Nanocomposite scintillator and detector

• US 7,547,888 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRIAD National Security, LLC
• Original Assignee: Los Alamos National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Del Sesto, Rico E., Burrell, Anthony K., McCleskey, T. Mark, Bennett, Bryan L., Ott, Kevin C., Muenchausen, Ross E., McKigney, Edward A., Cooke, D. Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher; Constantine
• Application Number:
  US11/729,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20080128624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 250/361.R
• US Class Current: 250/361.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/2023 Selection of materials see provisionally also G01T1/202

Abstract

A nanocomposite scintillator is prepared using fast, bright, rare-earth doped nanopowder phosphor and a binder that is transparent to the emission of the phosphor.

Claims

1. A composition comprising nanophosphor particles of the formula Ce_nLa₍₁₋

n)X₃ (oleic acid), wherein X is chosen from fluoride and bromide, and wherein 1≧

n≧

0, wherein said composition is a nanocomposite scintillator.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein X comprises fluoride and wherein said nanoparticles comprise a measured size of less than 10 nanometers.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein n is 0.20 and X is fluoride.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition is a transparent nanocomposite scintillator.

5. A gamma ray detector comprising a composition of the formula Ce_nLa₍₁₋

n)X₃(oleic acid), wherein X is chosen from fluoride and bromide, and wherein 1≧

n≧

0 wherein said composition is a nanocomposite scintillator.