High-Yield, 150 ps Polymer Scintillators via Synergistic Purcell and High-Z Enhancement

Abstract

Developing plastic scintillators that simultaneously achieve high light yield (LY), ultrafast timing, and scalable processability remains a formidable challenge in radiation detection. Here, we report a solution-processable hybrid scintillator that integrates high-Z sensitization with Purcell-enhanced radiative recombination within a conjugated-polymer platform. By embedding HfO2 nanoparticles and resonant Ag-SiO2 plasmonic nanoantennas into a poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) matrix, we exploit the intrinsic sub-nanosecond kinetics of conjugated polymers while overcoming their characteristic low stopping power. The HfO2 nanocrystals amplify energy deposition and suppress interchain aggregation, preserving high photoluminescence quantum yields in the solid state. Simultaneously, the nanoantennas induce strong plasmon-exciton coupling, accelerating radiative decay to ~150 ps. This synergistic architecture yields LY=6.1 photons/keV, comparable to standard commercial plastics with nanosecond lifetimes, yet over an order of magnitude higher than current sub-nanosecond state-of-the-art materials. This performance represents one of the most favourable combinations of efficiency and timing resolution reported to date. Our versatile strategy provides a framework for next-generation organic scintillators, merging record-breaking temporal response with high efficiency for advanced radiation-sensing architectures.