  ZnO-based scintillation ceramics for application in HENPA LENPA analyzers
have been investigated. The following ceramic samples have been prepared:
undoped ones (ZnO), an excess of zinc in stoichiometry (ZnO:Zn), doped with
gallium (ZnO:Ga) and lithium (ZnO:Li). Optical transmission, x-ray excited
emission, scintillation decay and pulse height spectra were measured and
analyzed. Ceramics have reasonable transparency in visible range (up to 60% for
0.4 mm thickness) and energy resolution (14.9% at 662 keV Cs137 gamma
excitation). Undoped ZnO shows slow (1.6 {\mu}s) luminescence with maximum at
2.37 eV and light yield about 57% of CsI:Tl. ZnO:Ga ceramics show relatively
low light yield with ultra fast decay time (1 ns). Lithium doped ceramics
ZnO:Li have better decay time than undoped ZnO with fair light yield. ZnO:Li
ceramics show good characteristics under alpha-particle excitation and can be
applied for the neutral particle analyzers.
