Quantum Shells Redefine X-ray Detection with Unmatched Speed and Sensitivity
A novel type of radiation-detecting scintillator could lead to benefits for medicine, national security, and particle physics.
The Science
Scintillators are materials that emit light when exposed to radiation. They are essential in fields like medical diagnostics, defense, and particle physics. Researchers have developed a new type of scintillator using a type of semiconductor called a colloidal quantum shell structure. These scintillators detect ionizing radiation, such as X-rays and electrons, with new levels of speed and durability. They can produce far more light for a given amount of radiation than the best commercial scintillators. In addition, they can respond to radiation in just 2.5 nanoseconds, making them significantly faster than current technologies. This speed is crucial for applications that require quick detection, such as particle physics. It is also crucial for rapid real-time analysis in applications like medical diagnostics, where high speed reduces patients’ exposure to radiation during exams. Quantum shells also hold up well to extended use. Finally, their ability to deliver high-resolution X-ray images can improve both radiation detection and imaging.
The Impact
Quantum shell scintillators could benefit fields from medicine to national security to particle physics. Their high efficiency, fast response times, and long-term stability would significantly improve the detection of ionizing radiation. For medical applications, this could mean clearer and faster imaging and more accurate diagnoses. In national security, they could aid the detection of radioactive material. For scientific research, they could allow for more precise studies of materials at the microscopic level.Summary
Efficient, fast, and robust scintillators for ionizing radiation detection that emit light when exposed to radiation are crucial for various fields, including medical diagnostics, defense, and particle physics. However, current scintillator technologies face challenges in achieving both optimal performance and high-speed operation. This research introduced a new type of scintillator using colloidal quantum shells, which simultaneously combines efficiency, speed, and durability. These nanomaterials benefit from the suppression of a process called Auger recombination, wherein energy that would normally create light is instead lost as heat. In quantum shells, this process is reduced, which means more energy is used to produce light instead of being lost. This is important because it makes the quantum shells much brighter and more efficient at detecting X-rays. Additionally, because less energy is converted to heat, quantum shells are more stable and can keep working for long periods, even under intense X-ray exposure.
More specifically, quantum shells exhibit superior room-temperature X-ray scintillation, with light yields up to 70,000 photons per million electron volts, surpassing the best commercial inorganic scintillators. They are also extremely fast, responding to radiation in just 2.5 nanoseconds without afterglow, making them ideal for high-speed applications. The researchers also demonstrated the quantum shells’ ability to produce high-resolution X-ray images with impressive clarity. This discovery promises to significantly improve the performance of radiation detectors and could have wide-reaching impacts across many industries.
Contact
Mikhail Zamkov
Bowling Green State University
Funding
Work performed at the Center for Nanoscale Materials and the Advanced Photon Source, both Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facilities, was supported by the DOE Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. In addition, one of the authors was supported by the DOE Office of Science.
Publications
Guzelturk, B., et al. Bright, Fast, and Durable Scintillation from Colloidal Quantum Shells. Nature Communications 15, 4274 (2024). [DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48351-9]
Related Links
Argonne National Laboratory research highlight: Colloidal quantum shells provide bright and durable scintillation
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Program: MSE
