1st Edition

Nanocomposite, Ceramic, and Thin Film Scintillators

Edited By Martin Nikl Copyright 2016
    350 Pages 14 Color & 137 B/W Illustrations
    by Jenny Stanford Publishing

    350 Pages 14 Color & 137 B/W Illustrations
    by Jenny Stanford Publishing

    The literature so far has reviewed only single-crystal and, up to some extent, optical ceramic scintillators. This book introduces and describes in detail the research and development in thin film scintillators, glass ceramics, as well as nanocomposite and optical ceramics prepared by spark plasma sintering. It also features example of an in-depth study of a ZnO-based powder phosphor material. Both technology description and various characterization aspects are provided together with application hints.

    No other book has been published so far that includes and reviews the scintillator materials covered in this book with their specific technologies. Moreover, technological description is merged with detailed characterization, and the application potential is discussed as well. This book is intended for a wide audience, including postgraduate and PhD students and scientists working in the field of scintillators and phosphors. The extended introductory text, which has a textbook character, will be of immense benefit to students and non-specialists, too.

    Introduction to Scintillators

    Introduction

    Nanocomposite Scintillators

    Introduction

    Physical Properties of Nanocomposite Scintillators

    Experimental Methods

    Nanocomposite Materials

    Summary and Outlook

    Glass–Ceramic Scintillator

    Introduction

    Glass Ceramics

    Applications in Medicine

    Homeland Security Applications

    Conclusions

    Transparent High-Density Oxide Ceramics Prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering

    Introduction

    Preparation of Transparent Lu2O3 Ceramics

    Preparation of Transparent Lu2Hf2O7 Ceramics

    Preparation of Transparent Lu3Al5O12 Ceramics

    Ceramic Scintillation Materials Prepared by SPS

    Summary

    LPE-Grown Thin-Film Scintillators

    Introduction

    Liquid Phase Epitaxy

    Characterization Methods: Experimental Techniques

    Materials

    Applications of the LPE Films

    Luminescence of Pb- and Bi-Related Centers in Aluminum Garnet, Perovskite, and Orthosilicate Single-Crystalline Films

    Introduction

    Sample Preparation and Characterization Methods

    Luminescence of Single Pb2+-Based Centers in Aluminum Garnets and Perovskites

    Luminescence of Complex Pb-Related Centers in Aluminum Garnets and Perovskites

    Influence of Pb-Related Centers on Luminescence of Ce3+ and Pr3+ in Garnets and Perovskites

    Luminescence of Lead-Related Centers in Lutetium and Yttrium Oxyorthosilicates

    Luminescence of Bi3+-Related Centers in Aluminum Garnets

    Luminescence of Bi3+-Related Centers in Lutetium and Yttrium Oxyorthosilicates

    Possible Models of Pb-Related Centers in Aluminum Garnets and Perovskites

    The Origin of Pb-Related Centers in Lutetium and Yttrium Oxyorthosilicates

    The Origin of Bi-Related Centers in Aluminum Garnets and Oxyorthosilicates

    Scintillation Characteristics of Single-Crystalline Films

    Conclusions

    ZnO-Based Phosphors and Scintillators: Preparation, Characterization, and Performance

    Introduction

    Experimental

    Experimental Results

    Summary

    Biography

    Martin Nikl is senior scientist and head of department in the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (AS CR), and associated professor at Czech Technical University in Prague. He received a CSc degree from the Institute of Physics, AS CR. He has authored and coauthored more than 700 original papers in international periodicals. He has presented more than 30 invited keynote and plenary lectures at international conferences. His current fields of interest are luminescence and scintillation materials, energy transfer and storage phenomena in the scintillation mechanism, physics of defects, luminescence of excitons, nanoaggregates, and quantum dots.

    "This book gives an excellent introduction to all aspects involving scintillators. More importantly, it provides an in-depth review of rapid recent developments that have changed the field of scintillators. The transition from expensive single-crystal scintillators towards new, more versatile and cheaper scintillator manufacturing methods are comprehensively discussed by leading experts in the field. The book is a timely contribution that provides the first comprehensive overview of game-changing developments in the field of scintillators in the past two decades. For both experts in the field and people entering the field of scintillators the book is an indispensable source of information."

    —Prof. Andries Meijerink, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

    "This is a timely book as a number of enabling technologies have revolutionized the science of scintillators in the last two decades. What was considered as interesting theoretical speculation until recently is now feasible through impressive technological breakthroughs, in particular in the domain of nanotechnologies. The emergence of scintillators in the form of nanocomposites, ceramics, and thin films opens completely new perspectives for novel designs of radiation detectors in a large domain of applications. This book, by one of the best experts worldwide, will be a reference for a new generation of students and scientists interested in the fundamentals of the science of scintillators as well as in the development of scintillator-based detectors for various applications."

    —Prof. Paul Lecoq, CERN, Switzerland