Scintillating properties of Cs${_2}$ZrCl${_6}$ crystals in the temperature range of 5-300 K

Abstract

A new comprehensive study on the Cs${_2}$ZrCl${_6}$ (CZC) crystal scintillating properties under different types of irradiation was performed over a wide temperature range from 5 to 300 K. The light yield (LY) at room temperature (RT), measured under irradiation by 662 keV $\gamma$ quanta of $^{137}$Cs, was evaluated to be 53,300 $\pm$ 4,700 photons/MeV corresponding to approximately 71% of its estimated absolute value. The maximum light emission was observed in the temperature interval 135-165 K, where the LY reached 56,900 photons/MeV and 19,700 photons/MeV for $\gamma$ quanta and $\alpha$ particles, respectively. The quenching factor (QF) for $\alpha$ particles increases smoothly from QF = 0.30 at RT to QF = 0.36 at 135 K. The shape of scintillation pulses induced by $\alpha$ particles is characterized by three time-constants (0.3, 2.5 and 11.8 $\mu$s at RT), whereas the average pulse of $\gamma$ induced events is characterized by two time-constants (1.3 and 11.5 $\mu$s at RT). At the same time, scintillating properties and pulse-shape discrimination capability of the CZC exhibit an acute deterioration at temperatures below 135 K. The optimal operating conditions to maximize the scintillating performance of undoped CZC crystals are discussed.