Cerium-doped Lanthanum Bromide (Ce:LaBr₃), also known as LaBr₃(Ce), is a state-of-the-art inorganic scintillation crystal renowned for its exceptionally high light output, ultra-fast decay time, and outstanding energy resolution. These attributes make Ce:LaBr₃ one of the best-performing commercial scintillators for fast and precise radiation detection.
Due to its high hygroscopicity, Ce:LaBr₃ must be hermetically sealed in moisture-proof housings to ensure long-term stability and reliable performance.
Key Properties of Ce:LaBr₃
- Very High Light Yield: Delivers significantly higher light output than traditional scintillators such as NaI(Tl), enabling superior sensitivity.
- Ultra-Fast Scintillation Decay: Typical decay times of ~16–25 ns support high count-rate operation and excellent timing resolution.
- Excellent Energy Resolution: Enables precise discrimination of gamma-ray energies for accurate spectroscopy.
- High Effective Atomic Number: Provides strong stopping power for gamma radiation in compact detector geometries.
- Hygroscopic Material: Requires sealed encapsulation to protect against moisture absorption.
Crystal & Scintillation Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 5.3 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 843 °C |
| Refractive Index | 1.9 |
| Emission Peak | 380 nm |
| Decay Constant | ~16 ns |
| Light Yield | ~63 photons/keV |
| Photoelectron Yield (NaI(Tl)=100%) | 150% – 165% |
| Thermal Expansion | 8 × 10⁻⁶ /°C (‖ c-axis) |
| Cleavage Plane | (100) |
Ce:LaBr₃ offers ~1.5–1.6× the light output of NaI(Tl) with a decay time only ~1/10–1/20 as long.
Advantages of Ce:LaBr₃ Crystals
- Best-in-class energy resolution
- Extremely high light output
- Fast scintillation decay
- Excellent linearity
- Stable light output with temperature
- High count-rate capability
Typical Applications of Ce:LaBr₃
- Nuclear & particle physics (gamma spectroscopy and accelerator-based experiments)
- Homeland security & radiation monitoring (radioisotope identification and nuclear material control)
- Medical imaging (PET scanners and advanced nuclear medicine systems)
- Oil & gas well logging (formation analysis and subsurface characterization)
Shape Optics Ce:LaBr₃ Capabilities
Shape Optics Technologies supplies high-quality Ce:LaBr₃ scintillation crystals, crystal blanks, and sealed detector assemblies, backed by over 20 years of optical and crystal manufacturing expertise.
Product & Service Offering
- Ce:LaBr₃ (LBC) scintillation crystals
- High-quality crystal blank materials
- OEM and custom scintillator solutions
- Hermetically sealed detector options
Why Choose Cerium-Doped Lanthanum Bromide (Ce:LaBr₃)?
Ce:LaBr₃ is the material of choice when applications demand:
- Maximum light output and sensitivity
- Fastest timing performance
- Excellent energy resolution
- Reliable operation at high count rates
Its proven performance across nuclear physics, medical imaging, security, and industrial radiation detection makes Ce:LaBr₃ one of the most advanced scintillation materials available today.