Scintillator having a MgAI

1. A transparent, dense scintillator of the formula M x MgAl 2-x O 4 , wherein 0.001≦x≦0.20, and wherein M is selected from Ce, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu, or Tl.

2. The scintillator of claim 1 , wherein M is Ce.

3. A transparent, dense scintillator having MgAl 2 O 4 as a host lattice, prepared by sintering under a vacuum a powder mixture of from 80 to 99.999 mole percent MgAl 2 O 4 , at least 0.001 mole percent of a metal oxide, and a sintering agent, the metal oxide chosen from a metal oxide of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu, or Tl.

4. The scintillator of claim 3 , wherein the metal oxide is cerium oxide.

5. The scintillator of claim 4 , wherein the sintering agent is lithium fluoride.

6. The scintillator of claim 4 , wherein the scintillator has a light transmittance of more than 50% in the IR range, more than 40% in visible range, and more than 30% in UV range.

7. The scintillator of claim 4 , said scintillator comprises a mechanically fractured surface and is formed of closely packed fine crystal grains distinct from each other by clear contours that are polygonal, wherein at least 70% of said crystal grains have a particle diameter in a range of 1 to 100 microns, and wherein said scintillator is further characterized by

(i) an X-ray diffraction pattern that consists essentially of seven diffraction lines assigned to cubic MgAl 2 O 4 crystals at a diffraction angle of 2 theta between 15° to 70°, and

(ii) an emission spectrum produced by X-ray excitation, said spectrum including a broad band from 320 to 570 nm with a peak structure at 410 nm.

8. A process for producing a sintered, transparent, dense scintillator having a host lattice of MgAl 2 O 4 comprising:

molding a fine powder of at least 80 mole percent MgAl 2 O 4 , at least 0.001 mole percent metal oxide dopant, and LiF, wherein the MgAl 2 O 4 has an average particle diameter of not more than 5 microns, where metal oxide is an oxide of a metal selected from La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu, and Tl, and

sintering the molded mixture at a temperature of 1200° C. to 2000° C.

9. A powder mixture of at least 80 mole percent of MgAl 2 O 4 having an average particle diameter of not more than 5 microns, at least 0.001 mole percent metal oxide dopant, and LiF, where the metal oxide is an oxide of a metal selected from Ce, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu, and Tl.

10. The powder mixture of claim 9 , wherein the metal oxide is cerium oxide.