Doped halide scintillators
View Patent ↗The present invention provides for a composition comprising an inorganic scintillator comprising a doped halide, useful for detecting nuclear material.
1. An inorganic scintillator having the formula: A′ y B′ z X 5 :M′ x (I); wherein X is a halogen or a mixture of different halogen elements; M′ is an element with a valence of 1+; M′ is a Group 13 post-transition metal; A′ is an alkali metal with a valence of 1+; B′ is an alkaline earth metal with a valence of 2+; A′ and M′ are not the same element; A′ and B′ are present in the inorganic scintillator; x has a value having the range 0<x<5; and y +2z +x =5; wherein the inorganic scintillator is a single crystal having at least one dimension of the crystal having a length of at least 1 mm.
2. The inorganic scintillator of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the stoichiometry of A′:B′ is 1:2.
3. A gamma ray detector comprising the inorganic scintillator of claim 1 .
4. The inorganic scintillator of claim 1 , wherein M′ is Al, Ga, In, or TI.
5. The inorganic scintillator of claim 4 , wherein M′ is TI.
6. The inorganic scintillator of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic scintillator is a single crystal having at least one dimension of the crystal having a length of at least 1 cm.