title: An apparatus for studying scintillator properties at high isostatic pressures.
abstract: We describe the design and operation of a unique hydraulic press for the study of scintillator materials under isostatic pressure. This press, capable of developing a pressure of a gigapascal, consists of a large sample chamber pressurized by a two-stage hydraulic amplifier. The optical detection of the scintillation light emitted by the sample is performed, through a large aperture optical port, by a photodetector located outside the pressure vessel. In addition to providing essential pressure-dependent studies on the emission characteristics of radioluminescent materials, this apparatus is being developed to elucidate the mechanisms behind the recently observed dependency of light-yield nonproportionality on electronic band structure. The variation of the light output of a Tl:CsI crystal under 511-keV gamma excitation and hydrostatic pressure is given as an example.
authors: College of Optics and Photonics and NanoScience Technology Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA. gaume@ucf.edu
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Gaumé
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Lam
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Gascón
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Setyawan
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Curtarolo
authors: R S
authors: RS
authors: Feigelson