The vast variety of nuclear security applications require radiation detection materials tailored to their operational needs. A scintillator’s properties are strongly influenced by the choice of luminescent dopant, which facilitates customization to different applications. In this work, transparent Ø12 mm single crystals of undoped CsCaCl3, CsCaCl3:1% Eu, CsCaCl3:1% Tl, and CsCaCl3:1% Eu, 1% Tl were grown via the Vertical Bridgman method. Their scintillation properties and fast neutron-gamma discrimination capabilities were investigated. Undoped CsCaCl3 had a light yield of 2,500 ph/MeV, which is the highest reported to date for this CVL material. The incorporation of Eu2+ or Tl+ into CsCaCl3 as luminescence centers resulted in significantly higher light yields of ∼16,000 ph/MeV and energy resolutions of ∼8% at 662 keV. Compared to the single dopant counterparts, CsCaCl3:Eu, Tl had significantly suppressed afterglow; however, this came at the cost of reduced light yield. Among the materials tested, only CsCaCl3:Tl showed effective fast neutron and gamma discrimination capabilities, achieving a Figure of Merit of 3.2 between gamma-rays and fast neutron captures that produce protons and 1.6 between gamma-rays and fast neutron captures that produce alpha particles.
Pestovich, Kimberly S., et al. "Crystal growth, scintillation properties & fast neutron-gamma discrimination of cubic halide perovskite CsCaCl<sub>3</sub>:(Eu<sup>2+</sup>, Tl<sup>+</sup>)." Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, vol. 1084, Dec. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2025.171224
@article{osti_3007849,
author = {Pestovich, Kimberly S. and Stand, Luis and Adhikari, Govinda and Joshi, Ketaki and Wen, Xianfei and Pandian, Lakshmi S. and Melcher, Charles L. and van Loef, Edgar and Zhuravleva, Mariya},
title = {Crystal growth, scintillation properties & fast neutron-gamma discrimination of cubic halide perovskite CsCaCl<sub>3</sub>:(Eu<sup>2+</sup>, Tl<sup>+</sup>)},
annote = {The vast variety of nuclear security applications require radiation detection materials tailored to their operational needs. A scintillator’s properties are strongly influenced by the choice of luminescent dopant, which facilitates customization to different applications. In this work, transparent Ø12 mm single crystals of undoped CsCaCl3, CsCaCl3:1% Eu, CsCaCl3:1% Tl, and CsCaCl3:1% Eu, 1% Tl were grown via the Vertical Bridgman method. Their scintillation properties and fast neutron-gamma discrimination capabilities were investigated. Undoped CsCaCl3 had a light yield of 2,500 ph/MeV, which is the highest reported to date for this CVL material. The incorporation of Eu2+ or Tl+ into CsCaCl3 as luminescence centers resulted in significantly higher light yields of ∼16,000 ph/MeV and energy resolutions of ∼8% at 662 keV. Compared to the single dopant counterparts, CsCaCl3:Eu, Tl had significantly suppressed afterglow; however, this came at the cost of reduced light yield. Among the materials tested, only CsCaCl3:Tl showed effective fast neutron and gamma discrimination capabilities, achieving a Figure of Merit of 3.2 between gamma-rays and fast neutron captures that produce protons and 1.6 between gamma-rays and fast neutron captures that produce alpha particles.},
doi = {10.1016/j.nima.2025.171224},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/3007849},
journal = {Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment},
issn = {ISSN 0168-9002},
volume = {1084},
place = {United States},
publisher = {Elsevier},
year = {2025},
month = {12}}
Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc., Watertown, MA (United States); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003996
OSTI ID:
3007849
Journal Information:
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Journal Name: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section A, Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment Vol. 1084; ISSN 0168-9002
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