Detection Of Ionizing Radiation Research Articles

Study of modulation in complex refractive indices induced by ultrafast relativistic electrons using infrared and THz probe pulses.

Objective 
Achieving ultra-precise temporal resolution in ionizing radiation detection is essential, particularly in positron emission tomography, where precise timing enhances signal-to-noise ratios and may enable reconstruction-less imaging. A promising approach involves utilizing ultrafast modulation of the complex refractive index, where sending probe pulses to the detection crystals will result in changes in picoseconds (ps), and thus a sub - 10 ps coincidence time resolution can be realized. Towards this goal, here, we aim to first measure the ps changes in probe pulses using an ionizing radiation source with high time resolution.
Approach 
We used relativistic, ultrafast electrons to induce complex refractive index and use probe pulses in the near-infrared (800 nm) and terahertz (THz, 300 µm) regimes to test the hypothesized wavelength-squared increase in absorption coefficient in the Drude free-carrier absorption model. We measured BGO, ZnSe, BaF2, ZnS, PBG, and PWO with 1 mm thickness to control the deposited energy of the 3 MeV electrons, simulating ionization energy of the 511 keV photons. 
Main results 
Both with the 800 nm and THz probe pulses, transmission decreased across most samples, indicating the free carrier absorption, with an induced signal change of 11% in BaF2, but without the predicted Drude modulation increase. To understand this discrepancy, we simulated ionization tracks and examined the geometry of the free carrier distribution, attributing the mismatch in THz modulations to the sub-wavelength diameter of trajectories, despite the lengths reaching 500 µm to 1 mm. Additionally, thin samples truncated the final segments of the ionization tracks, and the measured initial segments have larger inter-inelastic collision distances due to lower stopping power (dE/dx) for high-energy electrons, exacerbating diffraction-limited resolution. 
Significance
Our work offers insights into ultrafast radiation detection using complex refractive index modulation and highlights critical considerations in sample preparation, probe wavelength, and probe-charge carrier coupling scenarios.

Подавление пульсаций выходного напряжения высоковольтного источника питания блоков детектирования ионизирующего излучения

Operation and results of tests of operating model of high-voltage power supply of ionizing radiation detection units with active suppression of output voltage pulsations are described. The joint effect of the smoothing RC-filter and the circuit of active pulsation suppression on the value of their amplitude was experimentally investigated. The device was tested at an output voltage of 1 kV and a load current of 1 mA. The minimum peak-to-peak ripple amplitude achieved does not exceed 1mV.

Wearable Perovskite Films for On‐Line Monitoring of Radiotracers in Nuclear Medicine

AbstractOn‐line in situ monitoring of radiation emitted by radiotracers during intravenous injection is of crucial importance for the safety of patients and personnel involved in nuclear medicine treatments and analysis. The aim of this work is to assess wearable perovskite ionizing radiation detectors for such application. With this purpose pixelated direct detector based on thin films of 2D layered perovskite PEA2PbBr4 are tested for the monitoring of gamma‐rays emitted by 18F radiopharmaceutical under different experimental conditions. The wearable detector is here demonstrated being able to detect in real‐time the gamma‐rays emitted by annihilation of 18F radiotracer. Its reliability is assessed by 18F half‐life measurement with a maximum accuracy deviation within 8%. The detector also successes in its validation for the foreseen application, demonstrating able to monitor in real‐time the whole injection process and extravasation event.

Alpha particle detection based on low leakage and high-barrier vertical PtOx/β-Ga2O3 Schottky barrier diode

High-performance radiation detectors are essential in many sectors spanning medical diagnostics, nuclear control, and particle physics. Ultrawide bandgap semiconductor materials have become one of the most promising candidates due to their excellent performance. Here, based on β-Ga2O3, a Schottky diode-type alpha particle detector was demonstrated. In order to reduce the reverse leakage current of the large-area device, the metal-oxide electrode PtOx was introduced to form high-barrier contacts (1.83 eV) with Ga2O3. The device exhibits a low leakage current density of 63 pA/cm2 at −100 V and apparent energy spectra of 241Am generated alpha particles with an energy of 5.486 MeV at various reverse voltages from −40 to −120 V. The charge collection efficiency (CCE) and energy resolution of the device (at −120 V) are 31.7% and 15.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, the mechanism of interaction between alpha particles and β-Ga2O3 was analyzed, and a 45° oblique incidence was adopted to increase the deposited energy of alpha particles in the depletion region. Furthermore, the differences between actual CCE and theoretical CCE are investigated as guidance for further improving detector performance. This work reveals the great potential and good prospects of Ga2O3 as an economical, efficient, and radiation-resistant ionizing radiation detector.

