Composite Scintillators Research Articles

Machine Learning-Guided Discovery of Copper(I)-Iodide Cluster Scintillators for Efficient X-ray Luminescence Imaging.

Developing efficient scintillators with environmentally friendly compositions, adaptable bandgaps, and robust chemical stability is crucial for modern X-ray radiography. While copper(I)-iodide cluster crystals show promise, the vast design space of inorganic cores and organic ligands poses challenges for conventional approaches. In this study, we present machine learning-guided discovery of copper(I)-iodide cluster scintillators for efficient X-ray luminescence imaging. Our findings reveal that combining base learning models with fused features enhances model generalization, achieving an impressive determination coefficient of 0.88. By leveraging this approach, we obtain a high-performance Cu(I)-I cluster scintillator, named copper iodide-(1-Butyl-1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-1-ium)2, which exhibit radioluminescence 56 times stronger than that of PbWO4, and enables a detection limit for X-rays of 19.6 nGyair s-1. Furthermore, we demonstrate the versatility of these scintillators by incorporating them as microfillers in the fabrication of flexible composite scintillators for X-ray imaging, achieving a static resolution of 20 lp mm-1 and demonstrating promising performance for dynamic X-ray imaging.

Study on Photon Beam Imaging Properties of CsPbBr3-PP Scintillator: Monte Carlo Simulation Approach

Perovskite scintillators have garnered significant interest in the realm of gamma-ray imaging in the past few years. Here, a comprehensive investigation into the gamma-ray imaging properties of CsPbBr3-PP composite scintillators is presented, wherein the Monte Carlo simulation approach offered by Geant4 is utilized. The primary focus is on the point spread function and modulation transfer function of the material, elucidating the nuanced interactions between gamma-ray energy, scintillator thickness, and their resultant imaging capabilities. A key aspect of this study is the exploration of the nonlinear and inverse effect of scintillator thickness and the energy of the photon beam on the imaging quality, highlighting the trade-offs between energy deposition and image resolution. This research underscores the importance of optimizing the scintillator design to balance these factors, catering to specific applications in high-energy detection and imaging. This work not only contributes significantly to the field of material sciences and radiographic imaging, but also provides practical insights for the development of more effective scintillator-based detectors. The findings of this study have broad implications for the design and application of perovskite scintillators in various high-tech industries and scientific research.

Scintillation properties of multilayered composite scintillators based on the YAG:Ce and TbAG:Ce single crystalline films and GAGG:Ce crystal substrates

This work demonstrates current progress of our group in developing of two- and three-layered composite for radiation monitoring of various components of mixed ionization radiation fluxes based on the epitaxial structures of Ce3+ doped garnet compounds using the Liquid Phase Epitaxy growth technique. These scintillators contain one or two single crystalline films, dedicated for registration of low-penetrating particles, and bulk single crystal substrates used for detection of high-penetrating γ-rays. For creation of two- and three-layered epitaxial structures, the single crystalline films of Ce3+ doped Y3Al5O12, Tb3Al5O12 and Tb2GdAl5O12 garnets were used. The single crystal of mixed Gd3GaxAl5-xO12:Ce garnet with fixed Ga concentrations of x = 2.3 and 3.0 are utilized as substrates. To assess the scintillation properties of these epitaxial structures, the pulse height spectra, light yield and scintillation decay kinetics were measured under excitation by α–particles (239Pu), β-particles (90Sr + 90Y) and γ–rays (137Cs). Finally, the figure-of merit of composite scintillators under study were calculated for selection of the best epitaxial structures for simultaneous registration α– and β-particles and γ–rays.

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

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.

Three-Layered Composite Scintillator Based on the Epitaxial Structures of YAG and LuAG Garnets Doped with Ce3+ and Sc3+ Impurities.

