ProductsOur selection of scintillators for neutron imaging
For each application the best suited scintillation screen:
Every measurement environment or application requires a suitable scintillator.
In many years of cooperation with the Paul Scherrer Institute and assistance of the entire neutron imaging community, we have been able to develop numerous different scintillators to cover a wide range of applications.
Herewith you have the possibility to choose from a wide range of scintillators regarding:
- Radiation energy (cold, thermal or fast neutrons)
- Resolution
- Light output
- Luminous decay (afterglow time)
- Radiation hardness (degradation of the light material)
- Dimension (measuring surface area)
- Emission spectrum (adaptation to the detector system)
SCINTILLATORS FOR MEASUREMENTS WITH COLD / THERMAL NEUTRONS
RC Tritec and PSI are willing to fulfil all customer requirements. For special sizes, thicknesses or any other requirement (special absorber or luminophor) please contact us.
RESOLUTION
Basically the resulting resolution depends on the beam properties, the camera system and the scintillator. For the scintillator the resolution is determined by the layer thickness, the absorber used (157 or natGd, 6Li, 10B) and the luminescent material (2 components or absorber in the luminescent material). The resolutions given in the following table are standard values and may vary depending on the measurement environment.
| Resolution | Thickness | Scintillator material |
| ~5 µm | ~5 µm | 157Gd enriched Gd2O2S:Tb-scintillator |
| ~10 - 40 µm | ~10 - 40 µm | (nat)Gd2O2S:Tb |
| ~10 - 50 µm | ~10 - 50 µm | 6LiF/Gd2O2S:Tb |
| ~10 - 50 µm | ~10 - 50 µm | Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce |
| ~ 50 - 400 µm | ~ 50 - 400 µm | 6LiF/ZnS:Cu or Ag |
| ~ 50 - 400 µm | ~ 50 - 400 µm | 6LiF/Zn(Cd)S:Ag |
| ~ 50 - 400 µm | ~ 50 - 400 µm | 10B2O3/ZnS:Cu or Ag |
| ~ 50 - 400 µm | ~ 50 - 400 µm | 6LiF/YAG:Ce |
LIGHT OUTPUT
The light yield depends on the absorber used (type and energy of the secondary radiation), on the phosphor used (quantum efficiency) and also on the layer thickness (the thicker, the higher the light output). Below values are an indication and can vary due to the measurement environment
| I(rel) | Thickness | Szintillator material |
| 100% | 100 µm | 6LiF/ZnS:Cu or Ag |
| ~80% | 100 µm | 6LiF/Zn(Cd)S:Ag |
| ~50% | 100 µm | 10B2O3/ZnS:Cu or Ag |
| ~15% | 100 µm | 6LiF/YAG:Ce |
| ~8% | 20 µm | 6LiF/Gd2O2S:Tb |
| ~6% | 20 µm | (nat)Gd2O2S:Tb |
| ~3% | 50 µm | Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce |
AFTERGLOW BEHAVIOR
The afterglow behaviour of some scintillators in the seconds and minutes range was investigated in detail by the working group of Michael Schulz, in particular by Tobias Neuwirth at the TUM (FRM II, Garching). Details and explanations can be read in the publication. The values given may vary depending on the measurement environment. The lower the I(rel) value relative to the starting value, the shorter the afterglow time.
I(rel to start value) after 1 second | Szintillator material |
| 0.1% | 6LiF/Zn(Cd)S:Ag |
| 2% | 6-LiF/YAG:Ce |
| 5% | (nat)Gd2O2S:Tb |
| 8% | 6-LiF/ZnS:Cu |
| ~8% (data not reliable) | 6-LiF/ZnO:Ga (no product) |
LONG-TERM STABILITY (RADIATION HARDNESS)
The long-term stability against ionizing radiation depends on the intensity of the irradiation, the type of secondary radiation and the luminescent material itself. The arrangement below is relative and depends on the measurement environment.
| Relative Stability | Szintillator material |
| very good | 6LiF/Zn(Cd)S:Ag |
| very good | (nat)Gd2O2S:Tb |
| very good | 10B2O3/ZnS:Cu oder Ag |
| good | 6LiF/Gd2O2S:Tb |
| limited | 6LiF/ZnS:Cu oder Ag |
| limited | 6LiF/YAG:Ce |