Metal-Organic Scintillator Crystals for X-Ray, Gamma Ray, and Neutron Detection
AssigneeUT-Battelle, LLC
InventorsLynn A. Boatner, James A. Kolopus, John S. Neal, Joanne Oxendine Ramey, Dariusz J. Wisniewski
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Abstract
New metal-organic materials are useful as scintillators and have the chemical formula LX3(CH3OH)4 where L is Y, Sc, or a lanthanide element, and X is a halogen element. An example of the scintillator materials is CeCl3(CH3OH)4.
Claims10
A metal-organic composition comprising a lanthanide trihalide methanol adduct having the chemical formula LX3(CH3OH)4 where L is an element selected from the group consisting of Y, Sc, and all of the lanthanide elements, and X is a halogen element.
A metal-organic scintillator comprising a crystal having the chemical formula LX3(CH3OH)4 where L is a lanthanide element or yttrium or scandium and X is a halogen element.
A radiation detector comprising a metal-organic scintillator comprising
- a. a crystal having the chemical formula LX3(CH3OH)4 where L is an element selected from the group consisting of Y, Sc, and all of the lanthanide elements, and X is a halogen element;
- and
- b. a photodetector being coupled to said crystal, so that upon exposure of said inorganic scintillating material radiation said inorganic scintillating material emits light.
A method of detecting radiation comprising the steps of:
- a. receiving radiation with a metal-organic scintillator comprising a crystal having the chemical formula LX3(CH3OH)4 where L is an element selected from the group consisting of Y, Sc, and all of the lanthanide elements, and X is a halogen element;
- b. emitting light with said crystal in response to said step of receiving said radiation;
- and
- c. detecting said light with a photodetector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.