In this study, we propose novel three-layer composite scintillators designed for the simultaneous detection of different ionizing radiation components. These scintillators are based on epitaxial structures of LuAG and YAG garnets, doped with Ce3+ and Sc3+ ions. Samples of these composite scintillators, containing YAG:Ce and LuAG:Ce single crystalline films with different thicknesses and LuAG:Sc single crystal substrates, were grown using the liquid phase epitaxy method from melt solutions based on PbO-B2O3 fluxes. The scintillation properties of the proposed composites, YAG:Ce film/LuAG:Sc film/LuAG:Ce crystal and YAG:Ce film/LuAG:Ce film/LuAG:Sc crystal, were investigated under excitation by radiation with α-particles from a 239Pu source, β-particles from 90Sr sources and γ-rays from a 137Cs source. Considering the properties of the mentioned composite scintillators, special attention was paid to the ability of simultaneous separation of the different components of mixed ionizing radiation containing the mentioned particles and quanta using scintillation decay kinetics. The differences in scintillation decay curves under α- and β-particle and γ-ray excitations were characterized using figure of merit (FOM) values at various scintillation decay intensity levels (1/e, 0.1, 0.05, 0.01).

Energy and time characterization of the newly acquired clover detector in Jordan

A comprehensive overview of the Balqarad clover detector acquired by Al-Balqa Applied University in Jordan is given in detail. The detector consists of four high-purity germanium crystals, accompanied by a composite scintillation active shield. Through meticulous testing involving a range of radioactive sources such as 137Cs, 60Co, and 241Am, we evaluate the performance of the clover detector. The associated digital data acquisition system incorporates specialized and unconventional time registers, operating in event-by-event mode. Our objective is to elucidate the energy and time characteristics exhibited by the new system under different operational modes, employing specifically designed offline software. Our findings encompass vital aspects. These aspects include the determination of the optimal time window value for processing data obtained from gamma detection measurements. Another issue that has been considered is the analysis of hit pattern distribution within each individual crystal. Additionally, we calculate the addback factor for the 60Co source, accounting for gamma energies of 1173 keV and 1332 keV while also considering the influence of time window increment.

On the Origin of the Light Yield Enhancement in Polymeric Composite Scintillators Loaded with Dense Nanoparticles.

Fast emitting polymeric scintillators are requested in advanced applications where high speed detectors with a large signal-to-noise ratio are needed. However, their low density implies a weak stopping power of high energy radiation and thus a limited light output and sensitivity. To enhance their performance, polymeric scintillators can be loaded with dense nanoparticles (NPs). We investigate the properties of a series of polymeric scintillators by means of photoluminescence and scintillation spectroscopy, comparing standard scintillators with a composite system loaded with dense hafnium dioxide (HfO2) NPs. The nanocomposite shows a scintillation yield enhancement of +100% with an unchanged time response. We provide for the first time an interpretation of this effect, pointing out the local effect of NPs in the generation of emissive states upon interaction with ionizing radiation. The obtained results indicate that coupling fast conjugated emitters with optically inert dense NPs could lead to surpassing the actual limits of pure polymeric scintillators.

Thermal stability and flexible X-Ray scintillation screen through in-situ assembling Cs3Cu2Cl5 nanocrystals in polymer matrix

Copper-based halides have emerged as promising scintillator materials for X-ray imaging, attributed to their favorable photophysical characteristics, such as negligible self-absorption, high light output, and fast decay. Within this category of materials, Cs3Cu2Cl5 composite polymer scintillator films stand out, delivering excellent performance as flexible X-ray detector screens. However, severe scattering and light degradation induced by the inevitable agglomeration during recombination restricted the application in high-resolution and flexible X-ray imaging. In this study, a Cs3Cu2Cl5@PMMA film prepared by in-situ growth strategy is successfully developed, which represents uniform area, adjustable flexibility and excellent scintillation performance. The prepared large-area film exhibits green emission at 527 nm, with a high light yield, low detection limit and excellent spatial resolution. Meanwhile, the Cs3Cu2Cl5@PMMA film exhibits a remarkable degree of flexibility, enabling imaging applications on non-planar surfaces. Furthermore, it also demonstrates excellent resistance to high temperature environment, maintaining its high-quality imaging performance at 403 K.

