Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. SBIR Phase I Award, June 2020

In order to answer fundamental questions in physics concerning the basic laws governing the interactions and forces among the elementary particles, HEP experiments are conducted using increasingly higher energies. These experiments place a great burden on the detection systems, which must survive the hard radiation environment and deliver excellent performance. The progress in the detection technology can be maintained and leveraged only if new materials are developed. One of the most prominent materials in high-energy physics (HEP) currently is LYSO. It provides good radiation tolerance, good scintillation properties, but its manufacturing cost is quite high. In this project we propose to replace LYSO by a ceramic-based scintillator that can provide both lower cost and better performance. Ceramic materials have already found their way into the laser world as an alternative to melt-based crystals. Specifically, we propose to optimize and develop low cost manufacturing approach to Ce/Pr doped LuAG scintillator. LuAG is an attractive replacement for LYSO, with overall comparable performance metrics but with a great potential for lower manufacturing cost. Recent research within the garnet scintillator family also indicates that the scintillation performance of LuAG can be improved. In Phase-I, we will seek to maximize the performance of LuAG by judiciously modifying its composition using band-gap and defect engineering to provide the foundation for scaling up to a commercially viable process in Phase II. Initial studies of viability will be performed at Caltech on optimized samples and the results will be compared with these of LYSO. In addition to high energy physics applications, dense and fast scintillators can improve the performance of various high energy radiography systems used for homeland security (e.g. high energy, high speed radiography), medical systems such as PET, and other applications. The project will also increase penetration of the ceramic technology for scintillator manufacturing.