NEW TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING HYGROSCOPIC SCINTILLATOR CRYSTALS AND DETECTOR CONSTRUCTION.

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DETERMINE IF HYGROSCOPIC SCINTILLATION CRYSTALS SUCH AS NAI(T1) AND LII(EU) CAN BE HANDLED AND PACKAGED WITHOUT RESORT TO DRY BOXES BY USING COMMON LABORATORY MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT. THIS PROPOSAL OUTLINES AN IDEA FOR CLEANING, HANDLING AND PACKAGING CRYSTALS OF ANY GEOMETRY WITHIN DRY LIQUIDS IN A NORMAL LABORATORY ENVIRONMENT. THE WORK WILL ALSO DETERMINE WHETHER HYDRATED SCINTILLATION CRYSTALS OR REGULAR GEOMETRY OR IRREGULAR FRAGMENTS CAN BE EASILY RECOVERED AND REPACKAGED TO PRODUCE AN ACCEPTABLE WORKING DETECTOR. IF SUCCESSFUL THIS WOULD PERMIT EASY HANDLING OF HYGROSCOPIC CRYSTALS WITHOUT SPECIAL DRY FACILITIES AND COULD LEAD TO METHODS OF RECYCLING BROKEN CRYSTALS FOR USE IN IRREGULAR GEOMETRIES AND LARGE AREA SHOWER COUNTERS AND POSSIBLY PRODUCTION OF SCINTILLATION CRYSTALS IMMUNE TO MECHANICAL OR THERMAL SHOCKS.