Scintillators Based on BaF $_{2}$ With Improved Performance

The spectral-kinetic characteristics of BaF
₂
crystals and ceramics doped with Cd, Sc, and Tm have been investigated. Some increase in intensity of an ultrafast component (I
₁
) of radioluminescence compared to I
₁
of the BaF
₂
crystal has been recorded in BaF
₂
:Sc (2.0 mol.%) ceramics annealed in an atmosphere of CF
₄
. Significantly greater increase in I
₁
was obtained in a BaF
₂
:Tm (1.0 mol.%) crystal. A new mechanism explaining the growth of I
₁
has been proposed; the transfer of energy from the excited (Tm
³⁺
)
^*
ion to a nearby pair of Ba
²⁺
ion-interstitial ion of fluorine.