Fundamental and Applied Aspects of Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals in Future Scintillator Technology

The utilization of scintillators for detecting ionizing radiation is pivotal across various domains, such as medicine, nuclear monitoring, homeland security, and space exploration. Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (LHP-NCs) embedded within plastic matrices have surfaced as promising scintillator materials, addressing the limitations of traditional scintillators like inorganic crystals and plastic scintillators while enhancing their strengths. Specifically, LHP-NCs as nanoscintillators in polymer waveguides offer scalable solutions and potentially superior scintillation performance. This enhancement stems from the unique photophysics of quantum-confined materials, providing size-tunable emission spectra that align with the spectral sensitivity of light detectors and ultrafast sub-nanosecond scintillation kinetics due to the recombination of multi-excitons generated by ionizing radiation. Recent findings on the radiation hardness of lead halide perovskites underscore their suitability for use in harsh environments, further boosting their appeal for applications where traditional materials may fail. However, substantial challenges persist, starting from properly understanding the very mechanism of scintillation in nanoscale materials, rationally design and realize LHP NCs for scintillation possibly via cost-effective scalable routes as well as embedding LHP-NCs in optical-grade nanocomposites without compromising their optical properties. This talk will present our latest advancements in the fundamental and applied aspects of scintillation based on LHP-NCs. We will explore the basics of the process and several methods for effective integration into plastic waveguides, including nanocrystal functionalization strategies, defect passivation, and advanced polymerization techniques.