Printable ionizing radiation sensors fabricated from nanoparticulate blends of organic scintillators and polymer semicon
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Research Letter
Printable ionizing radiation sensors fabricated from nanoparticulate blends of organic scintillators and polymer semiconductors Darcie Anderson, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia Sophie Cottam, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia Heidianne Heim, Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia Huiming Zhang, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia Natalie P. Holmes , Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia Matthew J. Griffith , School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Centre for Organic Electronics, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia Address all correspondence to Matthew J. Griffith at matthew.griffi[email protected] (Received 2 July 2019; accepted 13 September 2019)
Abstract This work established the feasibility of flexible solution-processed radiation sensors prepared from an organic scintillator (1-phenyl-3-mesityl2-pyrazoline) and a biocompatible semiconducting polymer (violanthrone-79). Absorbance, steady-state, and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements demonstrated a high efficiency for the transfer of absorbed energy from the scintillator to the semiconductor. Blended nanoparticles containing both materials were fabricated in order to reduce the intermolecular distance between molecules, creating a highly efficient energy transfer pathway. Radiation-sensing devices were then constructed from the materials. These exhibited successful sensitivity for gamma radiation from a 137Cs source that was not present for the control semiconducting polymer alone.
Introduction Rapid growth in the utilization of ionizing radiation in modern life has created a growing demand for new hybrid electronic materials that can readily detect such radiation. Traditionally, radiation detection is achieved with inorganic semiconducting materials such as silicon, cadmium zinc telluride, or mercury iodide, which directly convert ionizing radiation into an electrical signal.[1] However, these rigid materials suffer from severe limitations with processing into large-area pixelated detector matrices, an inability to conform to various regions of the human body, and also require correction factors to measure the radiation dose delivered to biological species because the device materials do not have a water-equivalent density.[2] A radiation detector that could remedy these issues would have wide-ranging applications, including radiation protection, dosimetry measurements for radiotherapy, X-ray imaging in diagnostic radiology, or personal health monitoring in a range of high-risk industries.[3] Demand from such applications has created intense interest in printed electronics, a
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