Development of Ultra-Fast Semiconducting Scintillators Using Quantum Confinement Effect

The concept of a "quantum scintillator", satisfying both a large light output and a quick response, is proposed. The temporal behavior of scintillation from (n-C6H13NH3)2PbI4, a natural multiple quantum well structure provided by the lead-halide-based perovskite-type organic-inorganic hybrid compound, was investigated using a short-pulsed electron beam and a streak camera. A decay component of 390 ps was efficiently observed even at room temperature. This response is notably quicker than conventional Ce3+-activated scintillators because of a quantum confinement effect that increases the overlapping region of electron and hole wavefunctions in the low-dimensional system. This achievement would be the next breakthrough in the development of ultra-fast inorganic scintillators.