High light yield perovskite scintillators for Nuclear Security gamma applications

About the Project

The Surrey team has recently demonstrated the performance of new perovskite scintillator materials which combine a high scintillation light yield, high material density, good optical transparency due to a high Stoke’s shift, and a fast response time. In this project we will develop prototype perovskite scintillator gamma detectors fabricated from perovskite materials grown at Surrey.

Perovskite scintillation combines excellent detection efficiency for gamma rays with high scintillation light yields and very large Stoke’s shifts of >300nm. Unlike traditional inorganic scintillators, perovskite scintillators are solution-processable at relatively low temperatures and their radioluminescence can be easily tuneable across the visible spectrum by varying the material stoichiometry.

The main objectives of the research will be as follows:

• To develop new growth methods for high light yield perovskite scintillators
• To study morphology and crystalline quality of perovskite crystals using Surrey’s new single crystal X-ray diffractometer
• To study the optical performance of the perovskite scintillators, including their photoluminescence spectroscopy and decay times
• To study the radiation response of perovskite scintillators to X-rays and gamma rays using radioisotopes and X-ray generators.

The student will be registered on the Physics PhD program; however, the nature of this research project is highly multi-disciplinary. The project will benefit from the excellent material characterisation facilities both in Chemistry and Materials Science, for example using Photoluminescence, Raman, Dynamic Light Scattering, SEM/TEM and XRD. In Physics all the requirement equipment for radiation-based characterisation of the materials is available, including X-ray luminescence and radioisotope gamma irradiation.

Supervisors: Professor Paul Sellin, Professor Carol Crean and Dr Ian Riddlestone.

Entry requirements

Open to candidates who pay UK/home rate fees. See UKCISA for further information. Starting in October 2026.

You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements for our PhD programme.

The project is only available for candidates who qualify for UK/home rate fees.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted via the Physics PhD programme page. In place of a research proposal, you should upload a document stating the title of the project that you wish to apply for and the name of the relevant supervisor.

Funding Notes

Fully and directly funded for this project only. UKRI standard stipend for 48 months - £20,780 for 2025/26 academic year.