3D printed microcrystalline CsI:Tl composite scintillating thin films for X-ray imaging

Abstract

The utilization of additive manufacturing techniques, especially Digital Light Printing (DLP), in fabricating CsI:Tl scintillator films demonstrates considerable potential for streamlining the production of scintillators tailored for X-ray imaging applications. This research focuses on the fabrication of CsI:Tl-based composite plastic scintillator thin films. In this study, circular films measuring 1-inch in diameter and 0.1 mm & 0.2 mm in thickness are being produced and tested for gamma photon counts under alpha and gamma radiation. To establish the stopping power range of the films, a Monte Carlo based GEANT4 simulation has been carried out. Additionally, investigations into their suitability for X-ray imaging applications are being conducted, revealing the spatial resolution of the films (0.2 and 0.1 mm) between 100 and 130 μm and 1.26 lp/mm with a contrast range of 4.0–12.3 %. The observed decrease in spatial resolution and contrast for the 0.2 mm thick film is attributed to the thickness increase exacerbating the scattering phenomenon while simultaneously enhancing the X-ray stopping power. This highlights the significance of inherent trade-off between maximizing spatial resolution and compromising light yield of 0.1 mm films compared to the 0.2 mm thick film. By utilizing 3D printing, this approach offers a cost-effective and time-efficient method for producing thin-film scintillators with enhanced flexibility and customization options compared to conventional methods.