Comparative gamma spectroscopy with SrI<inf>2</inf>(Eu), GYGAG(Ce) and Bi-loaded plastic scintillators

Abstract

Abstract-We are developing new scintillator materials that offer potential for high resolution gamma ray spectroscopy at low cost. Single crystal SrI 2 (Eu) offers ~3% resolution at 662 keV, in sizes of ~1 in 3 . We have developed ceramics processing technology allowing us to achieve cubic inch scale transparent ceramic scintillators offering gamma spectroscopy performance superior to NaI(Tl).We fabricated a bismuth-loaded plastic scintillator that demonstrates energy resolution of ~8% at 662 keV in small sizes.

Towards Bright and Fast Lu3Al5O12:Ce,Mg Optical Ceramics Scintillators

“…Multicomponent garnets, featuring a balanced admixture of Gd and Ga cations in the Lubased garnet structure, form a new family of materials with an amazingly high light yield up to 58000 photons/MeV, a value exceeding that of the best Lu 2-x Y x SiO 5 :Ce (LYSO:Ce) materials by about 40%. [12][13][14][15] Therefore, oxides based on garnet structure are presently considered as competitive candidates for advanced scintillation applications.However, the low segregation coeffi cient of Ce 3+ ions in the LuAG lattice is detrimental for the growth of homogeneously doped large LuAG:Ce single crystals, especially for high Ce 3+ concentrations (Ce 3+ > 0.2 at%). [ 16 ] It was also noticed that Lu Al antisite defects (AD) can severely deteriorate the scintillation characteristics of LuAG:Ce single crystals by acting as shallow traps, thus delaying the energy transport to the Ce 3+ emission centers.…”

Transparent ceramic scintillators for gamma spectroscopy and MeV imaging

“…Our work on the development of cerium-doped gadolinium garnet transparent ceramic scintillators, including gadolinium yttrium gallium aluminum garnet, or GYGAG(Ce) is described in references [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Ceramics formed from line compounds like YAG must be synthesized with rigorous control over stoichiometry in order to avoid formation of secondary phases.…”

Performance of europium-doped strontium iodide, transparent ceramics and bismuth-loaded polymer scintillators

“…We have identified a mixed Bixbyite, (Gd,Lu) 2 O 3 (5%Eu), that is very phase-stable, thus formable with low optical scatter in sheets or voxels for high energy radiography. GLO(Eu) offers high density of 8-9 g/cm 3 and a high light yield of 70,000 Photons/MeV. In Figure 7, the beta excited radioluminescence spectra of standard materials used for scintillator-based radiography CsI(Tl), CdWO 4 are compared with GLO(Eu).…”

“…Deployment of radioisotope identification detectors (RIIDs) offering energy resolution significantly superior to Thallium-doped Sodium Iodide NaI(Tl) is now feasible. The single crystal scintillator, SrI 2 (Eu), offers energy resolution for gamma spectroscopy comparable to that of Lanthanum Bromide doped with Cerium, LaBr 3 (Ce) and considerably better than Thallium-doped Sodium Iodide, NaI(Tl) [1][2][3]. Encapsulated 1 in 3 single crystals of Europium-doped Strontium Iodide, SrI 2 (Eu), now routinely provide energy resolution at 662 keV of <3%.…”

“…Recently, we reported that cm-scale Bismuth-loaded plastic scintillators can provide energy resolution of <9% at 662 keV [3]. Applications such as neutron-interrogation screening, in which a pulsed neutron source irradiates an object of interest and the resultant capture gamma rays are analyzed to identify the materials comprising the object, require large scintillator detectors with modest energy resolution but fast timing.…”