Decay Time and Light Yield Measurements for Plastic Scintillating Fibers

Abstract We have studied light production and propagation in three different samplesof plastic scintillating fibers manufactured by Kyowa Gas Co.: SCSF-81, SCSF-38 and SCSF-38 with afquenching additive. The emissio time distribution is described phenomenologically by a fast two-step scintillation process and an additional slow component, the time constants of which are determined. The light yield from the fibers is measured as a function of distance for the two light components which propagate by total internal reflection from the core-clad interface and from the clad-air interface. We obtain the absolute light yield and attenuation lengths for the different fibers.