Preparation of Experiments on Growing Zinc–Cadmium Telluride Crystals in Microgravity

Cd1-xZnxTe crystals are necessary for the production of ionizing radiation detectors widely used in science, technology, medicine and other fields. Internal stresses during crystallization lead to generation of dislocations and low-angle boundaries. Typical problem of melt crystal growth of Cd-Zn-Te compounds are tellurium inclusions, which deteriorate detector performance. Microgravity conditions provide unique opportunities for growing high-quality crystals due to the absence of convection, more equilibrium conditions of melt mixing, and a decrease in internal stresses. Since the properties of such crystals strongly depend on the production conditions, seeds and a feed ingot with specified compositions and structure are required. Ampoules with two compositions of materials have been prepared for the space experiment. Crystals of different compositions Cd0.96Zn0.04Te and Cd0.9Zn0.1Te were produced for two charges. They consist of an oriented seed, solvent, and feeding ingot, which are single-phased, single crystalline, have certain crystallographic orientation, meet demands for growth of Cd–Zn–Te crystals in microgravity. Ampoules containing these materials were sent to International Space Station for crystal growth on equipment already assembled at “Nauka” station.

Bright Innovations: Review of Next-Generation Advances in Scintillator Engineering.

This review focuses on modern scintillators, the heart of ionizing radiation detection with applications in medical diagnostics, homeland security, research, and other areas. The conventional method to improve their characteristics, such as light output and timing properties, consists of improving in material composition and doping, etc., which are intrinsic to the material. On the contrary, we review recent advancements in cutting-edge approaches to shape scintillator characteristics via photonic and metamaterial engineering, which are extrinsic and introduce controlled inhomogeneity in the scintillator's surface or volume. The methods to be discussed include improved light out-coupling using photonic crystal (PhC) coating, dielectric architecture modification producing the Purcell effect, and meta-materials engineering based on energy sharing. These approaches help to break traditional bulk scintillators' limitations, e.g., to deal with poor light extraction efficiency from the material due to a typically large refractive index mismatch or improve timing performance compared to bulk materials. In the Outlook section, modern physical phenomena are discussed and suggested as the basis for the next generations of scintillation-based detectors and technology, followed by a brief discussion on cost-effective fabrication techniques that could be scalable.

Bright and durable scintillation from colloidal quantum shells

Efficient, fast, and robust scintillators for ionizing radiation detection are crucial in various fields, including medical diagnostics, defense, and particle physics. However, traditional scintillator technologies face challenges in simultaneously achieving optimal performance and high-speed operation. Herein we introduce colloidal quantum shell heterostructures as X-ray and electron scintillators, combining efficiency, speed, and durability. Quantum shells exhibit light yields up to 70,000 photons MeV−1 at room temperature, enabled by their high multiexciton radiative efficiency thanks to long Auger-Meitner lifetimes (>10 ns). Radioluminescence is fast, with lifetimes of 2.5 ns and sub-100 ps rise times. Additionally, quantum shells do not exhibit afterglow and maintain stable scintillation even under high X-ray doses (>109 Gy). Furthermore, we showcase quantum shells for X-ray imaging achieving a spatial resolution as high as 28 line pairs per millimeter. Overall, efficient, fast, and durable scintillation make quantum shells appealing in applications ranging from ultrafast radiation detection to high-resolution imaging.

Sensitive detection of low doses beta particles using quartz crystal oscillators

The demand for developing a cheap and novel ionizing radiation detection technique has recently increased. This work aims to establish a new detection method for beta particles based on a quartz tuning fork (QTF). QTF coated and uncoated with 40 nm of aluminum (Al) were used to evaluate the system under different conditions. All samples were exposed to different doses of beta using a 90Sr beta source. The results confirmed that a clear frequency shift was observed during beta irradiation. Once the radiation source was removed, the frequency returned to normal behavior. This effect is more pronounced with the Al-coated sample due to more tensile stress caused by thermal heating induced by beta radiation. Before and after beta irradiation, the optical properties of SiO2 wafers (quartz) were also studied using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurements. The SE results were largely consistent with the QTF resonance frequency shift results. In conclusion, experiment results proved the probability of using QTF as sensitive, accurate, and easy-to-use sensing for low-dose beta radiation.

