Effects of Lu3+ admixture on photo-and radioluminescence, as well as on scintillation characteristics, were investigated in Gd3-xLuxAl3Ga2O12:Ce,Mg (x = 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2) scintillation ceramics fabricated via chemical co-precipitation and a combination of oxygen sintering, HIP post-treatment and annealing. The Ce3+ 5d1 -> 4f emission in photo-and radioluminescence bands was gradually blue shifted with increasing Lu content due to a decrease in the crystal field splitting of the 5d levels. Furthermore, the thermal ionization activation energy, determined from the temperature-dependent PL decay kinetics, increased with increasing Lu content, leading to higher thermal stability of the Ce3+ centers and increase of light yield value. The onset temperature at 362 K for luminescence quenching was determined from the temperature-dependent photoluminescence kinetics. The GdLu2Al3Ga2O12:Ce,Mg ceramic exhibited the highest light yield value of 11,400 photons/MeV at 662 keV gamma rays along with fast scintillation decay times of 26.5 ns (59%) + 58.2 ns (41%), and good time resolution of 249 ps.

The Modular Cosmic Ray Detector (MCORD) is a modular scintillator-based system employing silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and FPGA-based digital signal processing, designed for applications such as cosmic muon detection, veto systems, and detector calibration support. In this work, we investigate the influence of ambient temperature variations on detector performance, with particular emphasis on SiPM gain stability. Several automatic temperature compensation loops were implemented to stabilize the operating voltage of the sensors. Based on controlled laboratory measurements, we evaluate the effectiveness of different control strategies, including variations in temperature averaging time and threshold response criteria. The performance of each approach is compared in terms of gain stability and response dynamics. We identify the optimal temperature control configuration for planned MCORD measurements and present recent modifications to the detector electronics, including updated software for Analog Front End (AFE) control. Additionally, we describe modifications made to the detector’s electronics since the previous publication, including new software developed to control AFE electronics.

In this work, we present a study of newly developed two-layered composite scintillators based on epitaxial structures of garnet compounds for the simultaneous registration of different components of mixed radiation fluxes, and we evaluate their α/β/γ discrimination performance. The composite scintillators under study were doubly layered structures composed of TbAG:Ce or TbAG:Ce,Mg single-crystalline film grown onto Czochralski-grown GAGG:Ce single-crystal substrates using the liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) method. The spectrometry measurements were performed with four different radioactive sources: 137Cs (emitting 661.6-keV γ rays), 241Am (5.5-MeV α particles and 59.5-keV γ rays), 90Sr (β particles with energies up to 2 MeV), and 14C (β particles with energies up to 156 keV). The pulse-height spectra (PHS) were recorded with a shaping time of 10 μs in an amplifier due to the presence of long scintillation components in the tested samples. Scintillation time profiles were measured under excitation of 661.6-keV γ rays, 5.5-MeV α particles, and β particles from 90Sr/90Y and 14C. Both types of TbAG:Ce film/GAGG:Ce substrate and TbAG:Ce,Mg film/GAGG:Ce substrate composites show good ability for the simultaneous registration of the mentioned components in the mixed radiation field with very reasonable Figure-of-Merit values: FoM(τ) greater than 0.2 and FoM(PSD) greater than 1.0.

Luminescence and scintillation properties of Mo co-doped Y1.5Gd1.5Al2Ga3O12:Ce,Mo (Mo = 0, 300, 600 ppm) multicomponent garnet crystals grown by the micro-pulling-down method were investigated. To investigate temperature stability, temperature dependence of photoluminescence decay time was measured from 77 to 487 K and thermal activation energy was determined. Y1.5Gd1.5Al2Ga3O12:Ce,Mo (300, 600 ppm) samples showed faster scintillation decay time with a similar LY value compared to Mo-free Y1.5Gd1.5Al2Ga3O12:Ce one. Y1.5Gd1.5Al2Ga3O12:Ce,Mo (600 ppm) showed a light yield value of 34,300 photons/MeV along with fast scintillation decay times of 45.2 ns (55%) +153 ns (45%) and time resolution of 313 ps. Radioluminescence and afterglow signal were also measured at RT and discussed.

