Neutron scintillating materials
Neutron scintillating materials are provided, including boron substitution scintillation materials, boron and Li substitution scintillation materials, and Gd-based substitution scintillation materials.
1. A neutron scintillating material having to the formula:
[A 3-3a/2 R a ] 1-α-2δ-2w/3 (M 1-x B x )O 4-α-w′ F 1-δ-w″ N w
where A is Sr alone or Sr mixed with Ba and/or Ca such that A is made up of at least ⅔ mole % of Sr and ⅓ mole % or less of Ba and/or Ca; R is La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ac, Th, U, Cr, Mn, Tc, Re, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, As, Sb, Bi, Ge, Sn, Pb, In, TI, or combinations thereof; M is B, Al, Ga, In, W, Mo, or mixtures thereof;
0<a<0.3; α is up to about 0.2; δ is about 0.01 to about 0.15; x is about 0.01 to about 0.6, and 0≦w≦0.05 such that 0≦w′≦0.1 and 0≦w″≦0.15.
2. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 1 , wherein the neutron scintillating material includes doping in the A, R, and/or M locations with Li, B, Gd, U, or combinations thereof.
3. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 1 , wherein w is 0, w′ is 0 and w″ is 0.
4. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 1 , wherein x is about 0.4 to about 0.5.
5. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 1 , wherein x is about 0.1 to about 0.4.
6. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 1 , wherein R includes Ce.
7. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 6 , wherein the neutron scintillating material has the formula:
[Sr 2.975-y Ba y Ce 0.025 ] 1-α-2δ-2w/3 (M 1-x B x )]O 4-α-w′ F 1-δ-w″ N w
where y is up to 1, α is up to about 0.2; M is Al, Ga, In, B, W, Mo, and/or mixtures thereof; x is about 0.01 to about 0.6; δ is about 0.01 to about 0.15; and 0≦w≦0.05 such that 0≦w′≦0.1 and 0≦w″≦0.15.
8. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 7 , wherein y is about 0.025 to about 0.975.
9. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 7 , wherein α is about 0.01 to about 0.2.
10. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 7 , wherein w is 0, w′ is 0 and w″ is 0.
11. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 7 , wherein M includes Al.
12. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 11 , wherein the neutron scintillating material has the formula:
[Sr 2.975-y Ba y Ce 0.025 ] 1-α-2δ-2w/3 (Al 1-x B x )]O 4-α-w′ F 1-δ-w″ N w
where y is up to 1, α is up to about 0.2; x is about 0.01 to about 0.6; δ is about 0.01 to about 0.15; and 0≦w≦0.05 such that 0≦w′≦0.1 and 0≦w″≦0.15.
13. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 12 , wherein x is about 0.5.
14. A neutron scintillating material having the formula:
Sr 3-2y Ra y′ 6 Li y″ (M 1-x B x )O 4-δ1-w F 1-δ2-w N w
where 0<y≦1 such that 0<y′≦1 and 0<y″≦1, M is Al, Ga, In, B, W, Mo, or mixtures thereof; x is about 0.01 to about 0.6, δ is about 0.01 to about 0.15, and 0≦w≦0.05 such that 0≦w′≦0.1 and 0≦w″≦0.15.
15. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 14 , wherein y, y′, and y″ are substantially equal to each other.
16. A neutron scintillating material having the formula:
[Sr 3-2y (Ra 1-y Gd y ) 6 Li z ] 1-α-2δ-2w/3 (M 1-x B x )O 4-α-w′ F 1-δ-w″ (N w
where 0<y≦1, 0<z≦1, M is Al, Ga, In, B, W, Mo, or mixtures thereof; x is about 0.01 to about 0.6, δ is about 0.01 to about 0.15, and 0≦w≦0.05 such that 0≦w′≦0.1 and 0≦w″≦0.15.
17. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 16 , wherein the neutron scintillating material has the formula:
[Sr 3-y Gd y ] 1-α-2δ-2w/3 (M 1-x B x )O 4-α-w′ F 1-δ-w″ N w
where y is about 0.01 to about 0.1.
18. The neutron scintillating material as in claim 16 , wherein the neutron scintillating material has the formula:
[Sr 3-2y Gd y (Li, Na, and/or K) x ] 1-α-2δ-2w/3 (M 1-x B x )O 4-α-w′ F 1-δ-w″ N w
where y is about 0.1 to about 0.5.