Flexible biopolymer photodetectors based Er, Tb doped BaW[formula omitted]@CS for enhanced light-sensitive coatings

Today, the electro-optics industry is one of the world's largest manufacturing sectors today, and its growth has led to an increasing reliance on electronic equipment. Simultaneously, the significance of optical wearable detection across diverse fields, from high-energy physics to nuclear medicine and optoelectronics, cannot be overstated. Barium tungstate (BWO), a remarkable and advanced compound, has consistently piqued the interest of researchers across various domains due to its unique photoenergy properties. This study presents a novel, cost-effective approach to creating flexible ionizing radiation detectors. These detectors are constructed using pure barium tungstate fillers infused with erbium and terbium within a chitosan matrix (Er: BWO-CS, Tb: BWO-CS). Initially, we synthesized pure barium tungstate nanoparticles, incorporating erbium and terbium through a co-precipitation method, and subsequently embedded them into a chitosan biopolymer substrate. Characterization through XRD, XPS, EDX-MAP, and FTIR analyses confirmed the formation of the tetragonal barium tungstate structure, bonding, compounds, and chemical elements in the prepared composites. Through SRIM calculations, we determined the optimal thickness for these flexible nanocomposites to detect alpha particles, approximating 60–80 micrometers. The optical properties of the detectors were assessed under ultraviolet light excitation, 980 nm laser irradiation, proton beam exposure, and alpha source activation. Notably, the Er: BaWO4-CS nanocomposite exhibited the best scintillation properties, highest UV sensitivity, and superior alpha particle detection efficiency (at a low activity of 643 Bq). The results underscored the stability, reproducibility, and linear response of these sensors under continuous irradiation. Photo/ionoluminescence studies revealed that the doped nanocomposite showed, in comparison to the pure BWO-CS sample, the greatest visible blue-green emission at room temperature, featuring a luminescence delay time of 243 µs. Antimicrobial and cytotoxicity tests confirmed the safety of these flexible sensors, making them suitable for applications related to human health applications. Consequently, these sensors represent a promising avenue for the development of next-generation wearable and environmentally friendly sensing technologies.

Arising 2D Perovskites for Ionizing Radiation Detection.

2D perovskites have greatly improved moisture stability owing to the large organic cations embedded in the inorganic octahedral structure, which also suppresses the ions migration and reduces the dark current. The suppression of ions migration by 2D perovskites effectively suppresses excessive device noise and baseline drift and shows excellent potential in the direct X-ray detection field. In addition, 2D perovskites have gradually emerged with many unique properties, such as anisotropy, tunable bandgap, high photoluminescence quantum yield, and wide range exciton binding energy, which continuously promote the development of 2D perovskites in ionizing radiation detection. This review aims to systematically summarize the advances and progress of 2D halide perovskite semiconductor and scintillator ionizing radiation detectors, including reported alpha (α) particle, beta (β) particle, neutron, X-ray, and gamma (γ) ray detection. The unique structural features of 2D perovskites and their advantages in X-ray detection are discussed. Development directions are also proposed to overcome the limitations of 2D halide perovskite radiation detectors.

Enhanced scintillation performance of Cu-doped β-Ga2O3 single crystals grown by floating-zone method

As a booming semiconductor material, β-Ga2O3 with an ultra-wide bandgap of 4.8 eV exhibits several advantages in scintillators including high stability and low self-absorption. To further improve the scintillator performance, we grew unintentionally doped, Cu-, Fe-, Mg-, and Si-doped β-Ga2O3 substrates using the floating zone method. The 0.1 mol% Cu-doped β-Ga2O3 exhibits the highest light yield of 6957 ph MeV−1 with a good linear response, which represents better predictability and stability for the input x-ray energy. Photoluminescence shows peak emission around 425 nm under the excitation of 254 nm. All the results show that Cu-doped β-Ga2O3 makes an effective scintillator with excellent light yield, and is an alternative for the high-performance ionizing radiation detectors.

