(58) Field State St. Such It." R Germanate, Zinc Gallate, Calcium Magnesium Pyrosilicate, Pp P Ry
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USOO752.5094B2 12) United States Patent 10) Patent No.: US 7.525,0949 9 B2 Cooke et al. (45) Date of Patent: Apr. 28, 2009 (54) NANOCOMPOSITE SCINTILLATOR, 5,264,154. A 1 1/1993 Akiyama et al. DETECTOR, AND METHOD 5,952,665 A 9/1999 Bhargava 6,207,077 B1 3/2001 Burnell-Jones (75) Inventors: D. Wayne Cooke, Santa Fe, NM (US); 6,323,489 B1 11/2001 McClellan Edward A. McKigney, Los Alamos, 6,448,566 B1 9, 2002 Riedner et al. NM (US); Ross E. Muenchausen, Los -3. W - R ck 239: SRuffet etal. al. ................... 428/402 Alamos, NM (US); Bryan L. Bennett, 6,599.444 B2 7/2003 Burnell-Jones Los Alamos, NM (US) 6,689,293 B2 2/2004 McClellan et al. 6,699.406 B2 3/2004 Riman et al. (73) Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC, 6,734,465 B1 5, 2004 Taskar et al. Los Alamos, NM (US) 7,094,361 B2 8/2006 Riman et al. 7,145,149 B2 12/2006 Cooke et al. (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 2004/0174917. A 9 2004 Riman et al. patent is extended or adjusted under 35 2006/0231797 A1 10, 2006 Riman et al. U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. OTHER PUBLICATIONS (21) Appl. No.: 11/644,246 Shah et al., “CeBr3 Scintillators for Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy.” IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 52, No. 6, Dec. 2005, pp. (22) Filed: Dec. 21, 2006 3157-3159. Glodo et al., “Thermoluminescence of LaBr3:Ce and LaCl3:Ce crys (65) Prior Publication Data tals.” Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A537 (2005) pp. 93-96.* US 2008/OO935.57 A1 Apr. 24, 2008 (Continued) Related U.S. Application Data Primary Examiner Constantine Hannaher (60) Provisional application No. 60/752,981, filed on Dec. (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Samuel L. Borkowsky 21, 2005. (57) ABSTRACT (51) GOITInt. Cl. L/20 (2006.01) A compact includes a mixture of a solid- - binder- - and at least (52) U.S. Cl 250/361 R one nanopowder phosphor chosen from yttrium oxide, ir grrrrri. yttrium tantalate, barium fluoride, cesium fluoride, bismuth (58) Field State St. such it." R germanate, Zinc gallate, calcium magnesium pyrosilicate, pp p ry. calcium molybdate, calcium chlorovanadate, barium tita (56) References Cited nium pyrophosphate, a metaltungstate, a cerium doped nano phosphor, a bismuth doped nanophosphor, a lead doped nano U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS phosphor, a thallium doped sodium iodide, a doped cesium 4,230,510 A 10, 1980 Cusano et al. iodide, a rare earth doped pyrosilicate, or a lanthanide halide. 4,362,946 A 12, 1982 Cusano et al. The compact can be used in a radiation detector for detecting 4,647,781 A 3/1987 Takagi et al. ionizing radiation. 4,692,266 A 9, 1987 Costa et al. 4,958,080 A 9, 1990 Melcher 31 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets - O 9. g + 450 nm opticol photons o2 - & 60 in pticalit photons g k 1C 4. - s Q.) t 38 l -- c 1 sk k * k k - s ". -- *k -- s: * : *: -2 t * O * + ** * + + **k, *sks. + ** + * * * **ks 1o ** +++ - **t t + - o | | | | | | | O 20 4O 6 3O 1. Porticle Diameter (nm) US 7,525,094 B2 Page 2 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Shoudu et al., “Czochralski Growth of Rare-Earth Orthosilicates YSiO, Single Crystals,” Journal of Crystal Growth, Sehgal et al., “Precipitation-Redispersion of Cerium Oxide vol. 197, Mar. 1999, pp. 901-904. Nanoparticles with Poly(acrylic acid): Toward Stable Disperions.” Rodnyi, "Physical Process in Inorganic Scintillators.” CRC Press, Langmuir, vol. 21, Sep. 2005, pp. 9359-93.64. 1997, p. 50. Pandey et al., “A Study of Optical Parameters of Amorphous Loutts et al., “Czochralski Growth and Characterization of SeoTeo Ag Thin Films Before and After Heat Treatment.” Journal (Lu Gd)SiO, Single Crystals for Scintillators,” Journal of Crystal of Ovonic Research, vol. 3, No. 2, Apr. 2007, pp. 29-38. Growth, vol. 174, Apr. 1997, pp. 331-336. Chander, “Development of Nanophosphors—A Review.” Materials Melcher et al., “Czochralski Growth or Rare Earth Oxyorthosilicate Science and Engineering R. vol. 49, issue 5, Jun. 2005, pp. 113-155. Single Crystals,” Journal of Crystal Growth, vol. 128, Mar. 1993, pp. Tong et al., Preparation of Alumina by Aqueous Gelcasting, Ceramic 1001-1005. Inter, vol. 30, Oct. 2004, pp. 2061-2066. Shmulovich et al., “Single-Crystal Rare-Earth-Doped Yttrium Inkyo et al., Kotubuki Industries, "Dispersion of Agglomerated Orthosilicate Phosphors,” J. Electrochemical Society: Solid State Nanoparticles by Micromedia Mill, Ultra Apex Mill.” J. Soc. Powder Science and Technology, vol. 135, No. 12, Dec. 1988, pp. 3141-3151. Tech. Jap., vol. 41, May 2004, pp. 1-11. Brandle et al., “Czochralski Growth of Rare-Earth Orthosilicates Khan et al., “Interaction of Binders with Dispersant Stabilised Alu (Ln2SiO3).” Journal of Crystal Growth, vol. 79, Dec. 1986, pp. 308 mina Suspensions.” Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and 3.15. Engineering Aspects, vol. 161, 2000, pp. 243-257. * cited by examiner U.S. Patent Apr. 28, 2009 Sheet 1 of 3 US 7,525,094 B2 O 3 + 450 nm opticol photons iO2 }k 600 nm optical photons O O 2O 4C) 6O 8O 1 OO Porticle Diometer (nnn) U.S. Patent Apr. 28, 2009 Sheet 2 of 3 US 7,525,094 B2 Soodoo 14ooooo -S 1200.00 w s 1oooooo e 2 2 g t T - - - - - - a kee is a lu 300 400 500 600 700 20 250 30 3S 400 S 500 550 600 200 2so 3oo 35o 4od 450 500 5so soo WAVELENGTH (nm) WAWEENGTH(nm) WAWEENGTH(nm) (a) (b) (c) Fig. 2 U.S. Patent Apr. 28, 2009 Sheet 3 of 3 US 7,525,094 B2 Fig. 3 US 7,525,094 B2 1. 2 NANOCOMPOSITE SCINTILLATOR, 135, no. 12, p. 3141-3151, 1988), incorporated by reference DETECTOR, AND METHOD herein, describes single crystals of rare-earth activated YSO (prepared according to aforementioned Brandle et al.) that RELATED APPLICATIONS include a green phosphor containing YSO activated with Tb and Gd, and ared phosphor containingYSO activated with Tb This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional and Eu. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/752,981 filed Dec. 21, 2005, “Czochralski Growth of Rare Earth Oxyorthosilicate hereby incorporated by reference. Single Crystals” by Melcher et al. (Journal of Crystal Growth, vol. 128, p. 1001-1005, 1993), incorporated by reference STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL RIGHTS 10 herein, describes the Czochralski preparation of single crys tals of GSO:Ce, LSO:Ce, and YSO:Ce. This invention was made with government Support under “Czochralski Growth and Characterization of (Lu Gd) Contract No. DE-AC51-06NA25396 awarded by the U.S. SiOs by Loutts et al. (Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 174, Department of Energy. The government has certain rights in p. 331-336, 1997), incorporated by reference herein, the invention. 15 describes the preparation and properties of single crystals of cerium-activated oxyorthosilicates having a crystal lattice of BACKGROUND lutetium and gadolinium. Phosphors are currently used in many important devices U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,781 to Takagi et al. entitled “Gamma Such as fluorescent lamps, RGB (red, green, blue) screens, Ray Detector,” which issued on Mar. 3, 1987, incorporated by lasers, and crystal Scintillators for radiation detectors, radio reference herein, describes a cerium-activated oxyorthosili graphic imaging and nuclear spectroscopy. Perhaps the most cate scintillator having the general formula Gd2 important property of any phosphor is its brightness, i.e. its Ln2Ce2SiOs wherein Ln is yttrium and/or lanthanum, quantum efficiency, which is the ratio of the number of pho wherein 0s xs0.5, and wherein 1x10sys0.1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,080 to Melcher entitled “Lutetium tons emitted by the phosphor to the number of photons 25 absorbed. Other important properties include the spectral Orthosilicate Single Crystal Scintillator Detector,” which region of maximum emission (which should match com issued on Sep. 18, 1990, describes an X-ray detector employ monly-used photodetectors), optical absorption (minimum ing a transparent, single crystal of cerium-activated lutetium self-absorption is desired), decay time of the emission (for oxyorthosilicate (LSO:Ce). Some applications fast is desired), and the density. Addition 30 U.S. Pat. No. 5.264,154 to Akiyama et al. entitled "Single ally, phosphors may be categorized as either intrinsic, when Crystal Scintillator,” which issued on Nov. 23, 1993, incor the luminescence originates from the host material, or extrin porated by reference herein, describes a single crystal cerium sic, when impurities or dopants in the host material give rise activated oxyorthosilicate Scintillator having the general for to the luminescence. mula Gd-Ln,CeSiOs wherein Ln is Sc, Tb, Lu, Dy, Ho, In general, Superior Scintillators exhibit high quantum effi 35 Er, Tm, or Yb, wherein 0.03sxs 1.9, and wherein ciency, good linearity of the spectral emission with respect to 0.001 sys0.2. incident energy, high density, fast decay time, minimal self U.S. Pat. No. 6,689,298 to McClellanet al. entitled “Crys absorption, and high effective Z-number (the probability of talline Rare-Earth Activated Oxyorthosilicate Phosphor.” photoelectric absorption is approximately proportional to which issued on Feb. 10, 2004, incorporated by reference Z). Specific scintillator applications determine the choice of 40 herein, describes a variety of single crystal phosphors such as phosphor. For example, Scintillators used for active and pas lutetium yttrium phosphor (host lattice LYSO), lutetium sive radiation detection require high density, and brightness, gadolinium phosphor (host lattice LGSO), and gadolinium whereas Scintillators used for radiographic imaging also yttrium phosphor (host lattice GYSO) that have been doped require fast decay time. with rare earth dopants Sm, Tb, Tm, Eu, Yb, and Pr.