A Tunneling Model for Afterglow Suppression in CsI:Tl,Sm Scintillation Materials.

Combined radioluminescence, afterglow and thermoluminescence experiments on single-crystal samples of co-doped CsI:Tl,Sm suggest that samarium electron traps scavenge electrons from thallium traps and that electrons subsequently released by samarium recombine non-radiatively with trapped holes, thus suppressing afterglow. Experiments on single crystals support the inference that electrons tunnel freely between samarium ions and are trapped preferentially as substitutional Smþ near VKA(Tl) centers where non-radiative recombination is the rate-limiting step. Afterglow in microcolumnar films of CsI:Tl,Sm is enhanced by inhomogeneities which impede tunneling between samarium ions, but is partly suppressed by annealing. ! 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.