A statistical method for the assessment of metrological characteristics of reference materials

Standard reference materials of the composition and properties of substances and materials are used in both industrial and non-industrial sectors of society to ensure measurement uniformity and traceability in those types of measurements that cannot be provided using standards.
 During times of war and increased nuclear threat due to a full-scale invasion by an aggressor state, there is a need for heightened attention to the verification of ionizing radiation detection blocks, measurement channels of radiation monitoring systems, radiometers, and radiometric installations, as well as alpha, beta, and gamma radiation spectrometers.
 The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the method to evaluate the measurement uncertainty of reference materials (Europium-152 (Eu-152), Сaesium-137 (Cs-137), and Thorium-232 (Th-232)) when they are generated and calibrated according to the international regulations. The evaluation of the measurement uncertainty of a radioactive reference material with a natural half-life period is relevant and valid, considering its homogeneity properties and stability. To assess the properties, as well as the measurement uncertainty, one-variant variance analysis was performed.

Flexibility potential of Cs2BX6 (B = Hf, Sn, Pt, Zr, Ti; X = I, Br, Cl) with application in photovoltaic devices and radiation detectors

As interest in double perovskites is growing, especially in applications like photovoltaic devices, understanding their mechanical properties is vital for device durability. Despite extensive exploration of structure and optical properties, research on mechanical aspects is limited. This article builds a vacancy-ordered double perovskite model, employing first-principles calculations to analyze mechanical, bonding, electronic, and optical properties. Results show Cs2HfI6, Cs2SnBr6, Cs2SnI6, and Cs2PtBr6 have Young's moduli below 13 GPa, indicating flexibility. Geometric parameters explain flexibility variations with the changes of B and X site composition. Bonding characteristic exploration reveals the influence of B and X site electronegativity on mechanical strength. Cs2SnBr6 and Cs2PtBr6 are suitable for solar cells, while Cs2HfI6 and Cs2TiCl6 show potential for semi-transparent solar cells. Optical property calculations highlight the high light absorption coefficients of up to 3.5×105 cm−1 for Cs2HfI6 and Cs2TiCl6. Solar cell simulation shows Cs2PtBr6 achieves 22.4% of conversion efficiency. Cs2ZrCl6 holds promise for ionizing radiation detection with its 3.68 eV bandgap and high absorption coefficient. Vacancy-ordered double perovskites offer superior flexibility, providing valuable insights for designing stable and flexible devices. This understanding enhances the development of functional devices based on these perovskites, especially for applications requiring high stability and flexibility.

Toward Low-Voltage and High-Sensitivity Direct X-ray Detectors Based on Thick Bulk Heterojunction Organic Device.

Organic semiconducting materials are promising for the fabrication of flexible ionizing radiation detectors for imaging because of their tissue equivalence, simple large-scale processing, and mass production. However, it is challenging to achieve high-sensitivity detection for organic direct detectors prepared by low-cost solution processing because of the compromise between thickness and carrier transport. In this study, high-performance organic direct X-ray detectors were fabricated by building a micrometer-thick bulk heterojunction (BHJ) using poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT):(6,6)-phenyl c71 butyric acid methyl ester. A 5 μm BHJ film was fabricated by drop-casting and enhanced crystallization of P3HT using binary solvents and high-boiling-point additives to improve the charge carrier mobility. Furthermore, this organic direct X-ray detector has a sensitivity of >654.26 μC Gyair s-1 and a self-powered response. Because of the architecture of the thick active layer and the energy cascade in this diode detector, it has a very low dark current of 46.26 pA at -2 V. A fast and efficient approach was developed for fabricating thick, highly mobile organic BHJ films for high-performance direct X-ray detectors. It has great potential for application in a new generation of flexible and portable large-area flat-panel detectors.

Micro/Nano Perovskite Materials for Advanced X-ray Detection and Imaging.

Halide perovskites have emerged as highly promising materials for ionizing radiation detection due to their exceptional characteristics, including a large mobility-lifetime product, strong stopping power, tunable band gap, and cost-effective crystal growth via solution processes. Semiconductor-type X-ray detectors employing various micro/nano perovskite materials have shown impressive progress in achieving heightened sensitivity and lower detection limits. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the applications of micro/nano perovskite materials for direct type X-ray detection, with a focus on the requirements for micro/nano crystal assembly and device properties in advanced X-ray detectors. We explore diverse processing techniques and optoelectronic considerations applied to perovskite X-ray detectors. Additionally, this review highlights the challenges and promising opportunities for perovskite X-ray detector arrays in real-world applications, potentially necessitating further research efforts.

