Scintillator compositions containing cerium and praseodymium activator ions, and related methods and articles of manufacture
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorAlok Mani Srivastava
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scintillator composition is described. The scintillator composition includes a lutetium phosphate matrix, a cerium activator ion for the matrix material, a praseodymium activator ion, and any reaction products thereof. Radiation detectors that use scintillators for detecting high-energy radiation are also described. Related methods for detecting high-energy radiation are also included.
Claims9
A radiation detector for detecting high-energy radiation, comprising:
- (A) a crystal scintillator which comprises the following composition, and any reaction products thereof:
- (a) lutetium phosphate
- (b) a combination of cerium and praseodymium activator ions;
- and
- (B) a photodetector optically coupled to the scintillator, so as to be capable of producing an electrical signal in response to the emission of a light pulse produced by the scintillator.
A method for detecting high-energy radiation with a scintillation detector, comprising the steps of:
- (A) receiving radiation by a cerium and praseodymium activated, lutetium phosphate-based scintillator crystal, so as to produce photons which are characteristic of the radiation;
- and
- (B) detecting the photons with a photon detector coupled to the scintillator crystal;
- wherein the scintillator crystal is formed of a composition comprising the following, and any reaction products thereof:
- (a) a lutetium phosphate matrix material;
- and
- (b) a combination of a cerium activator and a praseodymium activator for the matrix material.
A method for producing an activated, lutetium phosphate-based scintillator crystal which comprises:
- (a) a lutetium phosphate matrix material;
- and
- (b) a combination of a cerium and praseodymium activators for the matrix material,
- said method comprising the following steps:
- (i) supplying at least one lutetium-containing reactant, at least one activator-containing reactant;
- and at least one phosphate-containing reactant;
- according to proportions which satisfy the stoichiometric requirements for the scintillator crystal;
- (ii) melting the reactants at a temperature sufficient to form a molten composition;
- and
- (iii) crystallizing a crystal from the molten composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.