Scintillators with potential to supersede lanthanum bromide
New scintillators for high-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy have been identified, grown and characterized. Our development efforts have focused on two classes of high light yield materials: Europium-doped alkaline earth halides and Cerium-doped garnets. Of the halide single crystals we have grown by the Bridgman method - SrI{sub 2}, CaI{sub 2}, SrBr{sub 2}, BaI{sub 2} and BaBr{sub 2} - SrI{sub 2} is the most promising. SrI{sub 2}(Eu) emits into the Eu{sup 2+} band, centered at 435 nm, with a decay time of 1.2 {micro}s and a light yield of up to 115,000 photons/MeV. It offers energy resolution better than 3% FWHM at 662 keV, and exhibits excellent light yield proportionality. Transparent ceramics fabrication allows production of Gadolinium- and Terbium-based garnets which are not growable by melt techniques due to phase instabilities. While scintillation light yields of Cerium-doped ceramic garnets are high, light yield non-proportionality and slow decay components appear to limit their prospects for high energy resolution. We are developing an understanding of the mechanisms underlying energy dependent scintillation light yield non-proportionality and how it affects energy resolution. We have also identified aspects of optical design that can be optimized to enhance energy resolution.
- Research Organization:
- Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Life Sciences Division
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- OSTI ID:
- 972276
- Report Number(s):
- LBNL-2449E
- Journal Information:
- IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Vol. NS-56; ISSN 0018-9499; ISSN IETNAE
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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