Many modern digital analyzers offer the ability to record raw pulses from ionizing radiation detectors. We use this opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of Charge Comparison Method in Pulse Shape Discrimination of neutron and gamma radiation measured with organic glass scintillator and trans-stilbene. The idea of software for automated off-line analysis of digitally recorded data is briefly described. We discuss the difference between Leading Edge and Constant Fraction Discrimination triggering methods and we propose triggering on pulse maximum as an alternative. We observe that the starting point of charge integration gates has major impact on Figure of Merit values, therefore it is important to choose it carefully and report it with other Charge Comparison Method parameters to keep comparison between scintillators reliable. Figure of Merit has a limited usage, so Relative Height of Minimum is proposed as an additional indicator of neutron-gamma discrimination effectiveness in practical applications.

The NA61/SHINE collaboration conducts research using the SPS CERN accelerator, focusing primarily on the strong interaction program. In this type of research, it is necessary to use a hadronic calorimeter called PSD to determine the centrality value of nuclear collisions. The detector consists of two separate parts, the MPSD and the FPSD. The FPSD, which is a new detector added to the NA61 SHINE experiment from 2022, has not yet had a functional system for remotely changing and measuring the detector position. Such a remote system is necessary for faster detector calibration, more precise positioning of the detector in the accelerator beam path, and improved safety. For these reasons, in 2023, a group of specialists from the NCBJ laboratory at Poland, prepared a project and built a remote position change system for the FPSD detector. In this work, we describe the main design assumptions and main features of the finished system. We also describe its control system based on the Siemens 1200 PLC controller and the way we supervise its operation through an external DCS system based on the EPICS software (ver.3.16). The introduced changes improved the safety and comfort of work, reduced the radiation risk, and, above all, significantly shortened the time required to change the position of the FPSD detector.

The scintillation properties and pulse shape discrimination (PSD) performance of the new BSO-406 (40 % organic glass scintillator and 60 % polystyrene) were investigated. We tested a cylindrical sample with dimensions of 2 x 2 inches. The study includes measurements of neutron-gamma discrimination capability, emission spectra, photoelectron yield, and the analysis of light pulse shapes originating from events related to gamma-rays and fast neutrons. The results were compared to data previously recorded using a pure Organic Glass Scintillator (BSO100), an EJ-309 liquid scintillator, and EJ-276 and M600 polyurethane-based plastic scintillators. The results show that while BSO-406 has a 40 % lower light output compared to pure OGS, it remains comparable to EJ-309, with approximately 13 000 ph/MeV. Its PSD performance, although slightly lower than that of OGS, is the best among plastic scintillators.

Organic glass scintillators are an interesting alternative to liquid scintillators, offering many advantageous characteristics with few drawbacks. In this paper we investigate the influence of light self-absorption in the organic glass scintillator on its pulse shape discrimination capability. With five scintillators of different heights but same diameter, we measure photoelectron yield and Figure of Merit in neutron-gamma discrimination. The decrease of both values with increasing size is attributed to light self-absorption, while normalized Figure of Merit remains constant. The choice of gates for charge comparison method is discussed. We also use genetic algorithm to estimate decay times and intensities of fast, medium, and slow components of light pulse shapes measured with Bollinger-Thomas setup. We compare the results to trans-stilbene reference sample.

The detailed analysis of characteristic gamma lines observed in neutron activated spectra of steel scrap samples is presented. The samples content represent the key chemical elements in steelmaking processes, such as $\mathrm{Fe}, \mathrm{Cu}, \mathrm{Cr}$ and Ni. The samples activation is performed by means of a DT neutron generator, emitting 14 MeV neutrons. The background in the recorded spectra is significantly reduced due to incorporation of the associated particle imaging technique and data acquisition in coincidence with alpha particles detection. The gamma detection system comprises of 14 large scintillation detectors of three types: 4 cylidrical 3.5x8 inch LaBr, 4 cylindrical 5x5 inch BGO and 6 cuboid $5 \times 5 \times 10$ inch NaI(Tl). The analysis of characteristic gamma spectra is mainly performed on measurements with LaBr and later compared to NaI and BGO data. The aim of the analysis is understanding of intensities of the observed peaks, the proper identification of the characteristic gamma lines as well as understanding of their origin due to interaction channels and changes in intensity due to possible overlapping.

