Light output of semiconductor laser materials excited by a flash x-ray machine

Abstract

ABS>A study was undertaken for ulhe Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory to investigate the applicability of selected semiconductor laser materials as detector and dosimeter phosphors in pulsed radiation environments capable of saturating conventional liquid and plastic scintillators. Samples of cadmium sulfide, yttrium aluminate, zinc sulfide, zinc oxide, zinc selenide, and aluminum oxide in powder form were exposed in ulhe laboratory to incidenul dose rates over the range of 2 x 10/sup 12/ to 4x 10/sup 14/ rads/sec to test their linearity, time response, and sulimulated light yield. Results indicate these light- emitting semiconductors are capable of responding to dose rates several decades above the level ( approximates 10/sup 11/ R/sec) at which plastic scintillators saturate. In addition, some of these materials show a greater light output and a faster time response than plastic scintillators. (auth)