World-first nuclear detector heads to global labs

A groundbreaking radiation detector developed by students and staff at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) is set to play a key role in advanced nuclear experiments at leading research facilities, including CERN.

The device - a novel LaBr₃(Ce) radiation detector module - marks a world first in its design and construction. Combining enhanced sensitivity, portability, and adaptability, the detector offers broad potential in clean energy research, environmental monitoring, and nuclear medicine.

Beyond its research applications, the project is also helping to address the UK’s growing demand for nuclear expertise. The detector is already being used as a hands-on teaching tool within UWS’s undergraduate Physics with Nuclear Technology programme, giving students early exposure to cutting-edge instrumentation.

“This is the first prototype of its kind, and to our knowledge, it hasn’t been constructed anywhere else,” said Dr S Nara Singh Bondili, who led the development. “It’s exciting to see something created in our labs contributing to research into fundamental physics and the nuclear technologies of tomorrow.”

UWS undergraduates now work with the detector in the newly launched Detectors and Nuclear Lab Skills module, gaining practical experience that supports careers in nuclear science and energy.

The technology will also be deployed in high-profile nuclear physics experiments focused on topics such as elemental abundances, rare isotopes, and fundamental symmetries.

Developed through international collaboration, the detector project has been supported by the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the University of York.

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