Performance of ZnSe-based scintillators at low temperatures

Journal article

Applications that utilize scintillation detectors at low temperatures are growing in number. Many of these require materials with high light yield and a fast response. Here we report on the low-temperature characterisation of ZnSe doped with Al or Te, respectively. The X-ray luminescence and decay curves were measured over the 77–295 K temperature range, and alpha particle excitation was used to examine scintillation light output and decay kinetics over the range 9–295 K. A significant improvement of the scintillation characteristics was observed at cooling below 100 K. The scintillation light yield of the crystals increases by a factor about two, and the decay time constant decreases by almost an order of magnitude to 0.3–0.4 μs. These improvements enhance the potential of ZnSe-based crystals for application in cryogenic scintillation detectors of ionising radiation.

Authors: Galkin, S; Rybalka, I; Sidelnikova, L; Voloshinovskii, A; Kraus, H

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Journal: Journal of Luminescence
• Volume: 239
• Article number: 118360
• Publication date: 2021-07-27
• Acceptance date: 2021-07-23
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2021.118360
• EISSN: 1872-7883
• ISSN: 0022-2313
• Language: English
• Keywords: light yield; decay time; low temperature scintillator; temperature dependence; FFR; zinc selenide