中国物理B ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (5): 50703-050703.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/adb94b

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A high light-yield neutron scintillator based on Ce3+-doped lithium glass

Rui-Qiang Song(宋瑞强)1,3,†, Chuang Liu(刘闯)2,†, Yi-Yang Long(龙逸洋)1, Ji-Feng Han(韩纪锋)1,‡, Jing Ren(任晶)2,§, and Sen Qian(钱森)3,¶   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China;
    2 College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China;
    3 Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • 收稿日期:2024-12-30 修回日期:2025-02-13 接受日期:2025-02-24 出版日期:2025-05-15 发布日期:2025-04-28
  • 通讯作者: Ji-Feng Han, Jing Ren, Sen Qian E-mail:hanjf@scu.edu.cn;ren.jing@hrbeu.edu.cn;qians@ihep.ac.cn
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2023YFF0721700) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12475312).

A high light-yield neutron scintillator based on Ce3+-doped lithium glass

Rui-Qiang Song(宋瑞强)1,3,†, Chuang Liu(刘闯)2,†, Yi-Yang Long(龙逸洋)1, Ji-Feng Han(韩纪锋)1,‡, Jing Ren(任晶)2,§, and Sen Qian(钱森)3,¶   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Radiation Physics and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China;
    2 College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China;
    3 Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2024-12-30 Revised:2025-02-13 Accepted:2025-02-24 Online:2025-05-15 Published:2025-04-28
  • Contact: Ji-Feng Han, Jing Ren, Sen Qian E-mail:hanjf@scu.edu.cn;ren.jing@hrbeu.edu.cn;qians@ihep.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2023YFF0721700) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12475312).

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摘要： The development of low-cost and highly efficient thermal neutron detection materials to substitute the rare and expensive $^{3}$He gas is important for applications requiring thermal neutron detection. Lithium-based glass (Li glass) is a promising candidate due to its simple fabrication process and low cost. This paper reports the optical properties and scintillation performance of a new Ce$^{3+}$-doped Li glass, whose luminescence efficiency is significantly enhanced with a light yield of about 4770 ph/MeV, which is about 54% of that of BGO crystal, and the energy resolution is 14.5% for 662 keV gamma rays. The Ce$^{3+}$-doped Li glass shows a high light yield of about 7058 ph/neutron, which is about 1.18 times that of the reference GS20 glass. The Ce$^{3+}$-doped Li glass exhibits stronger gamma ray suppression capability compared to GS20 glass samples. Further optimizing the Ce$^{3+}$ concentration and $^{6}$Li content is expected to achieve much superior neutron detection efficiency, positioning it as a promising alternative to $^{3}$He gas for efficient thermal neutron detection.

关键词: thermal neutron detection, neutron scintillator, Li glass, light yield

Abstract: The development of low-cost and highly efficient thermal neutron detection materials to substitute the rare and expensive $^{3}$He gas is important for applications requiring thermal neutron detection. Lithium-based glass (Li glass) is a promising candidate due to its simple fabrication process and low cost. This paper reports the optical properties and scintillation performance of a new Ce$^{3+}$-doped Li glass, whose luminescence efficiency is significantly enhanced with a light yield of about 4770 ph/MeV, which is about 54% of that of BGO crystal, and the energy resolution is 14.5% for 662 keV gamma rays. The Ce$^{3+}$-doped Li glass shows a high light yield of about 7058 ph/neutron, which is about 1.18 times that of the reference GS20 glass. The Ce$^{3+}$-doped Li glass exhibits stronger gamma ray suppression capability compared to GS20 glass samples. Further optimizing the Ce$^{3+}$ concentration and $^{6}$Li content is expected to achieve much superior neutron detection efficiency, positioning it as a promising alternative to $^{3}$He gas for efficient thermal neutron detection.

Key words: thermal neutron detection, neutron scintillator, Li glass, light yield

中图分类号:  (Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing)

  • 07.07.Df
28.20.Fc (Neutron absorption) 29.30.Hs (Neutron spectroscopy) 29.40.Mc (Scintillation detectors)