Nanoparticle ZnS:Ag/6LiF—a new high count rate neutron scintillator with pulse shape discrimination

A neutron sensitive scintillator employing nanoparticles of ZnS:Ag has been developed for the first time. Pulse shape differences between neutron and gamma signals were observed in this material and neutron-gamma discrimination was applied. With initial signal processing parameters, gamma sensitivities of 8.5×10−6 to 60Co gammas were achieved. The average primary decay of neutron scintillation in nanoparticle ZnS:Ag/6LiF was measured to be 18ns, and afterglow was significantly suppressed in comparison to standard ZnS:Ag/6LiF scintillators that employ micron sized ZnS:Ag. Fast decay times and minimal afterglow indicate potential for use in high count rate capability applications. Prospective count rate capabilities were investigated here as proof of concept, with rates of 1.12Mcps measured for a single readout channel with less than 3.5% count loss. This is approximately 70 times greater than the count rate capability of the current standard ZnS:Ag/6LiF scintillation detectors. With improvements to signal processing and scintillator composition, nanoparticle ZnS:Ag/6LiF could be a promising candidate for future high rate capability neutron detectors.

Cold-Sintered All-Inorganic Perovskite Bulk Composite Scintillators for Efficient X-ray Imaging.

Cost-effective bulk scintillators with high density, large-area, and long-term stability are desirable for high-energy radiation detections. Conventional bulk polycrystalline or single-crystal scintillators are generally synthesized by high-temperature approaches, and it is challenging to realize simultaneously high detectivity/responsivity, spatial resolution, and rapid time response. Here, we report the cold sintering of bulk scintillators (at 90 °C) based on an "emitter-in-matrix" principle, in which emissive CsPbBr3 nanocrystals are embedded in a durable and transparent Cs4PbBr6 matrix. These bulk scintillators exhibit high light yield (33,800 photons MeV-1), low detection limit (79 nGyair s-1), fast decay time (9.8 ns), and outstanding spatial resolution of 8.9 lp mm-1 to X-ray radiation and an energy resolution of 19.3% for γ-ray (59.6 keV) detection. The composite scintillator also shows exceptional stability against environmental degradation and cyclic X-ray radiation. Our results demonstrate a cost-effective strategy for developing perovskite-based bulk transparent scintillators with exceptional performance and high radioluminescence stability for high-energy radiation detection and imaging.

Transparent Glass Composite Scintillator with High Crystallinity for Efficient Thermal Neutron Detection

AbstractThe sensitive and rapid detection of thermal neutrons holds significant importance in various fields such as energy utilization, medical treatment, and national defense. However, the available thermal neutron scintillator is difficult to reach this target, mainly limited by the optical and scintillating performance. Herein, the in situ crystallization strategy of glass to construct scintillation glass composites for efficient thermal neutron detection is proposed. The congruent crystallization of the hybridized alkali earth silicate glass system may not only achieve high crystallinity, but also will keep the refractive indexing matching between the precipitated crystal and precursor glass phases. The prepared glass composites feature high luminescence efficiency, optical transmission and excellent neutron response properties. These factors collectively contribute to the robust neutron scintillation performance with a light output of ≈36 000 photons/neutron, which represents the highest value among glass‐based scintillators. Moreover, the composite configuration brings about the additional function of thermal neutron and γ‐ray discrimination. By using this composite scintillator, the neutron detector is constructed and demonstrates its application for detecting thermal neutron and distinguishing it from γ‐ray in an online way. The studies prove that glass composites with high crystallinity are expected to be promising candidates for a new generation of multifunctional neutron detectors.

Pulse-shape discrimination capability of organic composite scintillators with different grain size

Pulse-shape discrimination capability of organic composite scintillators with different grain size

A compact detector system for simultaneous measurements of the light yield non-linearity and timing properties of scintillators

This work presents an outline of a detection system that employs the Compton spectrometer method to assess the non-linearity of scintillator light yield. A novel approach is introduced, leading to more accurate measurements through the separate determination of the intrinsic light output parameters and the non-linearity of the scintillators. Key features of this system include the use of a portable scintillation detector with three photomultiplier tubes for precise measurement of the average number of detected photoelectrons and the incorporation of recent advancements in correction techniques for accidental coincidences. The integration of digital acquisition, offline data analysis, and geometric adaptation reduces the time required to perform a measurement. The developed detector can simultaneously measure different timing properties, as well as the relative intensities following ionization excitation in a scintillator. The system’s performance is demonstrated through measurements of the light yield dependence on the deposited energy for commercially available liquid, plastic, and inorganic scintillators. Such instrumentation serves as a valuable tool in the development of novel scintillating materials, including liquid or solid organic scintillators, inorganic scintillators, and composite scintillators for electron detection, in addition to traditional X-ray or γ\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\gamma$$\\end{document}-ray detection.

