Comparison of ${\hbox {LaBr}}_{3}:{\hbox {Ce}}$ and ${\hbox {LaCl}}_{3}:{\hbox {Ce}}$ With NaI(

Energy resolution and detection efficiency were compared between new scintillators, lanthanum bromide (LaBr₃:Ce) and lanthanum chloride (LaCl₃:Ce) with conventional detectors, sodium iodide NaI(Tl) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe or CZT). The study has shown that LaBr₃:Ce and LaCl₃:Ce scintillator detectors provided by Saint-Gobain offer better resolution than NaI(Tl) detector. LaBr₃:Ce and LaCl₃:Ce detectors could resolve some closely spaced peaks from ¹³³Ba and ¹⁵²Eu, which Na(I) could not. LaBr₃:Ce has slightly better resolution and higher efficiency than LaCl₃:Ce. An overall advantage of LaBr₃:Ce and LaCl₃:Ce detectors over NaI(Tl) and CZT has been discussed. The intrinsic activity of LaBr₃:Ce is also demonstrated in this study.