1. Multi-ampoule Bridgman growth of halide scintillator crystals using the self-seeding method.
- Author
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Lindsey, Adam C., Wu, Yuntao, Zhuravleva, Mariya, Loyd, Matthew, Koschan, Merry, and Melcher, Charles L.
- Subjects
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SCINTILLATORS , *HALIDES , *CRYSTAL growth , *SINGLE crystals , *EUROPIUM - Abstract
We investigate the multi-ampoule growth at 25 mm diameter of ternary iodide single crystal scintillator KCaI 3 :Eu using the randomly oriented self-seeded Bridgman method. We compare scintillation performance between cubic inch scale crystals containing small variations of low nominal europium concentrations previously shown to balance light yield with self-absorption in the host crystal. Growth conditions were optimized in the developmental furnace and four 2 in 3 KCaI 3 :Eu crystals were grown simultaneously producing a total of six 25 mm × 25 mm cylinders. Small variations in activator concentration did not result in significant performance differences among the six measured crystals. A range of energy resolutions of 3.5–4.7% at 662 keV was achieved, surpassing that of NaI:Tl crystals commonly used in spectroscopic detection applications. The function and basic design of the multi-ampoule furnace as well as the process of growing single crystals of KCaI 3 is included here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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