Mixed crystal organic scintillators
A mixed organic crystal according to one embodiment includes a single mixed crystal having two compounds with different bandgap energies, the organic crystal having a physical property of exhibiting a signal response signature for neutrons from a radioactive source, wherein the signal response signature does not include a significantly-delayed luminescence characteristic of neutrons interacting with the organic crystal relative to a luminescence characteristic of gamma rays interacting with the organic crystal. According to one embodiment, an organic crystal includes bibenzyl and stilbene or a stilbene derivative, the organic crystal having a physical property of exhibiting a signal response signature for neutrons from a radioactive source.
1. An organic crystal, comprising:
an organic crystal comprising bibenzyl and stilbene or a stilbene derivative, the organic crystal having a physical property of exhibiting a signal response signature for neutrons from a radioactive source.
2. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal includes one or more phenyl rings.
3. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal includes a material selected from a group consisting of 1-3-5-triphenyl benzene, 1-1-4-4-tetraphenyl-1-3-butadiene, 1-4-diphenyl-1-3-butadiene, 9-10-diphenyl-anthracene, 9-phenylanthracene, diphenylacetylene, 2-fluorobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid, 4-biphenylcarboxylic acid, and n-phenylanthranilic acid.
4. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal includes a salt of an aromatic acid.
5. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal includes a lithium salt of an aromatic acid.
6. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal includes a lithium salt of 2-fluorobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid.
7. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal has a length of greater than about 1 mm in one dimension.
8. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal has a length of greater than about 5 mm in one dimension.
9. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal has a length of greater than about 25 mm in one dimension.
10. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the organic crystal has physical characteristics of exhibiting typical faceted growth on the faces of said crystal.
11. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the signal response signature includes a delayed luminescence characteristic of neutrons interacting with the organic crystal relative to a luminescence characteristic of gamma rays interacting with the organic crystal.
12. The organic crystal of claim 1 , wherein the crystal has physical characteristics of formation from solution.
13. A method, comprising:
growing the organic crystal of claim 1 from solution.
14. A system, comprising:
the organic crystal of claim 1 ; and
a photodetector for detecting the signal response of the organic crystal.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the organic crystal has physical characteristics of exhibiting typical faceted growth on the faces of said crystal.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the organic crystal has a length of greater than about 1 mm in one dimension.
17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the signal response signature includes a delayed luminescence characteristic of neutrons interacting with the organic crystal relative to a luminescence characteristic of gamma rays interacting with the organic crystal.
18. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a processor for processing an output of the photodetector using pulse shape discrimination for differentiating responses for neutrons and gamma irradiation.
19. A mixed organic crystal, comprising:
a single mixed crystal having two compounds with different bandgap energies,
the organic crystal having a physical property of exhibiting a signal response signature for neutrons from a radioactive source,
wherein the signal response signature does not include a significantly-delayed luminescence characteristic of neutrons interacting with the organic crystal relative to a luminescence characteristic of gamma rays interacting with the organic crystal.
20. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the signal response signature is characterized by a fraction of delayed light not exceeding 10 −3 of a peak intensity 30 ns after a primary luminescence signal.
21. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal has physical characteristics of formation from solution.
22. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal has physical characteristics of growth from melt.
23. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes bibenzyl and stilbene or a stilbene derivative.
24. The organic crystal of claim 23 , wherein a concentration of the stilbene or stilbene derivative is in a range of 10 and 99.9% (molecular %).
25. The organic crystal of claim 23 , wherein a concentration of the stilbene or stilbene derivative is in a range of 0.05 and 10% (molecular %).
26. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes diphenylacetylene (DPAC) and stilbene or a stilbene derivative.
27. The organic crystal of claim 26 , wherein a concentration of the stilbene or stilbene derivative is in a range of 0.05 and 10% (molecular %).
28. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes naphthalene and anthracene.
29. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes biphenyl and p-terphenyl.
30. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes p-terphenyl and p-quaterphenyl.
31. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the two compounds differ by a number of phenyl rings in each.
32. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes one or more benzene or phenyl rings.
33. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes a material selected from a group consisting of 1-3-5-triphenyl benzene, 1-1-4-4-tetraphenyl-1-3-butadiene, 1-4-diphenyl-1-3-butadiene, 9-10-diphenyl-anthracene, 9-phenylanthracene, diphenylacetylene, 2-fluorobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid, 4-biphenylcarboxylic acid, and n-phenylanthranilic acid.
34. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes a salt of an aromatic acid.
35. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes a lithium salt of an aromatic acid.
36. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal includes a lithium salt of 2-fluorobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid.
37. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal has a length of greater than about 1 mm in one dimension.
38. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal has a length of greater than about 5 mm in one dimension.
39. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal has a length of greater than about 25 mm in one dimension.
40. The organic crystal of claim 19 , wherein the organic crystal has physical characteristics of exhibiting typical faceted growth on the faces of said crystal.
41. A method, comprising:
growing the organic crystal of claim 19 from solution.
42. A system, comprising:
the organic crystal of claim 19 ; and
a photodetector for detecting the signal response of the organic crystal.