Timing performance of ZnO:Ga nanopowder composite scintillators

The implementation of nanocrystal-based composite scintillators as a new generation of ultrafast particle detectors is explored using ZnO:Ga nanopowder. Samples are characterized with a spectral-time resolved photon counting system and pulsed X-rays, followed by coincidence time resolution (CTR) measurements under 511 keV gamma excitation. Results are comparable to CTR values obtained using bulk inorganic scintillators. Bringing the ZnO:Ga nanocrystal's timing performance to radiation detectors could pave the research path towards sub-20 ps time resolution as shown in this contribution. However, an efficiency boost when placing nanopowders in a transparent host constitutes the main challenge in order to benefit from sub-nanosecond recombination times. (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim).