Characterizing Quantum-Dot-Doped Liquid Scintillator for Applications to Neutrino Detectors

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical and scintillation properties of liquid scintillators doped with quantum dots, exploring their potential to enhance neutrino detection and enable isotope doping for neutrinoless double beta decay experiments.

Contribution

It presents the first experimental characterization of quantum-dot-doped liquid scintillators using UV light and radioactive sources.

Findings

Quantum-dot doping affects scintillation properties.

Potential for improved neutrino detector performance.

Feasibility of isotope doping for decay searches.

Abstract

Liquid scintillator detectors are widely used in modern neutrino studies. The unique optical properties of semiconducting nanocrystals, known as quantum dots, offer intriguing possibilities for improving standard liquid scintillator, especially when combined with new photodetection technology. Quantum dots also provide a means to dope scintillator with candidate isotopes for neutrinoless double beta decay searches. In this work, the first studies of the scintillation properties of quantum-dot-doped liquid scintillator using both UV light and radioactive sources are presented.