University of Tennessee Research Foundation

Siemens Medical Solutions Usa, Inc.

Cti, Inc.

Siemens Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Charles L Melcher

Mariya Zhuravleva

Merry A Koschan

Luis Stand

Yuntao Wu

Kan Yang

Piotr Szupryczynski

Lars Aldon Eriksson

Mark S Andreaco

Matthias J Schmand

Peter Carl Cohen

Mohit Tyagi

Hua Wei

Ronald Grazioso

Harold E Rothfuss

Michael E Casey

James Luke Corbeil

Ronald Nutt

A Andrew Carey

Robert A Mintzer

Alexander Andrew Carey

Florian Bauer

Adam Coleman Lindsey

Daniel Joseph Rutstrom

Lars A Erikkson

Camera Janelle Foster

Samuel Bradley Donnald

A method of tailoring the properties of garnet-type scintillators to meet the particular needs of different applications is described. More particularly, codoping scintillators, such as GdGaAlO, GdGaAlO, or other rare earth gallium aluminum garnets, with different ions can modify the scintillation light yield, decay time, rise time, energy resolution, proportionality, and/or sensitivity to light exposure. Also provided are the codoped garnet-type scintillators themselves, radiation detectors and related devices comprising the codoped garnet-type scintillators, and methods of using the radiation detectors to detect gamma rays, X-rays, cosmic rays, and particles having an energy of 1 keV or greater.

Codoping method for modifying the scintillation and optical properties of garnet-type scintillators

Codoped lutetium-based oxyorthosilicate scintillators (e.g., lutetium oxyorthosilicase (LSO) and lutetium-ytrrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) scintillators) codoped with transition metal ions (e.g., Cu) are described. The codoping can alter one or more optical and/or scintillation property of the scintillator material. For example, the codoping can increase scintillation light yield and/or decrease scintillation decay time. Radiation detectors comprising the scintillators, methods of detecting high energy radiation using the radiation detectors, and methods of altering one or more scintillation and/or optical properties of a lutetium-based oxyorthosilicate scintillator are also described.

Lutetium based oxyorthosilicate scintillators codoped with transition metals

Eutectic lithium chloride-cerium chloride (LiCl&#x2014;CeCl) compositions are described. An exemplary eutectic composition has about 75 mole % LiCl and about 25 mole % CeCl. The eutectic compositions can have optical and/or scintillation properties. Also described are methods of preparing the eutectic compositions as well as methods of using radiation detectors including the eutectic compositions in the detection of radiation, including thermal neutrons.

Self-assembled directionally solidified eutectics for thermal neutron detection

Inorganic halides (e.g., inorganic halide scintillators) of the general formula ABX, including inorganic halides comprising thallium monovalent cations and/or combinations of different halides, are described. Radiation detectors including the inorganic halide scintillators and methods of using the detectors to detect high energy radiation are also described. In some cases, the scintillators can include a gadolinium cation, a boron cation, a lithium cation, a chloride ion, or combinations thereof and the scintillator can be used to detect neutrons.

Tl+-based and mixed halide A3B2X9-type scintillators

Codoped rare earth garnet-type oxide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include lutetium yttrium aluminum garnet (LuYAG)-type materials that are doped with an activator, such as praseodymium, and codoped with a monovalent cation, such as lithium. Radiation detectors comprising the scintillators, methods of detecting higher energy radiation using the scintillators, and methods of preparing the scintillators and altering scintillator properties are also described.

Garnet scintillator co-doped with monovalent ion

Mixed halide scintillation materials of the general formula ABMX'X&#x2033;, where 0&#x2264;y&#x2264;1, 0.05&#x2264;w&#x2264;1, A may be an alkali metal, B may be an alkali earth metal, and X&#x2032; and X&#x2033; may be two different halogen atoms, and of the general formula ABMX&#x2032;X&#x2033;, where 0&#x2264;y&#x2264;1, 0.05&#x2264;w&#x2264;1, A maybe an alkali metal, B may be an alkali earth metal, and X&#x2032; and X&#x2033; are two different halogen atoms. The scintillation materials of formula (1) include a divalent external activator, M, such as Euor Yb. The scintillation materials of formula (2) include a monovalent external activator, M, such as Tl, Naand In.

