Quantum confinement for large light output from pure semiconducting scintillators

A method for creating a fast scintillator is proposed. Recently, much attention has been paid to pure semiconductors during development of subnanosecond fast solid scintillators. However, the bulky samples rarely exhibit high light yields at room temperature because of thermal instability at the excitonic levels. The authors employed the optimum three- and two-dimensional semiconducting systems provided by lead-halide-based compounds to demonstrate the advantage of low dimensionality in the scintillating efficiency. Their dimensional and temperature dependencies were investigated using a high-energy proton beam. Consequently, the quantum confinement system clearly prevented thermal quenching from excitonic level even at room temperature, and the result proposes the next breakthrough to create ultrafast solid scintillators. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.