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Title: Processing of transparent polycrystalline AlON:Ce3+ scintillators

Journal Article · · Journal of the American Ceramic Society
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.13986· OSTI ID:1248612
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. 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
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 12 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

Transparent polycrystalline Gd 2 Hf 2 O 7 ceramics journal March 2018
Planetary ball‐milling of AlON powder for highly transparent ceramics journal October 2018