A method for calibrating the relative gamma-ray light yield of plastic scintillators

Currently we are investigating the inclusion of organotin compounds in new polystyrene scintillator materials to improve full gamma-ray energy sensitivity. Accurate calibration of the relative light yield from the newly developed scintillators is crucial to assess merits of compounds and chemical processes used in the scintillators' development. The full energy gamma-ray peak in a measured gamma-ray spectrum is commonly used in calibrating the relative light yield. However, the Compton continuum in the newly developed plastic scintillators is measured with much better efficiency and statistics and is found to be the best spectral feature that can be exploited for expeditious calibration of the relative light yield. In this study, we present a spectral gain matching of measured and simulated spectra, using a spectrum rebinning technique, to determine the Compton edge in a measured Compton continuum for accurate relative light yield calibration. The Compton edges determined using this technique were found to be within 1.2% of their theoretical estimates.