Radiation detectors are crucial in a wide variety of research and commercial applications, such as oil and gas exploration, medical imaging, nuclear nonproliferation, and homeland security. Neutron and gamma-ray detectors are fundamental components in portal monitors at ports and border crossings, bolstering national security against radiological threats. This study presents a dual-mode scintillator, undoped and Tl-doped 6Li-Cs3Cu2I5, and demonstrates its potential as a promising material for simultaneous thermal neutron and gamma-ray detection. We explore the Bridgman growth of both undoped and thallium doped Li → Cu and Li → Cs substitutional systems with various Li doping levels and assess their impact on scintillation properties. Under 662 keV gamma-ray excitation, the undoped crystals had light yields up to 35,900 ph/MeV, with energy resolutions down to 4.5%. The Tl-doped crystals performed better than the undoped crystals with light yields peaking at 65,900 ph/MeV and energy resolutions as low as 3.5%. When exposed to a moderated 252Cf excitation source, our crystals had light yields between 102,900 and 167,200 photons per thermal neutron capture, with a full energy thermal neutron peak reaching 3 MeV in gamma equivalent energy. Pulse shape discrimination studies reveal well-separated gamma and neutron events, resulting in Figure-Of-Merit (FOM) as high as 3.7. Furthermore, these findings highlight the potential of Li-doped Cs3Cu2I5 as a viable candidate for next-generation dual-mode scintillators.
@article{osti_2531063,
author = {Stand, Luis and Pestovich, Kimberly S. and Joshi, Ketaki and Wen, Xianfei and Hayward, Jason and Tratsiak, Yauhen and Rutstrom, Daniel and Inniss, Myles and Melcher, Charles L. and Glodo, Jarek and others},
title = {Enhanced Neutron and γ-Ray Detection via <sup>6</sup>Li Substitution in Undoped and Tl-Doped Zero-Dimensional Perovskite Cs<sub>3</sub>Cu<sub>2</sub>I<sub>5</sub> Scintillators},
annote = {Radiation detectors are crucial in a wide variety of research and commercial applications, such as oil and gas exploration, medical imaging, nuclear nonproliferation, and homeland security. Neutron and gamma-ray detectors are fundamental components in portal monitors at ports and border crossings, bolstering national security against radiological threats. This study presents a dual-mode scintillator, undoped and Tl-doped 6Li-Cs3Cu2I5, and demonstrates its potential as a promising material for simultaneous thermal neutron and gamma-ray detection. We explore the Bridgman growth of both undoped and thallium doped Li → Cu and Li → Cs substitutional systems with various Li doping levels and assess their impact on scintillation properties. Under 662 keV gamma-ray excitation, the undoped crystals had light yields up to 35,900 ph/MeV, with energy resolutions down to 4.5%. The Tl-doped crystals performed better than the undoped crystals with light yields peaking at 65,900 ph/MeV and energy resolutions as low as 3.5%. When exposed to a moderated 252Cf excitation source, our crystals had light yields between 102,900 and 167,200 photons per thermal neutron capture, with a full energy thermal neutron peak reaching 3 MeV in gamma equivalent energy. Pulse shape discrimination studies reveal well-separated gamma and neutron events, resulting in Figure-Of-Merit (FOM) as high as 3.7. Furthermore, these findings highlight the potential of Li-doped Cs3Cu2I5 as a viable candidate for next-generation dual-mode scintillators.},
doi = {10.1021/acsaelm.4c02245},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2531063},
journal = {ACS Applied Electronic Materials},
issn = {ISSN 2637-6113},
number = {6},
volume = {7},
place = {United States},
publisher = {ACS Publications},
year = {2025},
month = {03}}
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 317, Issue 1-2https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-9002(92)90617-D
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 486, Issue 1-2https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9002(02)00756-8
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 526, Issue 3https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2004.02.038
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 564, Issue 1https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2006.05.081
Shirwadkar, Urmila; Glodo, Jarek; van Loef, Edgar V.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 652, Issue 1https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2010.08.050
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 784https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2014.12.038
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 809https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.08.041
Onken, Drew R.; Gridin, Sergii; Williams, Richard T.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 893https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2018.03.028
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 991https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164963
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 1056https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2023.168626
Journal Article
·
Mon Dec 08 19:00:00 EST 2025
· Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
·OSTI ID:3007849
Journal Article
·
Mon Dec 14 19:00:00 EST 2020
· Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
·OSTI ID:1766406