Application of PWO crystals for detection of low-activity gamma-radiation in the energy range above 3 MeV

Lead tungstate PbWO4 (PWO) scintillator was developed during the R&D project initiated in a frame of preparation of experiments in high-energy physics to be carried out at new generation of colliders like LHC (CERN, Geneva, Switzerland). Compared to other promising fast and dense scintillators, PWO is an optimal compromise to make a very compact detector with good performance and the best price/performance ratio. Moreover, the results of PWO development carried out by the INP team together with collaborators show that scintillation parameters of PWO crystals can be further modified, which significantly extends opportunities of PWO application. One such field where an application of PWO scintillator can be very advantageous is a detection of low-activity gamma-radiation in the energy range above 3 MeV. Application of heavy scintillator allows to decrease a detector volume and therefore to reduce background. According to our preliminary estimations, PWO scintillation crystal will allow to reach significantly better sensitivity of detection of gamma-radiation in the energy range above 3 MeV compared to other widely used scintillators.