The performance of the large $5 {\mathrm {x}} 5 {\mathrm {x}} 10$ inch NaI:Tl scintillator coupled to the R11833-100 PMT was investigated in gamma spectrometry, in comparison with the well-known 5x5x10 inch $\mathrm{NaI}: \mathrm{Tl}$ crystal coupled to the ET9390 PMT. The tests included measurements of energy resolution up to 6.1 MeV andtime resolution was measured in coincidence experiments with 511 keV annihilation quanta from a ${ }^{22} \mathrm{Na}$ gamma source and 1173 and 1332 keV from a ${ }^{60} \mathrm{Co}$ gamma source.

In the present work, we describe a cryogenic setup for studies of wavelength-shifting materials for optimised light collection in noble element radiation detectors, and discuss the commissioning results. This SiPM-based setup uses alpha induced scintillation in gaseous argon as the vacuum ultraviolet light source with the goal of characterising materials, such as polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and tetraphenyl butadiene (TPB), in terms of their wavelength-shifting efficiency. Further extensions of the system are currently being studied. The foreseen upgrades are expected to allow the study of GEM-like structures potentially interesting for rare-event searches. The design of the setup will be addressed along with the first results.

We present studies of a novel plastic scintillator branded M600, which was developed and provided by Target Systemelektronik. This new material is, in contrast to other solid organic scintillators offered by commercial providers, based on a polyurethane matrix complemented with scintillating and wavelength-shifting additives. This paper covers measurements of absolute light output, LO, (photons per 1 MeV-ɣ, ɣ-non-proportionality (NP), light pulse shapes, and neutron-gamma (n/ɣ) discrimination. The measurements were carried out either using standard calibration gamma sources (LO, NP) or in a mixed field of neutron and ɣ radiation from an intense (~4 × 10 neutrons/s/4π) AmBe source (n/ɣ discrimination). The measured light output was 9650±1000 ph/MeV, and the PSD’s figure of merit (FoM) was found as 2.2±0.1 at 1000 keVee for Ø1” × 1” M600 sample. The bigger sample (Ø2” × 2“) exhibits about 25% lower LO and poorer FoM when compared to the Ø1” × 1” M600, due to self-absorption.

Ce,Mg:Lu2YGaxAl5-xO12 (x = 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3) ceramic scintillators were fabricated by oxygen sintering combined with air annealing using nano-powders synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The Ce3+ 5d(1) -> 4f (F-2(5/2), F-2(7/2)) luminescence band was blue shifted with increasing Ga content due to the decrease in the crystal field splitting of the 5d levels. At room temperature (RT), the decrease of photoluminescence decay time and scintillation decay time was observed with increasing Ga content. At 662 keV gamma-rays, the sample Ga2 exhibited high light yield (LY) of 28,700 photons/MeV, fast scintillation decay times of 17.7 ns (17 %) + 45.7 ns (83 %), and good time resolution of similar to 220 ps. At RT, the decrease of LY value for the samples Ga2.5 and Ga3 could be attributed to the larger thermal ionization of the excited Ce3+ centers.

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is a widely used technique for detecting trace elements in various materials. In recent years, machine learning (ML) algorithms have shown great potential for improving the accuracy and efficiency of NAA. In this paper, to achieve optimal results, data augmentation and feature engineering techniques are applied to NAA datasets to improve the quality and quantity of data available for training ML models. We will investigate the effectiveness of various data augmentation and feature engineering techniques in improving the performance of ML models for NAA. We will explore techniques such as noise addition, feature selection and combination, temporal averaging, and evaluate their impact on the accuracy of NAA models. The results of this study will provide valuable insights into the optimal strategies for data augmentation and feature engineering in NAA, and could potentially lead to more accurate and efficient NAA systems in the future.

