Specialist Trainer: Ing. Robert Král, Ph.D.
Field: DAIZ
This work is focused on preparation, crystal growth, and characterization of new ternary alkali copper halides – primarily on compounds of following stoichiometry A3Cu2X5 and ACu2X3, where A = Li, …, Cs a X = Cl, Br and I. Recently, iodides of these materials are studied for their excellent properties (low hygroscopicity, high light yield, and high energy resolution) as scintillating materials suitable for detection of ionizing radiation. Self-absorption of self-trapped-exciton emission is not observed in these materials due to the large Stokes shift, which leads to higher light yields and significantly low afterglow. The goal of this work is preparation and purification of starting raw materials by the introduction of halogenation agents into their melt combined with zone refining. The partial goal is to design and construct a reactor for synthesis of hydrogen iodide as one of the halogenation agents. Further, optimization of crystal growth from the melt of above-mentioned halide compounds using micro-pulling-down and vertical Bridgman methods will be performed. Prepared crystals will be studied concerning their composition and purity (element and phasal), measuring their physical (thermal, optical, luminescent, scintillating, etc.) properties and characterized by other techniques available at our Institute.