Scintillators

Definition

Scintillators are materials that emit visible or ultraviolet light when exposed to ionizing radiation. They are commonly used in radiation detection devices.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Scintillators work by converting the energy of incoming ionizing radiation into visible or ultraviolet photons.
2. Common types of scintillators include inorganic crystals like sodium iodide (NaI) and organic compounds such as anthracene.
3. The efficiency of a scintillator is characterized by its light yield, which is the number of photons emitted per unit of absorbed energy.
4. Scintillation detectors often require photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) or photodiodes to convert the emitted light into an electrical signal for measurement.
5. Applications of scintillators include medical imaging, security scanning, and high-energy physics experiments.

Review Questions

Related terms

Photomultiplier Tube (PMT): A device that amplifies the light produced by a scintillator and converts it into an electrical signal.

Ionizing Radiation:

Radiation with enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, thus creating ions.

Light Yield: The number of visible or ultraviolet photons emitted by a scintillator per unit of absorbed radiation energy.