An efficient Cu+ doped Gd-based fluoroaluminosilicate scintillator glass for X-ray detectors

Abstract

Glass scintillators possess several advantages compared to single crystals and ceramics, including easy manufacturing, low cost and excellent physicochemical stability. However, the X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) intensity and spatial resolution of glass scintillators need to be further improved. In this paper, in order to improve the scintillating and luminescence properties of Cu⁺ doped glass scintillators, a series of strategies have been adopted. Firstly, Al reducing agent is introduced to inhibit the production of Cu²⁺. Secondly, energy transfer strategy is realized by adding Gd³⁺ sensitizer. Finally, fluoroaluminosilicate glass is selected as glass host to improve the transparency. High transmittance (80.4%@547 nm), extremely high X-ray attenuation efficiency (99.99%@2 mm), excellent integrated XEL intensity (176% of that of Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂) and outstanding spatial resolution (20 lp mm⁻¹) suggest that Cu⁺ doped fluoroaluminosilicate glass may be used in X-ray monitoring and imaging.