Recent progresses in scintillating doped silica fiber optics

The recent progresses in the development and characterization of doped silica fiber optics for dosimetry applications in the modern radiation therapy, and for high energy physics experiments, are presented and discussed. In particular, the main purpose was the production of scintillating fiber optics with an emission spectrum which can be easily and efficiently distinguished from that of other spurious luminescent signals originated in the fiber optic material as consequence of the exposition to ionizing radiations (e.g. Cerenkov light and intrinsic fluorescence phenomena). In addition to the previously investigated dopant (Ce), other rare earth elements (Eu and Yb) were considered for the scintillating fiber optic development. The study of the luminescent and dosimetric properties of these new systems was carried out by using X and gamma rays of different energies and field sizes