Development of an inorganic scintillation detector using LaBr3:Ce crystal

Within the scope of this thesis, LaBr3:Ce crystalline inorganic scintillation detector was built to improve the NUMEN experimental setup, which was carried out to determine the Nuclear Matrix Elements of double charge exchange heavy ion collisions, which is ongoing within the INFN-LNS. Photomultiplier tube and electronic system requirements for detector installation were provided by both Akdeniz University Nuclear Physics Laboratory and INFN-LNS. The first tests to determine the characteristic features of the detector were carried out in the Nuclear Physics laboratory of Akdeniz University. Then, the tests were continued in INFN-LNS, where the characteristic change was investigated by taking the data of the detector at different operating voltages and different electronic systems. The efficiency of the detector was expressed by comparing the obtained data with the simulation data. As a result of the calculations made on the energy spectra obtained, the average energy resolution of the LaBr3:Ce detector was calculated as %4,5. At the last stage of the study, the LaBr3:Ce crystalline scintillation detector was mounted on the MAGNEX spectrometer setup and tested for the first time in the collision experiments of heavy ions. Despite the high background scattering that occurred during the experiment phase, energy peaks compatible with the simulation were observed in the LaBr3:Ce energy spectrum. As a result, the obtained data were discussed and suggestions were presented for the development of the NUMEN system.