For the application as a transverse ion beam diagnostics device, various scintillation screen materials were analysed. The properties of the materials such as light output, image reproduction and radiation stability were investigated with the ion beams extracted from heavy ion synchrotron SIS-18. The ion species (C, Ne, Ar, Ta and U) were chosen to cover the large range of elements in the periodic table. The ions were accelerated to the kinetic energies of 200 MeV/u and 300 MeV/u extracted with 300 ms pulse duration and applied to the screens. The particle intensity of the ion beam was varied from 1E4 to 1E9 particles per pulse. The screens were irradiated with typically 40 beam pulses and the scintillation light was captured using a CCD camera followed by characterization of the beam spot. The radiation hardness of the screens was estimated with high intensity Uranium ion irradiation.

In the study, a linear light output for 5 orders of magnitude of particle intensities was observed from sensitive scintillators and ceramic screens such as Al2O3:Cr and Al2O3. The highest light output was recorded by CsI:Tl and the lowest one by Herasil. At higher beam intensity saturation of light output was noticed from Y and Mg doped ZrO2 screens. The light output from the screen depends not only on the particle intensity but also on the ion species used for irradiation. The light yield (i.e. the light intensity normalised to the energy deposition in the material by the ion) is calculated from the experimental data for each ion beam setting. It is shown that the light yield for light ions is about a factor 2 larger than the one of heavy ions. The image widths recorded exhibit a dependence on the screens material and differences up to 50 % were registered.

On radiation stability analysis with high particle intensity of Uranium ions of about 6E8 ppp, a stable performance in light output and image reproduction was documented from Al2O3:Cr screen over 1000 pulses while slight saturation effects was noticed from some other screens. No considerable radiation induced damage for an irradiation by maximal fluence of 1.7×1E11 cm-2 Uranium ions was seen in the samples except the formation of point defects and color centers. Among the investigated screens P43 (Gd2O2S:Tb) powder seems to be a good candidate up to certain energy deposition threshold while for very high intensity measurements Al2O3:Cr screens are recommended.