Luminescence in Ce doped materials corresponds to a transition from an excited state where the lowest Ce 5d level is filled (often called the (Ce 3+ ) * state) to the ground state where a single 4f level is filled. We have performed theoretical calculations based on Density Functional Theory to calculate the ground state band structure of Ce-doped materials as well as the (Ce 3+ ) * excited state. The excited state calculations used a constrained occupancy approach by setting the occupation of the Ce 4f states to zero and allowing the first excited state above them to be filled. These calculations were performed on a set of Ce doped materials that are known from experiment to be scintillators or non-scintillators to relate theoretically calculable parameters to measured scintillator performance. From these studies we developed a set of criteria based on calculated parameters that are necessary characteristics for bright Ce activated scintillators. Applying these criteria to about a hundred new materials we developed a list of candidate materials for new bright Ce activated scintillators. After synthesis in powder form one of these new materials (Ba2YCl7:Ce) was found to be a bright scintillator. This approach, involving first-principles calculations of modest computing requirements was designed as a systematic, high-throughput method to aid in the discovery of new bright scintillator materials by prioritization and down-selection on the large number of potential new materials.

Luminescence in Eu 2+ activated materials corresponds to a transition from an excited state where the lowest Eu 5d level is filled with one electron (often called the (Eu 2+ ) * state) to the ground state with half-filled 4f shell with seven electrons of the same spin. We have performed theoretical calculations based on Density Functional Theory to determine the ground state band structure of Eu-doped materials as well as study the (Eu 2+ ) * excited state. Calculations were performed on Eu doped materials, experimentally known to be either scintillators or non-scintillators, in order to relate theoretically calculable parameters to experimentally observed properties. Applying criteria previously developed for Ce-doped systems (A.Canning, A. Chaudhry, R. Boutchko and N. Grønbech-Jensen, Phys. Rev. B 83 125115(2011)) to new Eu-doped materials we developed a list of candidate materials for new bright Eu activated scintillators. Ba2CsBr5:Eu is an example of a new bright scintillator from our candidate list that has been synthesized in microcrystalline powder form. As discussed in our previous paper on Ce-doped materials this approach was designed as a systematic high-throughput method to aid in the discovery of new bright scintillator materials by prioritization and down-selection on the large number of potential new materials.

Purpose: This article introduces the use of low power continuous wave frequency modulated radar for medical applications, specifically for remote monitoring of vital signs in patients. Methods: Gigahertz frequency radar measures the electromagnetic wave signal reflected from the surface of a human body and from tissue boundaries. Time series analysis of the measured signal provides simultaneous information on range, size, and reflective properties of multiple targets in the field of view of the radar. This information is used to extract the respiratory and cardiac rates of the patient in real time. Results:The results from several preliminary human subject experiments are provided. The heart and respiration rate frequencies extracted from the radar signal match those measured independently for all the experiments, including a case when additional targets are simultaneously resolved in the field of view and a case when only the patient's extremity is visible to the radar antennas. Conclusions: Micropower continuous wave FM radar is a reliable, robust, inexpensive, and harmless tool for real-time monitoring of the cardiac and respiratory rates. Additionally, it opens a range of new and exciting opportunities in diagnostic and critical care medicine. Differences between the presented approach and other types of radars used for biomedical applications are discussed.

Abstract-We describe the design and operation of a highthroughput facility for synthesizing thousands of inorganic crystalline samples per year and evaluating them as potential scintillation detector materials. This facility includes a robotic dispenser, arrays of automated furnaces, a dual-beam X-ray generator for diffractometery and luminescence spectroscopy, a pulsed X-ray generator for time response measurements, computer-controlled sample changers, an optical spectrometer, and a network-accessible database management system that captures all synthesis and measurement data.

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