Detection of UV light based on chemically stimulated luminescence of crystal phosphors

Abstract

High-efficiency accommodation of heterogeneous-reaction energy via an electronic channel and the possibility of using this effect to design an ionizing (UV) radiation detector based on chemically stimulated luminescence have been investigated. Preliminary irradiation of a ZnS sample by UV light is found to cause a luminescence flash under subsequent exposure of the sample surface to a flux of hydrogen atoms. The flash intensity depends on the UV excitation level and increases by several orders of magnitude in comparison with an unirradiated sample. It is shown that a new method for detecting UV light using chemically stimulated luminescence of crystal phosphors accumulating light yield can be developed based on this effect.