A novel LiCl-BaCl2:Eu2+ eutectic scintillator for thermal neutron detection

A natLiCl-BaCl2:Eu2+ eutectic scintillator was synthesized by the vertical Bridgman method aiming at the application of thermal neutron detection. The molar ratio of LiCl and BaCl2 was 75.1/24.9, which corresponds to the eutectic composition in the LiCl-BaCl2 system. The grown eutectic showed a periodic microstructure of BaCl2:Eu2+ and LiCl phases with 2-3 μm thickness. The α-particle induced radioluminescence spectrum of the scintillator showed an intense emission peak at 406 nm due to the Eu2+ 5d1→4f emission from the BaCl2:Eu2+ phase and an additional weak emission peak at 526 nm. The scintillation decay time was 412 ns. LiCl-BaCl2:Eu2+ eutectic samples exhibited non-correlated neutron detection efficiency and light yield as a function of crystal length, suggesting material non-uniformities within the boule. The relative light yield was equal to or greater than that of Nucsafe lithium glass. Gamma-ray exposures indicate that gamma/neutron threshold discrimination for higher energy gamma-rays will be limited.