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High count rate γ-ray spectroscopy with LaBr3:Ce scintillation detectors

The applicability of LaBr3:Ce detectors for high count rate γ-ray spectroscopy is investigated. A 3"x3" LaBr3:Ce detector is used in a test setup with radioactive sources to study the dependence of energy resolution and photo peak efficiency on the overall count rate in the detector. Digitized traces were recorded using a 500 MHz FADC and analysed with digital signal processing methods. In addition to standard techniques a pile-up correction method is applied to the data in order to further improve the high-rate capabilities and to reduce the losses in efficiency due to signal pile-up. It is shown, that γ-ray spectroscopy can be performed with high resolution at count rates even above 1 MHz and that the performance can be enhanced in the region between 500 kHz and 10 MHz by using pile-up correction techniques.