Materials for Gamma-Ray Spectrometers: Inorganic Scintillators

Scintillation detectors constitute an important branch of radiation detection instrumentation. The discovery of the inorganic scintillating compound thallium-activated sodium iodide (NaI:Tl) in 1948 was key to the production of the first practical gamma-ray spectrometer. Since that time, numerous inorganic scintillators have been discovered and studied. Many of the more successful inorganic scintillators are described, including discussion of their properties and performance, in this article.