Should I include a material properties table for Thallium Activated Sodium Iodide?

Hi, my simulation includes a radioactive gamma source; The material of my detector is Thallium Activated Sodium Iodide. Based on the above, Should I include a material properties table as done in the extended example OpNovice (OpNoviceDetectorConstruction.cc) from the Geant4 toolkit?. What should a simulation be like in order to include a material properties table as done in the OpNovice example?. Is it true that if my material is a scintillator (such as Thallium Activated Sodium Iodide), I have to include a Material Properties table as done in the OpNovice example?. How do I get this Material Properties Table for Thallium Activated Sodium Iodide?; Do I have to consult books to get that Material Properties table?

_Geant4 Version:_11.2.1
_Operating System:_Windows 10
_Compiler/Version:_Visual Studio 2022
_CMake Version:_3.29.0-rc2


If you want to see the optical photons from scintillation, then yes, you need to have optical properties. You will probably need to consult datasheets from scintillator manufacturers.

1 Like

Ok thanks for the information. I have another doubt. I hope you can help me. If I only want to detect gamma photons, do I have to include a material properties table?.

If you just want to record energy deposits from the gammas in your volume, then you do not need optical properties.

OK thanks. I have another question. It’s about physics. Can the interaction of gamma photons (coming from a radioactive source) and Thallium Activated Sodium Iodide (a scintillator) produce scintillation light? I hope you can help me

In real life, or in the simulation? In real life, yes. In the simulation, only if you (a) attach all of the required optical properties to the material, and (b) include G4OpticalPhysics in your physics list. Please read the documentation and the optical examples.

1 Like

OK, thanks; So I think that to make a simulation as close to reality as possible I will have to include the optical properties of the scintillator I am using.

This topic was automatically closed 7 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.