Characterizing the radiation response of Cherenkov glass detectors with isotopic sources

Cherenkov detectors are widely used for particle identification and threshold detectors in high-energy physics. Glass Cherenkov detectors that are sensitive to beta emissions originating from neutron activation have been demonstrated recently as a potential replacement for activation foils. In this work, we set the groundwork to evaluate large Cherenkov glass detectors for sensitivity to MeV photons through first understanding the measured response of small Cherenkov glass detectors to isotopic gamma-ray sources. Counting and pulse height measurements are acquired with reflected glass Cherenkov detectors read out with a photomultiplier tube. Simulation was used to inform our understanding of the measured results. This simulation included radioactive source decay, radiation interaction, Cherenkov light generation, optical ray tracing, and photoelectron production. Implications for the use of Cherenkov glass detectors to measure low energy gamma-ray response are discussed. (author)