Lanthanum-yttrium oxide scintillators and use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016178761-A1
Application number	US-201414907601-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 29, 2014
Priority date	Jul 29, 2013
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure relates to lanthanum-yttrium oxide scintillators used for detecting radiation, such as X-rays, gamma rays and thermal neutron radiation and charged particles, in security, medical imaging, particle physics and other applications.

First claim

1 . A method for detecting the presence of a radioactive element or a source of radiation, comprising:
a) receiving radiation from a radiation source, the radiation impinging upon a scintillator having the formula:
A x B 2-x O 3
wherein A is an element chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
B is an element chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
provided that A and B are not the same element;
the index x is greater than 0 and less than 2 (0<x<2);
wherein the impinging radiation causes the scintillator to emit electromagnetic radiation; and
b) measuring the resulting electromagnetic emission.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation impinging upon the scintillator is from an ultraviolet source and the electromagnetic emission is photoluminescence.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation impinging upon the scintillator is from an X-ray source and the electromagnetic emission is X-ray induced luminescence or fluorescence.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the scintillator has the formula La x Y 2-x O 3 .

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the scintillator is chosen from La 0.05 Y 1.95 O 3 , La 0.1 Y 1.9 O 3 ; La 0.2 Y 1.8 O 3 ; La 0.3 Y 1.7 O 3 ; La 0.4 Y 1.6 O 3 ; La 0.5 Y 1.5 O 3 ; and La 0.6 Y 1.4 O 3 .

6 . (canceled)

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the scintillator has the formula La x Sc 2-x O 3 .

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the scintillator is chosen from La 0.05 Sc 1.95 O 3 , La 0.1 Sc 1.9 O 3 ; La 0.2 Sc 1.8 O 3 ; La 0.3 Sc 1.7 O 3 ; La 0.4 Sc 1.6 O 3 ; La 0.5 Sc 1.5 O 3 ; and —La 0.6 Sc 1.4 O 3 .

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the scintillator has the formula La x Lu 2-x O 3 .

10 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the scintillator is chosen from La 0.05 Lu 1.95 O 3 , La 0.1 Lu 1.9 O 3 ; La 0.2 Lu 1.8 O 3 ; La 0.3 Lu 1.7 O 3 ; La 0.4 Lu 1.6 O 3 ; La 0.5 Lu 1.5 O 3 ; and La 0.6 Lu 1.4 O 3 .

11 . A method for detecting the presence of a source of radiation, comprising:
a) receiving radiation from an ultraviolet radiation source, the radiation impinging upon a scintillator having the formula:
A x B 2-x O 3
wherein A is chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
B is chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
provided that A and B are not the same element;
the index x is greater than 0 and less than 2 (0<x<2);
wherein the impinging radiation causes photoluminescence; and
b) measuring the resulting photoluminescence.

12 . (canceled)

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the scintillator has the formula La x Y 2-x O 3 .

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the scintillator is chosen from La 0.05 Y 1.95 O 3 , La 0.1 Y 1.9 O 3 ; La 0.2 Y 1.8 O 3 ; La 0.3 Y 1.7 O 3 ; La 0.4 Y 1.6 O 3 ; La 0.5 Y 1.5 O 3 ; and La 0.6 Y 1.4 O 3 .

15 . A device for detecting the presence of radiation, comprising:
a) a scintillator having the formula:
A x B 2-x O 3
wherein A is chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
B is chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
provided that A and B are not the same element;
the index x is greater than 0 and less than 2 (0<x<2); and
b) a detector for receiving emitted electromagnetic radiation.

16 . The device according to claim 15 , wherein the scintillator has the formula La x Y 2-x O 3 .

17 . The device according to claim 16 , wherein the scintillator is chosen from La 0.05 Y 1.95 O 3 , La 0.1 Y 1.9 O 3 ; La 0.2 Y 1.8 O 3 ; La 0.3 Y 1.7 O 3 ; La 0.4 Y 1.6 O 3 ; La 0.5 Y 1.5 O 3 ; and La 0.6 Y 1.4 O 3 .

18 .- 24 . (canceled)

25 . A method for detecting the presence of a radiation source, comprising:
a) contacting a scintillator having the formula:
A x B 2-x O 3
wherein A is chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
B is chosen from La, Y, Lu or Sc;
provided that A and B are not the same element;
the index x is greater than 0 and less than 2 (0<x<2) with a suspected source of radiation; and
b) observing whether induced luminescence or X-ray florescence occurs.

26 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the scintillator has the formula La x Y 2-x O 3 .

27 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the scintillator is chosen from La 0.05 Y 1.95 O 3 , La 0.1 Y 1.9 O 3 ; La 0.2 Y 1.8 O 3 ; La 0.3 Y 1.7 O 3 ; La 0.4 Y 1.6 O 3 ; La 0.5 Y 1.5 O 3 ; and La 0.6 Y 1.6 O 3 .

28 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein the suspected radiation is in a container.

29 . The method according to claim 25 , wherein a person has possession of the suspected radiation.

Assignees

• Univ Texas
• Regetns The University Of Texas System Board Of

Inventors

• Chen Wei

Classifications

• G01T1/2023 Primary

  Selection of materials · CPC title

• C09K11/7787

  Oxides (C09K11/7785 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01T1/2018

  Scintillation-photodiode combinations · CPC title

• G21K4/00

  Conversion screens for the conversion of the spatial distribution of X-rays or particle radiation into visible images, e.g. fluoroscopic screens (photographic processes using X-ray intensifiers G03C5/17; discharge tubes comprising luminescent screens H01J1/62; cathode ray tubes for X-ray conversion with optical output H01J31/50) · CPC title

• G01T1/202 Primary

  the detector being a crystal · CPC title