Combinatorial Search for Advanced Semiconductor Scintillators

Current particle and radiation detectors, used in nuclear physics experiments, require scintillators with improved detection efficiency or sensitivity, high stopping power, superior energy resolution, fast speed of response, and low cost. Unfortunately, no existing commercial scintillator has all of these desirable properties. Therefore, superior, large-band-gap semiconductor scintillators, which meet the performance requirements for the detection particles and radiation in nuclear physics applications, are needed. Because the possibilities for the host and dopant compositions in semiconductor scintillators are so numerous, this project will develop a highly efficient combinatorial screening process for the rapid discovery of advanced fast-semiconductor scintillators. Phase I will develop and validate the high-throughput approach and provide an accurate characterization of semiconductor scintillators. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by the Applicant: The combinatorial process should accelerate the identification of superior fast scintillators and benefit the development of nuclear particle and radiation detectors. In addition, there is huge commercial potential for advanced scintillators in medical diagnostics systems, non-destructive imaging quality control in manufacturing, and in the search for natural resources.