The study of inorganic scintillating materials

The procedure for measuring the temporal characteristics and light output of inorganic scintillating materials excited by β-, γ-, and α-particles from radioactive sources is described. Results of measurements of characteristics are presented for ∼30 scintillating compounds including cerium-doped yttrium silicate and scandium borate; europium-doped strontium phosphate; cerium-doped strontium silicate, calcium silicate and magnesium calcium silicate, etc. Upon β- and γ-excitation, cerium-doped scandium borate gives the highest light output with a fluorescent lifetime of 40 ± 4 ns. The highest light output for α-excitation was from cerium-doped yttrium aluminum perovskite, with a fluorescent lifetime of 29 ± 3 ns.