plastic scintillator
Quick Summary
A plastic scintillator is a type of active detector used for real-time radiation measurement. It functions by converting the energy deposited by ionizing radiation into light flashes, or scintillations. These light flashes are then converted into electrical pulses by a photoelectric device and amplified by a photomultiplier tube for counting.123
Plastic scintillators are made from organic molecules dissolved in a monomer that is then polymerized. They are known for their fast decay times, making them suitable for precise timing measurements. While they are effective for detecting charged particles, they are less ideal for gamma ray spectroscopy due to the low atomic number of their constituent materials. However, their composition is similar to that of human tissue, making them useful for measuring gamma-ray doses.1
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
