Influence of fluorooxidizers on scintillation properties of fluorohafnate glass doped with Ce3+

The influence of fluorination of a batch mixture on the scintillation properties of fluorohafnate glasses in the HfF4–BaF2–CeF3–AlF3–NaF–InF3 system was studied. A new technique of batch treatment, comprising additional fluorination by chlorine trifluoride and xenon difluoride in gaseous phase at the elevated temperatures was proposed. Transmission spectra before and after γ-irradiation as well as light yield of the glasses were studied. The radiation hardness of glasses is found to increase as a result of the fluorination treatment. It is suggested that the presence of reduced Hf3+ ions and oxygen impurities should cause the formation of radiation colouring centres and decrease the radiation hardness of scintillating HfF4-based glasses, doped with Ce3+.