Scintillator compositions of cerium halides, and related articles and processes
View Patent ↗A scintillator composition is disclosed, containing a solid solution of at least two cerium halides. A radiation detector for detecting high-energy radiation is also described herein. The detector includes the scintillator composition mentioned above, along with a photodetector optically coupled to the scintillator. A method for detecting high-energy radiation with a scintillation detector is also described, wherein the scintillation crystal is based on a mixture of cerium halides.
1. A self-activating scintillator composition, comprising a solid solution of at least two cerium halides.
2. The scintillator composition of claim 1 , wherein the halide is selected from the group consisting of bromine, chlorine, and iodine.
3. The scintillator composition of claim 2 , wherein the solid solution comprises cerium chloride and cerium bromide.
4. The scintillator composition of claim 3 , wherein the molar ratio of cerium chloride to cerium bromide is in the range of about 1:99 to about 99:1.
5. The scintillator composition of claim 4 , wherein the molar ratio of cerium chloride to cerium bromide is in the range of about 10:90 to about 90:10.
6. The scintillator composition of claim 3 , comprising about 55 mole % to about 95 mole % cerium chloride, based on total moles of cerium chloride and cerium bromide.
7. The scintillator composition of claim 6 , comprising about 75 mole % to about 95 mole % cerium chloride, based on total moles of cerium chloride and cerium bromide.
8. The scintillator composition of claim 3 , further comprising cerium iodide.
9. The scintillator composition of claim 8 , wherein the amount of cerium iodide present is in the range of about 0.1 mole % to about 20 mole %, based on total moles of cerium halide present in the composition.
10. The scintillator composition of claim 9 , wherein the amount of cerium iodide present is in the range of about 0.1 mole % to about 10 mole %, based on total moles of cerium halide present in the composition.
11. The scintillator composition of claim 1 , in substantially monocrystalline form.
12. The scintillator composition of claim 1 , in polycrystalline form.
13. A radiation detector for detecting high-energy radiation, comprising:
(a) a self-activating, crystal scintillator which itself comprises a solid solution of at least two cerium halides, and any reaction products thereof; and
(b) a photodetector optically coupled to the scintillator, so as to be capable of producing an electrical signal in response to the emission of a light pulse produced by the scintillator.
14. The radiation detector of claim 13 , wherein the solid solution comprises cerium chloride and cerium bromide.
15. The radiation detector of claim 14 , wherein the photodetector is at least one device selected from the group consisting of a photomultiplier tube, a photodiode, a CCD sensor, and an image intensifier.
16. The radiation detector of claim 13 , operably connected to a well-logging tool.
17. The radiation detector of claim 13 , operably connected to a nuclear medicine apparatus.
18. The radiation detector of claim 13 , operably connected to a digital imaging device.
19. The radiation detector of claim 13 , operably connected to a screen scintillator.
20. A method for detecting high-energy radiation with a scintillation detector, comprising the steps of:
(A) receiving radiation by a cerium halide-based, self-activating scintillator crystal, so as to produce photons which are characteristic of the radiation; and
(B) detecting the photons with a photon detector coupled to the scintillator crystal;
wherein the scintillator crystal is formed of a composition comprising a solid solution of at least two cerium halides.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the solid solution of the scintillator crystal comprises cerium chloride and cerium bromide.