Fabrication of a scintillator material of elpasolite type

摘要

A process for fabricating a crystalline scintillator material with an elpasolite structure that has a theoretical composition of A2BC(1-y)MyX(6-y) can include conducting crystallization by cooling from a melt bath including r moles of A and s moles of B. A is chosen from Cs, Rb, K, and Na. B is chosen from Li, K, and Na. C is chosen from athe rare earth elements, Al, and Ga. M is chosen from the alkaline earth elements. X is chosen from F, Cl, Br, and I, and y represents the atomic fraction of substitution of C by M and is in the range extending from 0 to 0.05. The melt bath can be in contact with the material containing A and B in such a way that 2s/r is above 1. The process shows an improved fabrication yield. The crystals formed therefrom can have improved scintillation properties.

主权项

1. A process for fabricating a crystalline scintillator material with a structure of elpasolite type of theoretical composition A2BC(1-y)MyX(6-y), comprising conducting crystallization by cooling from a melt bath comprising r moles of A and s moles of B,
wherein:
A is chosen from among Cs, Rb, K, Na;B is chosen from among Li, K, Na and comprises Li;C is chosen from among the rare earths, Al, and Ga;M is chosen from among the alkaline earths; andX is chosen from among F, Cl, Br, and I and comprises Cl or Br or I, y representing an atomic fraction of substitution of C by M and being in a range extending from 0 to 0.05; wherein the crystalline scintillator material is doped with an element activating scintillation; wherein the melt bath in contact with the material contains A and B in such a way that 2s/r is above 1; and wherein a first two-thirds in volume of growth of the crystalline material comprises less than 10% in volume of a phase different to that of the elpasolite.