Structural and Photoelectronic Properties of κ-Ga2O3 Thin Films Grown on Polycrystalline Diamond Substrates.

Orthorhombic κ-Ga2O3 thin films were grown for the first time on polycrystalline diamond free-standing substrates by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy at a temperature of 650 °C. Structural, morphological, electrical, and photoelectronic properties of the obtained heterostructures were evaluated by optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, current-voltage measurements, and spectral photoconductivity, respectively. Results show that a very slow cooling, performed at low pressure (100 mbar) under a controlled He flow soon after the growth process, is mandatory to improve the quality of the κ-Ga2O3 epitaxial thin film, ensuring a good adhesion to the diamond substrate, an optimal morphology, and a lower density of electrically active defects. This paves the way for the future development of novel hybrid architectures for UV and ionizing radiation detection, exploiting the unique features of gallium oxide and diamond as wide-bandgap semiconductors.

Constructing Lanthanide-Organic Complexes for X-ray Scintillation and Imaging.

The photoluminescent properties of lanthanide complexes have been thoroughly investigated; however, there have been much fewer studies showcasing their potential use in ionizing radiation detection. In this work, we delve into the photo- and radio-induced luminescence of a series of lanthanide-bearing organic-inorganic hybrids and their potential as a platform for X-ray scintillation and imaging. The judicious synergy between lanthanide cations and 2,6-di(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)isonicotinate (bppCOO-) ligands affords six new materials with three distinct structures. Notably, Eu-bppCOO-1 and Tb-bppCOO-2 display sharp fingerprint X-ray-excited luminescence (XEL), the intensities of which can be linearly correlated with the X-ray dose rates over a broad dynamic range (0.007-4.55 mGy s-1). Moreover, the X-ray sensing efficacies of Eu-bppCOO-1 and Tb-bppCOO-2 were evaluated, showing that Tb-bppCOO-2 features a lower detection limit of 4.06 μGy s-1 compared to 14.55 μGy s-1 of Eu-bppCOO-1. Given the higher X-ray sensitivity and excellent radiation stability of Tb-bppCOO-2, we fabricated a flexible scintillator film for X-ray imaging by embedding finely ground Tb-bppCOO-2 in the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer. The resulting scintillator film can be utilized for high-resolution X-ray imaging with a spatial resolution of approximately 7 lp mm-1.

Ionizing Radiation Detection Using the Field Effect Transistor Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide

Ionizing Radiation Detection Using the Field Effect Transistor Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide

Ionizing radiation detectors based on graphene field effect transistors

Ionizing radiation detectors based on graphene field effect transistors

Structural and Physical Properties of Two Distinct 2D Lead Halides with Intercalated Cu(II).

Transition metal cation intercalation between the layers of two-dimensional (2D) metal halides is an underexplored research area. In this work we focus on the synthesis and physical property characterizations of two layered hybrid lead halides: a new compound [Cu(O2C-CH2-NH2)2]Pb2Br4 and the previously reported [Cu(O2C-(CH2)3-NH3)2]PbBr4. These compounds exhibit 2D layered crystal structures with incorporated Cu2+ between the metal halide layers, which is achieved by combining Cu(II) and lead bromide with suitable amino acid precursors. The resultant [Cu(O2C-(CH2)3-NH3)2]PbBr4 adopts a 2D layered perovskite structure, whereas the new compound [Cu(O2C-CH2-NH2)2]Pb2Br4 crystallizes with a new structure type based on edge-sharing dodecahedral PbBr5O3 building blocks. [Cu(O2C-CH2-NH2)2]Pb2Br4 is a semiconductor with a bandgap of 3.25 eV. It shows anisotropic charge transport properties with a semiconductor resistivity of 1.44×1010 Ω·cm (measured along the a-axis) and 2.17×1010 Ω·cm (along the bc-plane), respectively. The fabricated prototype detector based on this material showed response to soft low-energy X-rays at 8 keV with a detector sensitivity of 1462.7 μCGy-1cm-2, indicating its potential application for ionizing radiation detection. These encouraging results are discussed together with the results from density functional theory calculations, optical, magnetic, and thermal property characterization experiments.