Selective enhancement of deep ultraviolet luminescence in barium fluoride scintillators via photonic crystal structures.

This article focuses on enhancing the fast scintillation component of barium fluoride (BaF₂) scintillators, which are used in high-energy particle detection, by employing photonic crystal (PhC) structures composed of hollow shell arrays. The PhCs are designed to selectively couple with the fast deep ultraviolet (DUV) emission (~220 nm) via surface lattice resonances and whispering gallery modes, resulting in a measured enhancement ratio of up to 1.69 in light output without affecting the slower scintillation component (~300 nm). Experimental results, supported by numerical simulations, demonstrate a 41% increase in the fast-to-slow (F/S) emission ratio, addressing challenges in improving temporal response for high-rate applications. The study suggests that this wavelength-selective light manipulation approach could be extended to other DUV technologies, such as light-emitting diodes and solar cells.