Scintillation detectors and methods of preparation and use thereof
Described herein are scintillation detectors such as alpha- and beta-particle scintillation detectors along with methods of preparing and using such detectors. The scintillation detector comprises a protective layer including light-blocking nanoparticles.
1. A scintillation detector comprising:
a protective layer including light-blocking nanoparticles;
a radiation-sensitive scintillating layer; and
a photomultiplier,
wherein the protective layer is configured to allow alpha-particles and/or beta-particles to pass through and the protective layer prevents at least 99% of ambient light from reaching the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer.
2. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the light blocking nanoparticles are carbon nanoparticles.
3. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer further comprises a binder.
4. The scintillation detector of claim 3 , wherein the light-blocking nanoparticles are dispersed in the binder.
5. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of about 5 μm or less.
6. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is adhered to the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer.
7. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer comprises a beta-particle sensitive layer.
8. The scintillation detector of claim 7 , wherein the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer further comprises an alpha-particle sensitive layer and the beta-particle sensitive layer is between the alpha-particle sensitive layer and the photomultiplier.
9. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is devoid of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
10. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer comprises silver-activated zinc sulfide (ZnS:Ag).
11. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer has a thickness of about 10 μm to about 30 μm.
12. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-sensitive scintillating is optically coupled to the photomultiplier.
13. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is not damaged by contact with a blade of grass.
14. The scintillation detector of any claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is waterproof, resistant to an organic solvent, and/or unaffected by a disinfecting solution.
15. A method of detecting radiation, the method comprising:
exposing the scintillation detector of claim 1 to an environment; and
detecting a signal from the photomultiplier of the scintillation detector, thereby detecting radiation in the environment.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the radiation comprises alpha particles and/or beta particles.
17. The scintillation detector of claim 1 , wherein the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer comprises an alpha-particle sensitive layer.
18. A method of forming a scintillation detector, the method comprising:
depositing a light-blocking composition comprising light-blocking nanoparticles on a radiation-sensitive scintillating layer that is on a photomultiplier to provide a deposited light-blocking composition; and
forming a protective layer from the deposited light-blocking composition,
wherein the protective layer is configured to allow alpha-particles and/or beta-particles to pass through and the protective layer prevents at least 99% of ambient light from reaching the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein depositing the light-blocking composition comprises depositing the light-blocking composition using a thick film deposition technique.
20. A scintillation detector comprising:
a protective layer including light-blocking nanoparticles wherein the protective layer has a thickness of about 5 μm or less;
a radiation-sensitive scintillating layer; and
a photomultiplier,
wherein the protective layer is adhered to the radiation-sensitive scintillating layer.