Terbium- or lutetium - containing garnet phosphors and scintillators for detection of high-energy radiation

US6630077B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Joseph John Shiang · Niskayuna, US
• Anant Achyut Setlur · Niskayuna, US
• Alok Mani Srivastava · San Francisco, US
• Holly Ann Comanzo · Niskayuna, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 11, 2001
• Grant date: Oct 7, 2003
• Expiry date: Dec 22, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C04B2235/764
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Scintillator compositions having a garnet crystal structure useful for the detection of high-energy radiation, such as X, &bgr;, and &ggr; radiation, contain (1) at least one of terbium and lutetium; (2) at least one rare earth metal; and (3) at least one of Al, Ga, and In. Terbium or lutetium may be partially substituted with Y, La, Gd, and Yb. In particular, the scintillator composition contains both terbium and lutetium. The scintillators are characterized by high light output, reduced afterglow, short decay time, and high X-ray stopping power.