Novel epoxy-bPBD-BisMSB composite plastic scintillator for alpha, beta and gamma radiation detection

A composite plastic scintillator is prepared by uniform dispersion of organic fluorophores 2-(4-Biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (b-PBD) and 1,4-bis(2-methylstyryl) benzene (Bis-MSB) in epoxy resin followed by curing at room temperature. The developed scintillator is strong blue emitter (425 nm), confirmed by 365 nm UV excited Photo luminescence and beta particle (90Sr-90Y) excited Radio-luminescence characterizations. The developed scintillator is highly transparent (~ 70%) to emitted light wavelength. Moreover, the scintillator’s blue emission is appropriate for photomultiplier tube (PMT) based scintillation measurement due to its maximum peak spectral response in blue region. Alpha, beta and gamma radiation detection were performed on PMT coupled scintillators of sizes Ø50 mm × 1 mm, Ø50 mm × 5 mm and Ø50 mm × 25 mm respectively. Pulse height spectra were recorded using 1 k Multichannel analyser (MCA) using various reference radiation sources. All scintillators demonstrated promising response to the respective radiations. Absolute detection efficiency of alpha scintillator is obtained as 32% (241Am), 86% of that of standard plastic scintillator EJ-212. Beta endpoint energy and gamma Compton edges showed linear variation w.r.t. corresponding channel numbers. Detection efficiency of beta and gamma scintillator is found to be 35.7% (90Sr-90Y) and 6.7% (136Cs) respectively. The developed scintillator has potential to be used for radioactivity contamination & gamma dose rate measurement applications.

Fast Emitting Nanocomposites for High‐Resolution ToF‐PET Imaging Based on Multicomponent Scintillators

AbstractTime‐of‐Flight Positron Emission Tomography (ToF‐PET) is a medical imaging technique, based on the detection of two back‐to‐back γ‐photons generated from radiotracers injected into the body. Its limit is the ability of employed scintillation detectors to discriminate in time the arrival of γ‐pairs, that is, the coincidence time resolution (CTR). A CTR < 50 ps will enable fast imaging with ultralow radiotracer dose. Monolithic materials do not have simultaneously the required high light output and fast emission characteristics, thus the concept of scintillating heterostructure is proposed, where the device is made of a dense scintillator coupled to a fast‐emitting light material. Here a composite polymeric scintillator loaded with hafnium oxide nanoparticles is presented. This enhanced by +300% its scintillation yield, by surpassing commercial plastic scintillators. The nanocomposite is coupled to bismuth germanate oxide (BGO) realizing a multilayer metascintillator. The energy sharing between its components is observed, which activates the nanocomposite's fast emission enabling a net CTR improvement of 25% with respect to monolithic BGO. These results demonstrate that a controlled loading with dense nanomaterials is an excellent strategy to enhance the performance of polymeric scintillators for their use in advanced radiation detection and imaging technologies.

Bulk Polystyrene-BaF2 Composite Scintillators for Highly Efficient Radiation Detection

Organic–inorganic composite scintillators, demonstrating advantages of easy large-area preparation and a high detection efficiency, have shown enormous potential application prospects in radiation detection and imaging. In this study, bulk polystyrene (PS) composite scintillators were successfully prepared by embedding inorganic BaF2 particles with a loading amount of up to 80 wt% during the polymerization process of the plastic scintillator. The inorganic BaF2 particles were uniformly dispersed in the organic matrix. With the increase of the loading amounts of BaF2 particles, the X-ray-excited luminescence intensity of the PS-BaF2 composite scintillators was about eight times higher than that of the commercial pure plastic scintillator. The scintillation counts under the gamma ray (59.5 KeV) irradiation also showed that the detection efficiency was obviously enhanced by BaF2 particle loading. More importantly, their scintillation pulse retains the decay kinetics of the organic matrix without loading the slow-decay component of BaF2. This work provides a promising solution for the application of the PS-BaF2 composite scintillator in high-efficiency radiation detection and large-area imaging.

