Systematics in the light response of BGO, CsI(Tl) and GSO(Ce) scintillators to charged particles

The light response of a BGO crystal has been measured for particles Z=1–8, A=1–16 in the energy range ∼2–60 A MeV. The reaction products are identified by a ΔE(Si)−E(Sci/PD) telescope. The position of the jump in the value of the signal from the PD at the punch-through points is used to calibrate both the ΔE(Si) and E(Sci/PD) scales in MeV. The dependence of the light output on the energy E, ion atomic number Z and mass A is parameterized by the power law relation, L(Z,A,E)=a1(Z,A)Ea2(Z,A). The parameters a1 and a2 have a smooth dependence on Z for all three crystals. The mass dependence of a1,a2 is deduced as a simple analytical expression. The systematics of these parameters is presented for BGO, CsI(Tl) and GSO(Ce) scintillators as a function of Z,A. Calculations of the response function, based on the Murray–Mayer model provide an excellent description of the shape of L(Z,A,E) versus E dependence, but show some deviations in the individual ion normalization constant for the BGO and GSO(Ce) scintillators.