Thin Scintillator Imaging Screens
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P. Horodysky , J. Tous , K. Blazek , M. Nikl , Yu. Zorenko , M. Kucera
1Crytur Ltd., Turnov, Czech Republic
2Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Physics, Prague, Czech Republic
3I. Franko National University, Electronic Department, Lviv, Ukraine
4Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Prague, Czech Republic
Scintillation Materials for Imaging Screens
Yttrium aluminum garnet activated by cerium is a fast scintillator with excellent
mechanical and chemical resistance. YAG:Ce scintillation detectors are thepreferred choice for electron microscopy, beta and X-ray counting, as well as forelectron and X-ray imaging screens.

5 mm thin YAG:Ce screenThin YAG:Ce screen on FOP

LPE LuAG:Ce sample

LPE LuAG:Eu screen

Lutetium aluminum garnet activated by cerium or europium is a scintillator withhigh absorption to X-ray radiation and excellent mechanical and chemical
resistance. LuAG:Ce scintillation detectors are the preferred choice for X-ray
radiography imaging screens.

High Spatial Resolution Imaging Systems

High-resolution X-ray imaging digital camera

High-resolution digital
camera for TEM

High resolution imaging system is a combination of a high sensitive digital CCD
camera and an optical system with a thin scintillator imaging screen. Thescreen is the YAG:Ce (Y3Al5O12) or the LuAG:Ce (Lu3Al5O12) inorganic
scintillator. These materials have the advantages in the mechanical andchemical stability, non-hygroscopicity, and a high radiation hardness.
Very thin (down to 5 microns) screens of YAG:Ce were developed for imaging
applications requiring high spatial resolution. Crytur also integrated theseplates into CCD camera enabling imaging of objects in X-ray and electron
beams with high resolution.

High Resolution Application in X-ray Radiography
Other applications:- X-ray spectroscopy- X-ray topography- X-ray beam adjustment- X-ray thin films diffraction- X-ray optics adjustment- X-ray microfocus spotmeasurement- X-ray imaging in industry- X-ray food inspection... and many others

The images were taken using a microfocus X-ray tube with Cu
anode@ 40kV/2mA

X-ray radiography of a Spider

X-ray Inspection of fine wires in a data cableThin Screens Characterization
Characterizationtechnique/property

Nuclear emitter

SEM/Cathodoluminescence

X-ray/CCD

Repeatability

Very good (1-2%)

GoodGood

Spectral sensitivity

300-600 nm, limitedby bialcali cathode ofPMT, more sensitiveat blue/UV

300-700 nm, limited bybialcali cathode of PMT,
more sensitive at blue/UV

Silicon sensitivity,
very good, moresensitive at red VIS

Lower limit is about
Good, due to large dynamic
20% efficiency ofelectron current and PMT
standard single-crystal
voltage
YAG:CeGood, limited byacquisition time

Dynamic range

Absorption depth

Imaging ofhomogeneity

3 mm using
67
Ni emitter(max. 67 keV beta)

No

From 20 nm to 1 mm,
depending on electron beam
acceleration voltage

Full depth of layer

Limited field of view
2(3x3 mm )Limited by CCD chipsize and opticalmagnification
2(max. 36x24 mm )SEM/CL imageof Czochralski grown YAG:Ceand LPE LuAG:CeGrid imaged by Czochralski
YAG:Ce thin plate

The support of Czech GA AV project KAN300100802 is gratefully acknowledged.

SEM image of the test grid