Lanthanide doped barium phosphorous oxide scintillators
The present invention provides for a composition comprising an inorganic scintillator comprising a lanthanide-doped barium phosphorous oxide useful for detecting nuclear material.
1. An inorganic scintillator having the formula:
Ba 3-x (PO 4 ) 2 :Ln x (II);
wherein Ln is a lanthanide with a valence of 2+, and x has a value having the range 0<x<3.
2. The inorganic scintillator of claim 1 , wherein the Ln is Eu.
3. The inorganic scintillator of claim 1 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.001≦x<2.
4. The inorganic scintillator of claim 3 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.001≦x≦1.
5. The inorganic scintillator of claim 4 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.001≦x≦0.5.
6. The inorganic scintillator of claim 5 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.01≦x≦0.5.
7. The inorganic scintillator of claim 6 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.02≦x≦0.2.
8. An inorganic scintillator having the formula:
Ba 3-x P 4 O 13 :Ln x (III);
wherein Ln is a lanthanide with a valence of 2+, and x has a value having the range 0.001≦x<2.
9. The inorganic scintillator of claim 8 , wherein the Ln is Eu.
10. A gamma ray or x-ray detector, comprising: (a) a scintillator composed of a transparent single crystal of an inorganic scintillator having the formula:
Ba 3-x P y O z :Ln x (I);
wherein Ln is a lanthanide with a valence of 2+; x has a value having the range 0<x<3; and, y is 2 and z is 8, or y is 4 and z is 13; and (b) a photodetector optically coupled to the scintillator for producing an electrical signal in response to the emission of a light pulse by the scintillator.
11. The detector of claim 10 , wherein the inorganic scintillator has the formula:
Ba 3-x (PO 4 ) 2 :Ln x (II);
wherein Ln is a lanthanide with a valence of 2+, and x has a value having the range 0<x<3.
12. The detector of claim 11 , wherein the Ln is Eu.
13. The detector of claim 10 , wherein the inorganic scintillator has the formula:
Ba 3-x P 4 O 13 :Ln x (III);
wherein Ln is a lanthanide with a valence of 2+, and x has a value having the range 0<x<3.
14. The detector of claim 13 , wherein the Ln is Eu.
15. The detector of claim 10 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.001≦x<2.
16. The detector of claim 15 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.001≦x≦1.
17. The detector of claim 16 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.001≦x≦0.5.
18. The detector of claim 17 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.01≦x≦0.5.
19. The detector of claim 18 , wherein x has a value having the range 0.02≦x≦0.2.