In Yanagida group (Nara Inst. Technol, Graduate School of Materials Science), inroganic crystal, transparent ceramic and glass phosphors and photoelectric conversion elements are studied. Especially, scintillators that convert single high energy ionizing radiation to thousands of visible photons are main topic. Scintillators are widely used in medical (X-ray CT and PET), security, well-logging, and high energy physics. In this group, not only properties of materials but also applications are investigated. Relating to scintillators, other topics, such as optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL), and radiophotoluminescence (RPL) for doimeter applications, are also researched.
Below Positron Emission Mammography (PEM, left top, T. Yanagida et al., IEEE TNS 57 1492 2010) is a product of Furukawa. In Suzaku sattelite (right top), GSO and BGO scintillators are utilized. We are now intesely studing novel scintillators for security applications (left bottom). LiCaAlF6 scintillator by Tokuyama （T. Yanagida et al., Opt. Mater., 33, 1243 2011) and Ce:GAGG scintillator by Furukawa (T. Yanagida et al., Opt. Mater., 35 2480 2013) are applied to environmental monitors.
