NEW SCINTILLATOR MATERIALS

WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP IMPROVED SCINTILLATION MATERIALS. REVIEWING THE STATE-OF-THE-ART, WE CONCLUDE THAT THE MAIN IMPROVEMENTS HAVE TO RESULT IN: * INCREASED SPEED * HIGHER EFFICIENCY * CHEMICAL STABILITY THIS COMBINATION OF CONDITIONS DOWNGRADES HALIDES AND POINTS OUT TO MATERIALS CONTAINING CE(3+) AS EITHER THE DOPANT OR A STOICHIOMETRIC CONSTITUENT. THE REASON WHY THIS ION IS CHOSEN IS ITS LARGE CROSSECTION FOR CAPTURING BOTH FREE ELECTRONS AND HOLES AS WELL AS EXCITONS, EFFICIENT ENERTY TRANSFER OF ENERGY TO THE CE ION AND SUBSEQUENT OPTICALLY ALLOWED FAST EMISSION. WE GIVE SPECIALEMPHASIS TO MATERIALS WITH A VERY HIGH CE CONCENTRATION, ALL THE WAY UP TO STOICHIOMETRIC COMPOUNDS. IN ADDITION WE PROPOSE TO EVALUATE NEW TYPES OF HEAVY METAL FLUORIDE (HMF) GLASSES DOPED WITH CE.