Transparent oxyhalide glass and glass ceramics for gamma-ray detection

Chenlu Han; Meredith Barta; Max Dorn; Jason Nadler; Robert Rosson; Brent Wagner; Bernd Kahn; Zhitao Kang

doi:10.1117/12.899353

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27 September 2011 Transparent oxyhalide glass and glass ceramics for gamma-ray detection

Chenlu Han, Meredith Barta, Max Dorn, Jason Nadler, Robert Rosson, Brent Wagner, Bernd Kahn, Zhitao Kang

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Proceedings Volume 8142, Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics XIII; 81420R (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.899353
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2011, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Nuclear radiation detection is continuously becoming more important for today's society. Conventional scintillator based gamma-ray detectors use single crystal materials such as NaI:Tl, LaBr₃:Ce, which provide excellent radiation detection properties, but suffer from their environment-related fluctuation, high cost and size limitation. The incorporation of nanophosphors or quantum dots (QD) into a transparent host matrix has been studied recently as a cost-saving alternative that may solve the scalability and stability problems while still providing considerable optical performance. In this work, a new glass based detecting material with promising gamma-ray detection performance is reported. Transparent alumino-silicate glasses containing cerium-doped gadolinium halide nanocrystals were prepared by a melt-quench method followed by annealing to form nanocrystal precipitates. Samples were cast and polished for optical and radiation characterization. The preliminary results indicated a similar gamma-ray detection efficiency compared to a conventional NaI:Tl detector and a gamma-ray peak resolution of ~27% at 662 KeV from some of these samples. By controlling elemental composition and ratio of the in-situ precipitated nanoparticles, radiation detection performance is expected to be improved.

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Chenlu Han, Meredith Barta, Max Dorn, Jason Nadler, Robert Rosson, Brent Wagner, Bernd Kahn, and Zhitao Kang "Transparent oxyhalide glass and glass ceramics for gamma-ray detection", Proc. SPIE 8142, Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics XIII, 81420R (27 September 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.899353

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