Linear Response of CsI(Tl) Crystal to Energetic Photons below 20 MeV

Abstract

The linear response of CsI(Tl) crystals to $\gamma$-rays plays a crucial role in their calibration, as any deviation from linearity can introduce systematic errors not negligible in the measurement of $\gamma$ energy spectra, particularly at high energies. In this study, the responses of CsI(Tl) crystals to high-energy photons up to 20 MeV are investigated using quasi monochromatic $\gamma$ beam provided by the Shanghai Laser Electron Gamma Source. The spectra are folded using a detector filter implemented by Geant4. Both quadratic and linear fits to six energy points are used to assess the linearity of the CsI(Tl) detector. The results demonstrate that the difference between the linear and non-linear fits is at the level of 4\%. Applying these findings to the $\gamma$ hodoscope of the Compact Spectrometer for Heavy Ion Experiment (CSHINE), the potential systematic uncertainties caused by CsI(Tl) non-linearity are evaluated. This work provides a comprehensive calibration methodology for employing CsI(Tl) crystal to detect high energy $\gamma$-rays.