Innovative Materials Engineering and Growth of a High Performance and Low Cost Scintillator

The goal of this program is to produce radiation detector scintillators with enhanced-medium energy resolution of 2-3%, at costs approaching those of medium energy resolution detectors such as CsI. To achieve this goal, a two pronged approach will be pursued. First, we will employ materials engineering tools to improve the performance of an existing scintillator with superior attributes. Second, an innovative large scale growth process will be developed to substantially reduce the production cost of the scintillator. The cumulative effect of the two approaches promises to provide a low-cost, high performance scintillator that would change the landscape of handheld radiation detection market. The developed scintillators will be demonstrated in a Radio Isotope Identification Device (RIID) with a clear path towards rapid commercialization.