Scintillator crystals, methods of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same

A method of manufacturing a rare earth oxyorthosilicate scintillator comprising:

• a mixture of raw materials, that in manufacturing process produce a composition of formula (1):
• wherein Lu is lutetium;
• A comprises a trivalent ionic substitution selected from La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Sc, Y, Al, Ga, B, In, Bi, Sb, Au, Rh, or a combination thereof;
• B comprises a non-trivalent ionic substitution selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Li, Na, K, Rb, Mn, Cu, Zn, or a combination thereof;
• C comprises an activating cation substitution selected from Ce3+, Ce4+, Pr3−, or a combination thereof;
• D comprises a monovalent halogen anion selected from F, Cl, Br, or a combination thereof;
• E comprises a trivalent ion substitution selected from La, Sc, Y, Gd, Al, Ga, In, B, In, Bi, Sb, Au, Rh, or any combination of thereof;
• a is present in an amount of 0.5≤a≥0;
• b is present in an amount of 0.5≤b≥0;
• c is present in an amount of 0.5≤c≥0.00001;
• d is present in an amount of 0.5≤d≥0;
• x is present in an amount of 0.05≤x≥0;
• y is present in the amount 0.05≤y≥0;
• z is present in an amount of 0.2≤z≥0;
• where the sum of a+b is always greater than 0;
• and where the sum of a+b−c+d is always less than 1;
• and wherein A and C cannot simultaneously be identical trivalent cations;
• melting the raw material in a crucible at a temperature of from 1500° C. to 2300° C.;
• and
• pulling the crystal from the melt in an oxygen containing atmosphere using one of a Czochralski technique, a Bridgeman technique, a Kyropoulos technique and a Verneuil technique.