Multi-Signature Composite Detector

Radiation Monitoring Devices has developed CLYC scintillation technology into a new detector type with its ability to simultaneously record and distinguish signals from gamma rays and neutrons. As with any detector, RMD is continuously striving to increase CLYC's active volume, which is most directly impacted by crystal growth. In parallel, RMD has also been evaluating techniques outside of growth that can provide similar benefits. A new technology that RMD proposes to develop, is to submerge multiple smaller CLYC scintillators together in a polymer matrix that serves as an optical light guide. The primary advantage is that only small size crystallites are needed, which are both easier to produce and much less expensive. Also, this technique may likely be the faster route to a steady supply of highly efficient, large volume CLYC detectors, outpacing directly grown single crystalline ingots. If as a polymer, styrene and vinyltoluene doped with wavelength shifters such as PPO are used, the new composite detector can add fast neutron detection as an additional modality. Due to the significant difference between the light decay of the gamma and neutron events in the plastic scintillator matrix and in the CLYC scintillator, events can be easily attributed to each material and excitation type using pulse-shape discrimination. Most importantly, the cost of such a detector can be significantly lower compared to high quality single crystals of inorganic scintillators.