Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • Achieved unprecedented crystallinity of 97.6% in transparent glass-ceramic scintillators via sequential precipitation of CaF2 and BaAl2Si2O8, enabling high performance. • • Maintains 90.6% of integrated X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) intensity at 300 °C, demonstrating exceptional thermal quenching resistance for high-temperature applications. • • Integrated XEL intensity reaches 94.2% of commercial BGO at room temperature, indicating competitive scintillation efficiency. • • Enables stable high-temperature X-ray imaging with spatial resolution of ~10.4 lp mm−1 up to 225 °C, suitable for extreme-environment industrial inspection.
Abstract
High-temperature X-ray imaging demands scintillators with high crystallinity, efficient scintillation, and robust thermal stability, yet suitable materials remain scarce. Here, we report an ultra-high-crystallinity transparent glass-ceramic (GC) scintillator strategically designed via controllable heat-treatment-induced crystallization. A sequential precipitation method is employed, where cubic CaF2 nanocrystals initially form, subsequently promoting heterogeneous nucleation and growth of hexagonal BaAl2Si2O8. Intrinsic nanoscale phase separation into F-rich and O-rich domains significantly reduces atomic diffusion distances, yielding an unprecedented crystallinity of up to 97.6%. Notably, defect traps (oxygen vacancy defects, likely located within the lattice or at crystalline/amorphous interfaces) enable efficient carrier capture and thermally stimulated release, contributing to remarkable resistance to thermal quenching. Consequently, the GC scintillator maintains 90.6% of its integrated X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) intensity at 300 °C, with the integrated XEL intensity reaching 94.2% of commercial Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) at room temperature. This enables stable high-temperature X-ray imaging with a spatial resolution of ~10.4 lp mm−1 up to 225 °C. This work provides a versatile pathway for developing high-sensitivity scintillators for extreme-environment X-ray imaging.
1. Introduction
High-temperature X-ray imaging is critical for industrial nondestructive inspection of equipment operating under extreme thermal conditions, yet conventional scintillators suffer from severe thermal quenching and fabrication limitations. Single-crystal scintillators like BGO and CsI:Tl exhibit poor thermal stability and complex manufacturing, while ceramic scintillators face long production cycles and restricted host choices. Amorphous glass scintillators, though easily shaped, suffer from low light yields due to inherent defects. These bottlenecks necessitate a new class of scintillators that combine high crystallinity, efficient radioluminescence, and robust thermal stability.
This work addresses these challenges by engineering an ultra-high-crystallinity transparent glass-ceramic scintillator through a controllable crystallization process. By leveraging sequential precipitation of CaF2 and BaAl2Si2O8, the material achieves 97.6% crystallinity, significantly reducing amorphous defects. The presence of oxygen vacancy defects facilitates efficient carrier capture and thermally stimulated release, leading to exceptional thermal quenching resistance. The resulting scintillator maintains 90.6% of its XEL intensity at 300 °C and achieves 94.2% of BGO's room-temperature performance, enabling high-resolution X-ray imaging up to 225 °C. This approach offers a scalable, cost-effective pathway for high-temperature X-ray imaging applications.
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Shisheng Lin, Yunfei Zhang, Rujian Gu, Jidong Lin, Xusheng Qiao, Lingwei Zeng, Hewen Lin, Jiamin Zheng, Xiuxia Yang, Xuhui Xu, Feng Huang, Daqin Chen (2026). Ultra-high-crystallinity transparent glass-ceramic scintillators for high-temperature X-ray imaging. SCIENCE CHINA Materials. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-026-4315-2
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum operating temperature for stable X-ray imaging with this glass-ceramic scintillator, and what spatial resolution is achieved?
The scintillator maintains stable X-ray imaging up to 225 °C with a spatial resolution of approximately 10.4 lp mm−1, as demonstrated in the study.
How does the scintillation efficiency of this glass-ceramic compare to commercial BGO at room temperature?
At room temperature, the integrated X-ray excited luminescence (XEL) intensity reaches 94.2% of that of commercial Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO), indicating competitive performance.
What is the crystallinity of the glass-ceramic, and how does it contribute to thermal stability?
The glass-ceramic achieves an unprecedented crystallinity of up to 97.6%. This high crystallinity reduces amorphous defects and, combined with oxygen vacancy defects that enable thermally stimulated release, contributes to remarkable resistance to thermal quenching.
What is the mechanism behind the high crystallinity and thermal stability?
The sequential precipitation method first forms cubic CaF2 nanocrystals, which promote heterogeneous nucleation and growth of hexagonal BaAl2Si2O8. Intrinsic nanoscale phase separation into F-rich and O-rich domains reduces atomic diffusion distances, enabling high crystallinity. Oxygen vacancy defects act as traps for carriers, allowing efficient capture and thermally stimulated release, which mitigates thermal quenching.
What are the potential scalability and cost advantages of this glass-ceramic scintillator compared to single crystals?
Glass-ceramic scintillators offer cost-effective fabrication, flexibility in shaping (e.g., fibers or large sizes), and lower production complexity compared to single crystals, making them attractive for industrial scale-up.
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