Inorganic scintillation crystals are usually widely used in the detection of X- or gamma ray radiation. Recently, the interest in the detection of the thermal neutron has been increasing for the increasing need for neutron detectors in the fields of national security system and neutron scattering equipment, such as radiation portal monitors and spallation neutron sources. The neutron detection crystals of Eu:LiI and Ce:Cs₂LiYCl₆ can been obtained from the market. But they are very expensive for the sensitivity to water gas and the strictly control of the ⁶Li isotopes. So crystals containing B elements may be promising cheap scintillators for neutron detection. Recently, we investigated the growth techniques of Li₆Lu(BO₃)₃ crystals and grew its single crystal by Czochralski technique.

  The single crystal of Ce:Li₆Lu(BO₃)₃ with the diameter of about 30 mm (Fig 1) has been grown with the Czochraski technique under N₂ atmosphere. The effects of pulling rate on the crystal shape have been investigated.

The light yields of Ce:Li₆Lu(BO₃)₃ crystal excited by X-ray, gamma ray and α particles are comparable with Ce:Li₆Gd(BO₃)₃ crystal, which means that Ce:Li₆Lu(BO₃)₃ is a new promising neutron detection scintillation crystal for the ¹⁰B(n,α) ⁷Li reaction.

Fig 1. As-grown crystal of Ce:Li₆Lu(BO₃)₃ grown by the Czochralski technique

References:

[1] Chaminade J P, Viraphong O, Guillen F, et al. Crystal growth and optical properties of new neutron detectors Ce ³⁺:Li₆R(BO₃)₃ (R=Gd,Y)[J]. 2001, - 48(- 4): 1161.

[2] Pan S, Yang F, Ding D, et al. Czochralski Growth of Ce³⁺-doped Li₆Gd(BO₃)₃ Single Crystals[J]. Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on. 2010, 57(3): 1300-1303.

[3] Yang F, Pan S K, Ding D Z, et al. Crystal growth and luminescent properties of the Ce-doped Li₆Lu(BO₃)₃[J]. Journal of Crystal Growth. 2010, 312(16-17): 2411-2414.

^* Corresponding author: E-mail address: [email protected]. This work was supported by National Natural Science foundation of China (No. 51272263).

• Legal notice:
  

  Copyright (c) Pielaszek Research, all rights reserved.
  The above materials, including auxiliary resources, are subject to Publisher's copyright and the Author(s) intellectual rights. Without limiting Author(s) rights under respective Copyright Transfer Agreement, no part of the above documents may be reproduced without the express written permission of Pielaszek Research, the Publisher. Express permission from the Author(s) is required to use the above materials for academic purposes, such as lectures or scientific presentations.
  In every case, proper references including Author(s) name(s) and URL of this webpage: https://science24.com/paper/29464 must be provided.