Abstract: Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include Tl and/or In-based ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, 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Sr, Ba or any combination thereof; X is a halide, such as Cl, Br, I, F or any combination thereof; some or all of A has been replaced by Tl and/or In, and some or all of B has been replaced by another dopant, such as Eu, Ce, Tb, Yb, and Pr.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.

Abstract: 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 ABX3 where 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., Zr4+), a trivalent ion (e.g., Sc3+, Y3+, Gd3+, or La3+ ion) or a divalent ion (e.g., Mg2+). The codoped material can have modified afterglow compared to a noncodoped material.

Abstract: Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include Tl and/or In-based ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, 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Sr, Ba or any combination thereof; X is a halide, such as Cl, Br, I, F or any combination thereof; some or all of A has been replaced by Tl and/or In, and some or all of B has been replaced by another dopant, such as Eu, Ce, Tb, Yb, and Pr.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.

Abstract: Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, 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 A2EuX4 and AEu2X5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

Abstract: Mixed halide scintillation materials of a first general formula A4B(1-y)MyX?6(1-z)X?6z and a second general formula A(4-y)BMyX?6(1-z)X?6z are disclosed. In the general formulas, A is an alkali metal, B is an alkali earth metal, and X? and X? are two different halogen atoms. Scintillation materials of the first general formula include a divalent external activator M such as Eu2+ or Yb2+ or a trivalent external activator M such as Ce3+. Scintillation materials of the second general formula include a monovalent external activator M such as In+, Na+, or Tl+ or a trivalent external activator such as Ce3+.

Abstract: A radiation detection system may include a detector. The detector may include a scintillator to convert ionizing radiation, which originates externally to the detector, into visible light, a sensor configured to detect the visible light from the scintillator, and a light source. The radiation detection system may further include a controller programmed to control the light source to expose the scintillator to a light to saturate traps in the scintillator.

Abstract: Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, 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 A2EuX4 and AEu2X5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

Abstract: Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, 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 A2EuX4 and AEu2X5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, 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 A2EuX4 and AEu2X5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

Abstract: Mixed halide scintillation materials of the general formula AB(1-y)MyX?wX?(3-w), where 0?y?1, 0.05?w?1, A may be an alkali metal, B may be an alkali earth metal, and X? and X? may be two different halogen atoms, and of the general formula A(1-y)BMyX?wX?(3-w), where 0?y?1, 0.05?w?1, A maybe an alkali metal, B may be an alkali earth metal, and X? and X? are two different halogen atoms. The scintillation materials of formula (1) include a divalent external activator, M, such as Eu2+ or Yb2+. The scintillation materials of formula (2) include a monovalent external activator, M, such as Tl+, Na+ and In+.

Abstract: Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A2BX4 and AB2X5, 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 A2EuX4 and AEu2X5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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 Gd3Ga3AI2012, Gd3Ga2AI3012, 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.

Abstract: A halide scintillator material is disclosed. The material is single-crystalline and has a composition of the formula A3MBr6(1-x)Cl6x (such as Cs3CeBr6(1-x)Cl6x) or AM2Br7(1-x)Cl7x (such as CsCe2Br7(1-x)Cl7x), 0?x?1, wherein A consists essentially of Li, Na K, Rb, Cs or any combination thereof, and M consists essentially of Ce, Sc, Y, La, Lu, Gd, Pr, Tb, Yb, Nd or any combination thereof. Furthermore, a method of making halide scintillator materials of the above-mentioned compositions is disclosed. In one example, high-purity starting halides (such as CsBr, CeBr3, CsCl and CeCl3) are mixed and melted to synthesize a compound of the desired composition of the scintillator material. A single crystal of the scintillator material is then grown from the synthesized compound by the Bridgman method. The disclosed scintillator materials are suitable for making scintillation detectors used in applications such as medical imaging and homeland security.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses, in one arrangement, a single crystalline iodide scintillator material having a composition of the formula AM1-xEuxI3, A3M1-xEuxI5 and AM2(1-x)Eu2xI5, wherein A consists essentially of any alkali metal element (such as Li, Na K, Rb, Cs) or any combination thereof, M consists essentially of Sr, Ca, Ba or any combination thereof, and 0?x?1. In another arrangement, the above single crystalline iodide scintillator material can be made by first synthesizing a compound of the above composition and then forming a single crystal from the synthesized compound by, for example, the Vertical Gradient Freeze method. Applications of the iodide scintillator materials include radiation detectors and their use in medical and security imaging.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses, in one arrangement, a single crystalline iodide scintillator material having a composition of the formula AM1?xEuxI3, A3M1?xEuxI5 and AM2(1?x)Eu2xI5, wherein A consists essentially of any alkali metal element (such as Li, Na K, Rb, Cs) or any combination thereof, M consists essentially of Sr, Ca, Ba or any combination thereof, and 0?x?1. In another arrangement, the above single crystalline iodide scintillator material can be made by first synthesizing a compound of the above composition and then forming a single crystal from the synthesized compound by, for example, the Vertical Gradient Freeze method. Applications of the iodide scintillator materials include radiation detectors and their use in medical and security imaging.

Abstract: Crystals with improved scintillation and optical properties are achieved by codoping with a trivalent dopant and a divalent and/or a monovalent dopant. Embodiments include codoping LSO, YSO, GSO crystals and LYSO, LGSO, and LYGSO crystals. Embodiments also include codoped crystals with a controlled monovalent or divalent:trivalent dopant ratio of from about 1:1 for increased light yield to about 4:1 for faster decay time.