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Fast emitting polymeric scintillators are requested in advanced applications where high speed detectors with a large signal-to-noise ratio are needed. However, their low density implies a weak stopping power of high energy radiation and thus a limited light output and sensitivity. To enhance their performance, polymeric scintillators can be loaded with dense nanoparticles (NPs). We investigate the properties of a series of polymeric scintillators by means of photoluminescence and scintillation spectroscopy, comparing standard scintillators with a composite system loaded with dense hafnium dioxide (HfO2) NPs. The nanocomposite shows a scintillation yield enhancement of +100% with an unchanged time response. We provide for the first time an interpretation of this effect, pointing out the local effect of NPs in the generation of emissive states upon interaction with ionizing radiation. The obtained results indicate that coupling fast conjugated emitters with optically inert dense NPs could lead to surpassing the actual limits of pure polymeric scintillators.

A set of GaN layers prepared by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy under different technological conditions (growth temperature carrier gas type and Ga precursor) were investigated by varia-ble energy positron annihilation spectroscopy (VEPAS) to find a link between technological conditions, GaN layer properties and the concentration of galium vacancies (VGa). Different cor-relations between technological parameters and VGa concentration were observed for layers grown from triethyl gallium (TEGa) and trimethyl gallium (TMGa) precursors. In case of TEGa formation of VGa was significantly influenced by type of reactor atmosphere (N2 or H2), while no similar behaviour was observed for growth from TMGa. Formation of VGa was suppressed with increasing temperature for the growth from TEGa. On the contrary, enhancement of VGa concen-tration was observed for growth from TMGa with cluster formation for the highest temperature of 1100°C. From the correlation of photoluminescence results with VGa concentration determined by VEPAS it can be concluded, that yellow band in GaN is likely not connected with VGa and ad-ditionally, increased VGa concentration enhances excitonic luminescence. Probable explanation is that VGa prevents formation of some other highly efficient nonradiative defects. Possible types of such defects are suggested.

The aim of this work is to compare and improve optical and structural properties of GaN layers prepared using TMGa or TEGa precursors. MOVPE grown GaN buffer layers on sapphire substrates are usually grown from TMGa precursor at the temperatures above 1000 °C. These layers contain deep and shallow acceptor levels which are responsible for blue and yellow defect bands in luminescent spectra. Both defect bands are detrimental for all major nitride device applications. Especially n-doped GaN layers suffer from strong yellow defect bands. In this work, it is shown that yellow band photoluminescence intensity can be suppressed by using TEGa precursor during the growth of n–doped GaN layers. Different kinds of growth parameters, such as growth temperature or growth rate, have been studied. It is also shown that the change of carrier gas (H2 or N2) has very strong influence on the layer quality. H2 carrier gas increased intensity of yellow band in sample grown from TEGa precursor while N2 carrier gas had the same effect for sample grown from TMGa precursor. Variable energy positron annihilation spectroscopy showed creation of single VGa in H2 atmosphere and clustering of VGa to big complexes ((VGa)3(VN)n) in N2 atmosphere.