Processing of transparent polycrystalline AlON:Ce3+ scintillators
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
A new polycrystalline ceramic scintillator is reported for potential use in radiation detection and medical imaging applications. The goal was to develop cerium-activated aluminum oxynitride (AlON:Ce3+) ceramics, which can be produced using ceramic processes in comparison to the high-cost, low-yield single-crystal growth technique. A phase pure AlON:Ce3+ powder with cubic symmetry was successfully synthesized at high temperature under a reducing atmosphere to convert Ce4+ to Ce3+ in the solid solution. We explored two different activator concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 mol%). Fully dense and transparent AlON:Ce3+ ceramics were produced by a liquid-phase-assisted pressureless sintering. The crystal field splitting around the Ce3+ activator in the AlON was comparable to the splitting induced by Br₋ and the Cl₋ ligands, which produced an emission spectrum perfectly matching the maximum quantum efficiency range of the photomultiplier tube for radiation detection. Both optical excitation and radiation ionizations in AlON:Ce3+ were demonstrated. Lastly, challenges and mechanisms related to the radioluminescence efficiency are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1248612
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-2016-1338J; 619338
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 99, Issue 2; ISSN 0002-7820
- Publisher:
- American Ceramic SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Transparent polycrystalline Gd 2 Hf 2 O 7 ceramics
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journal | March 2018 |
Planetary ball‐milling of AlON powder for highly transparent ceramics
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journal | October 2018 |
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