Mixed halide scintillators radiation detection

Example embodiments of a radiation detection system including a detector is described. The detector can include a scintillator, a sensor, and a light source. The radiation detection system can further include a controller programmed to control the light source to expose the scintillator to a light to saturate traps in the scintillator. In some embodiments, the detector can further include a second light source, and the controller is programmed to control the second light source to expose the scintillator to a second light to detrap afterglow traps in the scintillator.

Radiation detector for imaging applications with stabilized light output

Codoped alkali and alkaline earth halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators are codoped with tetravalent ions, such as Ti, Zr, Hf, Ge. The codoping can alter one or more optical and/or scintillation property of the scintillator material. For example, the codoping can improve energy resolution. Radiation detectors comprising the scintillators and methods of detecting high energy radiation using the radiation detectors are also described.

Alkali and alkaline earth halides and methods thereof

Metal halide optical materials (e.g., scintillator materials or persistent phosphors) are described. More particularly, the optical materials include codoped perovskite-type halides, wherein the codoping ion is present at a molar ratio of 5000 parts per million (ppm) or less with respect to all cations. For example, the optical material can be a codoped trihalide having the formula ABXwhere A is one or more alkali metal, B is one or more alkali earth metal, and X is one or more halide that is doped with up to about 10 atomic percent of a dopant ion and codoped with up to about 5000 ppm of one or more isovalent or aliovalent codopant ion, such as a tetravalent ion (e.g., Zr), a trivalent ion (e.g., Sc, Y, Gd, or Laion) or a divalent ion (e.g., Mg). The codoped material can have modified afterglow compared to a noncodoped material.

Perovskite-type halides and methods thereof

Mixed halide scintillators for radiation detection

Mixed halide scintillation materials of a first general formula ABMX'X&#x2033;and a second general formula ABMX&#x2032;X&#x2033;are disclosed. In the general formulas, A is an alkali metal, B is an alkaline earth metal, and X&#x2032; and X&#x2033; are two different halogen atoms. Scintillation materials of the first general formula include a divalent external activator M such as Euor Ybor a trivalent external activator M such as Ce. Scintillation materials of the second general formula include a monovalent external activator M such as In, Na, or Tlor a trivalent external activator such as Ce.

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Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include Tl and/or In-based ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas ABXand ABX, wherein A is an alkali metal, such as Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs or any combination thereof; B is an alkali earth metal, such as Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba or any combination thereof; X is a halide, such as Cl, Br, I, F or any combination thereof; some or all of A has been replaced by Tl and/or In, and some or all of B has been replaced by another dopant, such as Eu, Ce, Tb, Yb, and Pr. Radiation detectors comprising the metal halide scintillators are also described.

Ternary metal halide scintillators

Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas ABXand ABX, wherein A is an alkali metal, such as Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs or any combination thereof; B is an alkali earth metal, such as Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba or any combination thereof; and X is a halide, such as Cl, Br, I, F or any combination thereof. Radiation detectors comprising the novel metal halide scintillators and other ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas AEuXand AEuX, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

A scintillator element is disclosed where the scintillator element includes a scintillator formed of a scintillation material capable of converting non-visible radiation into scintillation light, wherein the scintillator has a plurality of laser-etched micro-voids within the scintillator, each micro-void having an interior surface, and an intrinsic reflective layer is formed on the interior surface of at least some of the micro-voids, wherein the intrinsic reflective layer is formed from the scintillation material.

Laser etched scintillation detector blocks with internally created reflectors

A radiation detector may include a scintillator, a light source, and a sensor. The scintillator may include various scintillation materials capable of converting non-visible radiation (incoming radiation) into visible light. The sensor may be placed in adjacent or in close proximity to the scintillator, such that any converted visible light may be detected or measured by the sensor. The light source may be placed in adjacent or in close proximity to the scintillator, such that light from the light source may interact with defects in the scintillator to minimize interference on the conversion of non-visible radiation into visible light caused by the defects.

Growing community of inventors

Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

Charles L Melcher