Lutetium-Based Scintillators for Pet

We will grow and characterize a promising class of fast, bright, heavy phosphors -- rare earth dope(LuSO) and LuA1O3 (LuAO) -- with the goal of providing the scintillators with which the sensitivityTomography (PET) cameras can be increased. From what is known of the only existing single crystal exLu2SiO5:Ce3+ (LSO), these materials will be bright and have good photoelectric-to-Compton stopping pphotons, fast rise times, good energy resolution, short luminescence lifetimes, and resistance to chabuse, and radiation damage. These properties offer a decisive advantage over the current standard Psodium iodide (NaI:Tl) and bismuth germanate (BGO). Our study has three goals: (1) estimate by compudecay and luminescent properties of a wide variety of LuSO and LuAO doped with a range of concentratrare earth ions; (2) obtain samples of those LuSO and LuAO variants with the most promising PET propevaluate experimentally these candidate materials for PET applications.