The performance of the large 5x5x10 inch NaI:Tl and 5x5 inch BGO scintillators coupled to the R11833-100 PMT was investigated by gamma spectrometry in comparison with the well-known 5x5x10 inch NaI:Tl crystal coupled to the ET9390 PMT and 5x5 inch BGO coupled to the R877 PMT. The tests included measurements of light output in terms of photoelectron number and energy resolution. Time resolution was also measured in coincidence experiments with 511 keV annihilation quanta from a 22Na gamma source.

The performance of the demonstrator of the system for elemental analysis of aluminum chips is presented. The system is based on neutron activation analysis and isotopic neutron source of PuBe emitting 2x10^6 n/s. The detection system comprises of large 3.5x8 inch LaBr scintillators with an option of easy change to 5x10 inch NaI(Tl) or 5x5 inch BGO. The industrial samples under study are constantly moving through a vertical pipe in a closed loop system which mimics the industrial conditions at aluminum refinery. The system performance is presented in relation to the recorded gamma spectra and gamma lines characteristic for the following chemical elements: Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, Ti, Zn. The efficiency of gamma spectra detection in the proposed setup is also discussed in relation to the applied detectors and physical limits of neutron activation methods. The results are compared to the standard industrial analysis based on spark optical emission spectroscopy and multiple sample collection.

In this manuscript we report on the scintillation properties and pulse shape discrimination (PSD) performance of new organic glass scintillator. Two cylindrical samples with dimensions of 2x2 inches were tested. Additionally, this two samples were used in stack configuration in order to measure the PSD characteristics of a sample with a size of 2x4 inches. The study covers the measurements of neutron/gamma discrimination capability, emission spectra, photoelectron yield and analysis of the light pulse shapes originating from events related to gamma-rays and fast neutrons. The results were compared to data recorded previously using an EJ-276 plastic scintillator, an EJ-309 liquid scintillator and a stilbene single crystal.

Experimental research on light response of CsI:Tl, that was performed in the last 30 years, have shown that spectrometry parameters of this crystal are influenced by existence of slow scintillation components and could be improved by increasing the peaking time. In this study authors analysed and discussed the non proportionality, number of photoelectrons and energy resolution (with their intrinsic, statistical and noise contributions) as a function of light pulse integration time (adequately to the peaking time known from analogue readouts). The study of light responses of CsI:Tl crystal after interaction with gamma radiation was performed by acquisition of raw single scintillation signals using a photomultiplier and a high class digital oscilloscope. The analysis was performed off-line using Python scripts. The crystal was excited using X-ray and gamma-ray sources with energies from 22 keV up to 835 keV at 293 K (+20 degrees C). The data was processed with integration time up to 150 mu s, which was not achievable so far with analogue electronics commonly used in gamma-ray spectrometry with scintillation detectors. This study considers the problem of the energy resolution as good as other spectrometry parameters improvement using a digital light pulse processing.

In the first part of this chapter different characteristics of silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), which affect the use of SiPMs in medical instrumentation, are reviewed. It covers a gain of SiPM, excess noise factor (ENF), photon detection efficiency (PDE), after-pulses, crosstalk, dark noise, and a linearity of the response. In the second part, a summary of timing studies with SiPMs in scintillation detection is presented. It covers results of tests of transit time spread at single photon detection and the best reported time resolution in a fast timing with 511 keV annihilation quanta, on the way to time-of-flight positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. Next, various tests reported for a combination of SiPM arrays of different size coupled to different scintillators used in gamma spectrometry, like NaI(Tl), BGO, LaBr3, and LYSO are reviewed, including tests of 3″ × 3″ LaBr3:Ce and its co-doped version. Besides of the characterization of different SiPMs in scintillation detection some examples of the most modern medical instrumentation are presented including the newest Siemens Biograph Vision PET/CT scanner and the uExplorer whole body PET scanner.