Absolute calibration of scintillators for laser-driven ion spectroscopy using in situ CR-39 sampling detectors

Abstract

Quantitative studies of laser-driven ion acceleration and laser-induced nuclear fusion require accurate measurements of ion yields and energy spectra. Although scintillator screens integrated with Thomson parabola spectrometers provide real-time diagnostics, their nonlinear scintillation response requires absolute calibration. We present an in situ, single-shot cross-calibration method using a 2-mm-period CR-39 sampling mask to simultaneously record particle counts and scintillation signals from laser-accelerated proton beams. The method is applied to calibrate a 400-$μ$m-thick CsI:Tl crystal and a 6-$μ$m-thick P43 phosphor screen over a broad proton energy range. The measured scintillation responses are compared with a theoretical model combining Birks' law and simulated proton stopping powers. The calibration quantitatively reveals the distinct response characteristics of the two scintillators, including thickness-dependent punch-through effects and constraints on ionization quenching, and demonstrates a practical approach for the absolute calibration of scintillator screens used in laser-driven ion spectroscopy.