Chance coincidence analysis for capture-gated neutron spectrometry with a composite scintillator

Neutron spectrometry is important for radiation metrology, radiation protection, accelerator physics etc. The spectral response of a capture-gated detector to mono-energetic neutrons contains a significant peak, making it easy to be analyzed. But this system output not only capture-gated events (CGE) but also chance coincidence events (CCE). It is critical to identify and eliminate CCE. However, chance coincidence has not been analyzed in detail before. This paper aims to find a way to eliminate CCE and get the spectrum of CGE. Thus, categories of CCE were analyzed and their probability equations were established. Then recorded pulses from a composite scintillator measured in mixed radiation fields were used to verify CCE and explore the influence of timing gate. Results show that n/γ discrimination is effective to distinguish CCE caused by γ-rays and calculate the amount of CCE caused by fast neutrons. Timing gate should be determined according to the different distributions of CGE and CCE. Spectrum of CGE can be acquired by subtracting that of fast neutron CCE from the fast neutron spectrum of coincidence events.

CREATION OF COMPOSITE SCINTILLATORS WITH A SHORT DECAY TIME

To date, LuAG:Ce crystals are one of the most common scintillators, since they have been known for a long time and there are technologies for mass production of large-volume crystals. However, the scintillation properties of such crystals can be improved by creating mixed crystals with the replacement of some ions by others. In this work, composite scintillators based on the grown LuYAG:Ce inorganic crystals were produced. For the obtained samples, studies of optical transmission, luminescence, light output, and decay time were carried out. The optimal conditions and sizes of crystalline grains for the creation of composite scintillators have been determined.

Simultaneous detection of fast and thermal neutrons with a stilbene-6Li glass composite scintillator

For simultaneous detection of fast and thermal neutrons, a composite scintillator consisting of stilbene crystal and 6Li glass was designed. Energy calibration was finished with a 152Eu γ source through Compton coincidence measurement. A 241Am-Be neutron source with polyethylene moderator was used to test it. The detection efficiency was examined through Monte Carlo simulation. The measured results show that the composite scintillator has excellent triple pulse shape discrimination performance. With the threshold of 100 keVee, figure of merits for γ-fast neutron and fast neutron-thermal neutron are 1.571 ± 0.009 and 2.376 ± 0.010 respectively. Two thermal neutron peaks emerge at 0.245 MeVee and 0.291 MeVee in the energy spectra. 79.24% of the incident thermal neutrons can be detected by 6Li glass. 39.56% of 1 MeV neutrons can be detected by stilbene.

Template‐Assisted Fabrication of Flexible Perovskite Scintillators for X‐Ray Detection and Imaging

AbstractMetal halide perovskites have recently emerged as exceptional scintillator materials for ionizing radiation detection devices. Their chemical composition consists of elements with high atomic numbers, leading them to have a high attenuation coefficient. Their high attenuation coefficient, in combination with their excellent optoelectronic properties, versatile chemical tunability, and facile and low‐cost fabrication processes, makes them the ideal scintillator material. However, existing perovskite‐based scintillators suffer from poor material stability, especially in humid atmospheres. Moreover, current perovskite films have morphologies that have been optimized for photovoltaics, which results in the relatively long charge carrier lifetimes, a property that is detrimental for fast scintillation. Furthermore, existing reports of perovskite‐based scintillators have shown limited spatial resolution due to poor light transmittance that arises from light scattering from large aggregates of perovskite grains. To address these issues, this work introduces a template‐assisted in situ polymerization‐based process to prepare perovskite/polymer composite scintillators that simultaneously reduces afterglow effects, improves perovskite stability, and is industrially scalable. The optimized perovskite scintillators are then incorporated into X‐ray detection devices to investigate detection performance and device stability. Compared with existing commercial scintillators, the perovskite scintillators show superior detection performance metrics for imaging, indicating the great potential of perovskites for next‐generation, large‐area, and flexible scintillation screens.