Spectroscopy with next generation scintillator arrays

Historically, gamma-ray spectroscopy has transitioned from using scintillator detectors with high efficiency but relatively low energy resolution to germanium detectors with high intrinsic energy resolution but much lower intrinsic efficiency. Next-generation scintillator materials such as lanthanum bromide, cerium bromide have become available over the last decade offering significantly improved energy resolution (~3% at 662-keV) and timing resolution. Such detectors are opening up new opportunities for medium-resolution spectroscopy. A number of ideas for future studies for stand-alone arrays of such scintillators as well as composite germanium-scintillator arrays will be presented, focusing particularly on challenges related to clustering in nuclei [1]. A brief overview of existing arrays and detector types will be given e.g. the PARIS calorimeter [2], motivated towards the physics goals.