes owing to the large solid angle subtended by the detector at the
source.
This results in higher efficiencies and the desired statistical accuracy in short
measurement times demanded during plant operations.
The major problem in this geometry is due to coincidence summing. The
effect of coincidence summing of gamma radiation occurs when two or
more gamma rays are emitted in coincidence from the decay of the same
radio-nuclide, and are recorded simultaneously within the resolving time of
a detector. The coincidence-summing effect depends on the decay scheme
of the radio-nuclide and the solid angle subtended by the detector at the
source.
For close geometries, point sources will exhibit larger coincidence-summing
effects than the extended sources as reported in literature (Debertin and
Schotzig)
The determination of energy dependence of efficiencies requires
considerable number of mono-energetic gamma-ray sources. Since, most of
the gamma-ray emitters in the range of few hundred keV to few MeV emit
multiple gamma-rays, it is necessary to carry out coincidence summing
corrections for determining the true efficiencies.

Monte Carlo Simulations

In the present work, the standard Monte Carlo package MCNP4C was used
to perform simulations of the spectral response of the LaBr3 (Ce) detector
and the estimation of full energy absorption efficiency at various energies.
The Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code (MCNP) version 4C developed in
the Los Alamos National Laboratory was used for the computations.
MCNP4C is a general purpose continuous energy generalized geometry,
time dependent code, which deals with transport of neutrons, photons,
and coupled electron photon transport, i.e., transport of secondary
electrons resulting from gamma interactions.
MCNP4C transports electrons and photons over an energy range of 1 keV
to 1 GeV using the ENDF VI (Evaluated Nuclear Data File version VI) cross
section data.
MCNP has variety of options to describe various types of sources and
different estimators for fluence, energy deposition, kerma etc. The photon
physics option of the code utilized in this work includes coherent
scattering, incoherent (Compton) scattering, photoelectric effect (with K
and L shell fluorescence) and pair production. An energy cut of value of 1
keV was used to terminate particle transport.
MCNP gives the users the added flexibility to define various geometry
regions through predefined macro bodies in addition to the conventional
Boolean operator based combinatorial geometry methods

MCNP Model of the detector

An MCNP model, including the geometrical representation of the

locations of the LaBr3(Ce) crystal with the aluminium casing
were modelled as per the details provided by the manufacturer.
Self -attenuation inside the source matrix and attenuation and
scattering in the surrounding materials were considered in the
Monte Carlo computations.
The manufacturer specified source strength was considered in
computing the weight of starting source photons in the MCNP
model for each of the standard sources used in the experiments.
The gamma ray photon energies and corresponding emission
probabilities of the sources was taken from literature for
simulation.
The photon energy pulse height distribution in the detector
medium was estimated using the F8 tally option of the MCNP.
The pulse height obtained from F8 tally in units of pulses-s-1 was
appropriately normalised to the number of photons emitted per
unit time from the source radionuclide under consideration.

Experimental Measurements
In order to minimise the external background photons entering
the detector, a specially designed Lead shield lined with
aluminium and copper was designed and fabricated for housing
the detector-PMT assembly. A butterfly door made of 25 mm
Mild Steel resting on bearings is provided on top to enable
sample loading. The detector is positioned vertically enabling the
sample to be placed on contact with the top face of the detector.
Suitable thin plastic frames are also available, if required, for
placing the sample at a desired distance from the detector.
Experimental efficiency calibration of the LaBr3(Ce) detector was
performed using calibrated point sources of 133Ba, 137Cs, 60Co
procured from the Board of Radiation and isotope Technology
(BRIT) and an a cylindrical source of 137Cs in grass. (IAEA inter
comparison source) placed on contact with the detector top
surface. A concrete powder matrix spiked with several
radionuclides in a standard vial provided by the NPL, UK was also
used.

1.332, 0.016

1.173, 0.019

0.025

0.966, 0.022

0.035

0.780, 0.026

0.045

0.663, 0.029

0.055

0.444, 0.044

FEP Eff%

0.065

0.345, 0.055

0.075

0.246, 0.073

0.085

0.123, 0.085

0.095

0.060, 0.062
0.081, 0.078

Results: Insitu gamma spectrometry -FEP Efficiency of 1.5"x1.5"

LaBr3 side-on contact with Apsara Al-Liner 2.5 m x 1.5 mx 32 mm

0.015
0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

Photon Energy (MeV)

1.00

1.20

1.40

In-situ gamma spectrum acquired using the portable

LaBr3 system in the shield cubicle near beam hole-10
on the APSARA pool wall

Monte Carlo FEPE chart LaBr3-AFD as a function of

concrete packet thickness
25

20

FEPE %

15
Ht .4cm
Ht .5 cm

10

Ht .6 cm
Ht .7 cm

0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6
0.8
E (MeV)

1.2

1.4

Radiological monitoring systems for Thorium Fuel cycle

Radiological monitoring systems for

Thorium Fuel cycle

Assessment of Calibration parameters for the Aerial Gamma

Spectrometry System of RSSD
Radioactive Sources & Source Distribution Pattern
(Cs-137 -2.0 Ci) , (Co60 - 0.6 Ci), (Ir-192 -1.4 Ci) & (I-131-1.0 Ci)
20 5 array distributed over a rectangular area 950 m 200 m with
a pitch distance of 50 m. 100 grid points for each source
Detector Dimension & Locations
1644 NaI(Tl) detector was placed at heights of 80 m, 100 m,
120m
MCNP simulation parameters
6,00,000 photon histories / run X 60 runs P- III,64 MB Ram- 6 min /
run
Energy Bin width -5.7 keV / channel.
The relative error in each energy bin of the fluence spectrum varies
from 6 % to 10 % except in the source bin where the relative error is
of the order of 0.2 % owing to the adequacy of sampling in the source
energy bin.
Out put from MCNP F2 / F5 tally formed the input to MARTHA
MARTHA folded the F5 tally results with the NaI(Tl) response
functions to arrive at the full spectrum.

Aerial Gamma Spectrometry- The photo-peak counts in the respective energy window
The Air To Ground Correlation Factors (AGCF) at various
altitudes required to arrive at the ground contamination level in
kBq/m2 from the counts observed at a particular height in the
respective window of interest.
The dose rates at 1m from the contaminated surface due to a
given radioisotope
(Contamination level in kBq/m2)

AGCF = ----------------------------------------CPS in the respective energy window

The CPS in the respective energy window can be obtained by
modifying the fluence (obtained from MCNP3 - F2 or F5 tally) by
i) The transmission factor of the helicopter body
ii) The total area of the detector seeing the
ground
iii) The photo-peak efficiency of the detector

Comparison of calculated and recorded photo peak counts at two

heights above the central line of the source area -AGSS
(Cs-137 - 2 Ci in a 20x5 matrix)

Co-60 spectrum at 100 m altitude inside a

helicopter

THANK YOU