Characterization of a LaBr3 scintillator with multi-cell Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) readout

A scintillation gamma-ray detector, composed of a commercial 0.5 '' thick, 0.5 '' diameter LaBr3(Ce) crystal coupled to a 7-cell hexagonal Silicon Drift Detector has been developed and tested. The characterization with X-rays and gamma rays is presented and discussed also within the context of the optical properties of the readout system. A final comparison between our results and state of the art is also discussed in order to propose this prototype for astrophysical applications.