High-performance composite scintillator

A radiation detection system, comprising:

• a composite scintillator, comprising a matrix material and pieces of at least one scintillator material embedded in the matrix material, wherein the scintillator material is (a) inorganic single-crystalline, (b) ceramic, (c) organic plastic, or (d) glassy, and is substantially cylindrical or tapered in shape with dimensions of at least 5 mm, and wherein the embedded scintillator material scintillates photons in response to at least one of gamma-ray and neutron irradiation, wherein the composite scintillator has a base surface, and wherein the matrix material is a material that absorbs photons emitted by the embedded pieces of scintillator material and re-emits photons at a wavelength longer than the wavelength of photons emitted by the embedded pieces of scintillator material, wherein the matrix material also absorbs at least one of gamma rays and neutrons, and wherein the matrix material emits photons in response to absorption of gamma rays or neutrons;
• a photodetector configured to receive and detect photons emitted by the composite scintillator, wherein the matrix material has a spectral emission range with an integrated area under the emission spectrum that overlaps an integrated area under a quantum efficiency curve of the photodetector, wherein the photodetector is selected from a photomultiplier tube, a silicon photomultiplier, and a silicon avalanche photodiode, and wherein the overlap meets or exceeds 33% of the integrated area under the emission spectrum;
• and
• a waveguide with two base surfaces at opposite ends of the waveguide, wherein a first of the base surfaces of the waveguide is coupled with the base surface of the composite scintillator, and wherein a second of the base surfaces of the waveguide is coupled with a photodetector.

A method for radiation detection, comprising:

• absorbing gamma-ray or neutron radiation in pieces of at least one scintillator material embedded in a matrix material, wherein the matrix material and the scintillator together form a composite scintillator, and wherein the scintillator material is (a) inorganic single-crystalline, (b) ceramic, (c) organic plastic, or (d) glassy, and is substantially cylindrical or tapered in shape with dimensions of at least 5 mm;
• emitting photons from the pieces of scintillator material in response to the absorption of gamma-ray or neutron radiation;
• absorbing in the matrix material the photons emitted from the pieces of scintillator material;
• re-emitting photons from the matrix material at a wavelength longer than the wavelength of photons emitted by the embedded pieces of scintillator;
• absorbing in the matrix material at least one of gamma rays and neutrons and emitting photons in response to the absorption of the at least one of gamma rays and neutrons;
• and
• detecting the photons from the matrix material with a photodetector, wherein the matrix material has a spectral emission range with an integrated area under the emission spectrum that overlaps an integrated area under a quantum efficiency curve of the photodetector, wherein the photodetector is selected from a photomultiplier tube, a silicon photomultiplier, and a silicon avalanche photodiode, and wherein the overlap meets or exceeds 33% of the integrated area under the emission spectrum.