Symposium U, "Nuclear Radiation Detection Materials," held April 26 28 at the 2011 MRS Spring Meeting in San Francisco, California was a continuation of the 2009 symposium and provided the latest research in nuclear radiation detection materials. Types of detector materials include semiconductors and scintillators, which are represented by a variety of new scintillator materials; novel semiconductors; and traditional detection materials. There is a strong need for new materials and methods for a variety of radiation detection applications in this rapidly growing field. The symposium gave an overview of the crystal growth of radiation detector materials and the characterization and technology issues and moved on to discuss several important improvements for the development of future radiation detectors.

Detector materials include semiconductors and scintillators, which are represented by a variety of binary molecular compounds such as lanthanum halides (LaX3), zinc oxide (ZnO) and mercuric iodide (HgI2). Ideally, these materials possess appropriate range bandgaps, high atomic numbers of the central element and high densities. They also perform at room temperature, have strong mechanical properties and low production costs. There are significant gaps, however, in the information needed to improve the quality of these materials - in terms of reproducible purity, homogeneity and mechanical integrity. This book features the latest advances in radiation detection materials, both from experimental and theoretical standpoints, as both are needed to grow and characterize materials that will produce enhanced detectors of the future. Topics include: CdTe and CdZnTe detectors; neutron detectors and scintillators.

The scope of detector materials for semiconductors and scintillators includes a wide variety of molecular compounds such as cadmium zinc telluride (CZT), lanthanum halides, and others. An additional class of scintillators is based on organic compounds and glasses. Ideally, attributes of materials used for radiation detection include appropriate-range bandgaps, high atomic numbers of the central element, high densities, performance at room temperature, strong mechanical properties, and low production cost. Unfortunately, there are significant gaps in the knowledge required to produce radiation detection materials of higher quality - in terms of reproducible purity, homogeneity and mechanical integrity. This book explores the latest results in radiation detection materials from both experimental and theoretical standpoints, as both are needed to grow and characterize materials that will produce better detectors in the future.