Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons

Shi-Yu Song; Chao-Jun Gao; Rui Zhou; Bing-Zhe Wang; Wen-Bo Zhao; Qing Cao; Yan-Wei Hu; Lin Dong; Kai-Kai Liu; Chong-Xin Shan

doi:10.1038/s41377-025-01869-z

Your Location：

Home >

Browse articles >

Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons

Original Articles

- Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons
- Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons
- LSA 2025年14卷第9期页码：2616-2627
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Henan Key Laboratory of Diamond Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Material Physics Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Key Laboratory of Zhongyuan Light, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
  2.Joint Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR 999078, China
  3.Institute of Quantum Materials and Physics Henan Academy of Sciences Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, 450046, China
- Author bio：
  
  Kai-Kai Liu (liukaikai@zzu.edu.cn)
  Chong-Xin Shan (cxshan@zzu.edu.cn)
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1038/s41377-025-01869-z
  中图分类号：
- 收稿日期：2024-11-12，
  
  修回日期：2025-03-12，
  
  录用日期：2025-04-17，
  
  网络出版日期：2025-07-22，
  
  纸质出版日期：2025-09-30
- Accepted：
Scan QR Code
Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons[J]. LSA, 2025,14(9):2616-2627.

Song, S. Y. et al. Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2616-2627 (2025).
Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons[J]. LSA, 2025,14(9):2616-2627. DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01869-z.

Song, S. Y. et al. Scalable X-ray scintillators with bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons. Light: Science & Applications, 14, 2616-2627 (2025). DOI： 10.1038/s41377-025-01869-z.

摘要

Abstract

Size-scalable X-ray scintillators with high transparency and robust photon yield allow for imaging large objects with greater precision and detail. Solution-processable scintillators

typically crafted from quantum dots (QDs)

are promising candidates for highly efficient scintillation applications. However

the restricted size and low transparency in QD-based scintillators lead to less efficient X-ray imaging for large objects requiring high resolution. Herein

we demonstrate a meter-scale ZnO QD scintillator with a visible range transmittance exceeding 96%

featuring bright singlet-triplet hybrid self-trapping excitons (STEs). The quantum yields (QYs) of singlet excitons and triplet excitons are 44.7% and 26.3%. Benefiting from a large Stokes shift and bright triplet excitons

the scintillator has a negligible self-absorption and elevated photon yields. Additionally

the scintillator exhibits exchange invariance

demonstrating identical optical performance upon exchanging the coordinates (

) of the QDs. Featuring bright singlet-triplet hybrid STEs and high transparency

the scintillator achieves high resolution X-ray imaging of 42-line pairs per millimeter (42 lp mm

−1

) at a meter scale. Moreover

demonstrations of 5000 cm

X-ray imaging and real-time dynamic X-ray imaging are presented. The lowest detectable dose rate for X-ray detection is as low as 37.63 ± 0.4 nGy s

−1

. This work presents a novel sizable and transparent scintillator with bright singlet-triplet hybrid STEs

showcasing their potential in high-resolution and sizable object X-ray imaging.

关键词

Keywords

references

Kim, Y. C. et al. Printable organometallic perovskite enables large-area, low-dose X-ray imaging. Nature 550 , 87–91 (2017)..

Yi, L. Y. et al. X-ray-to-visible light-field detection through pixelated colour conversion. Nature 618 , 281–286 (2023)..

Lei, L. et al. Next generation lanthanide doped nanoscintillators and photon converters. eLight 2 , 17 (2022)..

Zhao, J. J. et al. Perovskite-filled membranes for flexible and large-area direct-conversion X-ray detector arrays. Nat. Photonics 14 , 612–617 (2020)..

Roques-Carmes, C. et al. A framework for scintillation in nanophotonics. Science 375 , eabm9293 (2022)..

Li, B. H. et al. Zero‐dimensional luminescent metal halide hybrids enabling bulk transparent medium as large‐area X‐ray scintillators. Adv. Opt. Mater. 10 , 2102793 (2022)..

Kakavelakis, G. et al. Metal halide perovskites for high-energy radiation detection. Adv. Sci. 7 , 2002098 (2020)..

Hou, B. et al. A swallowable X-ray dosimeter for the real-time monitoring of radiotherapy. Nat. Biomed. Eng. 7 , 1242–1251 (2023)..

Wang, X. et al. Organic phosphorescent nanosci ntillator for low-dose X-ray-induced photodynamictherapy. Nat. Commun. 13 , 5091 (2022)..

Liu, L. L. et al. Robust organogel scintillator for self-healing and ultra-flexible X-ray imaging. Adv. Mater. 36 , 2311206 (2024)..

Zhou, X. Q. et al. Energy-trapping management in X-ray storage phosphors for flexible 3D imaging. Adv. Mater. 35 , e2212022 (2023)..

Xu, L. J. et al. Highly efficient eco-friendly X-ray scintillators based on an organic manganese halide. Nat. Commun. 11 , 4329 (2020)..

Zhang, F. et al. Thermally activated delayed fluorescence zirconium-based perovskites for large-area and ultraflexible X-ray scintillator screens. Adv. Mater. 34 , 2204801 (2022)..

Zhou, Y. et al. Large-area perovskite-related copper halide film for high-resolution flexible X-ray imaging scintillation screens. ACS Energy Lett. 7 , 844–846 (2022)..

Zaffalon, M. L. et al. Extreme γ-ray radiation hardness and high scintillation yield in perovskite nanocrystals. Nat. Photonics 16 , 860–868 (2022 )..

Fraboni, B., Fraleoni-Morgera, A. & Zaitseva, N. Ionizing radiation detectors based on solution-grown organic single crystals. Adv. Funct. Mater. 26 , 2276–2291 (2016)..

Weber, M. J. Inorganic scintillators: today and tomorrow. J. Lumin. 100 , 35–45 (2002)..

Wu, H. D. et al. Metal halide perovskites for X-ray detection and imaging. Matter 4 , 144–163 (2021)..

Yang, B. et al. Lead-free halide Rb 2 CuBr 3 as sensitive X-ray scintillator. Adv. Mater. 31 , 1904711 (2019)..

Morad, V. et al. Disphenoidal zero-dimensional lead, tin, and germanium halides: highly emissive singlet and triplet self-trapped excitons and X-ray scintillation. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 141 , 9764–9768 (2019)..

Chen, Q. S. et al. All-inorganic perovskite nanocrystal scintillators. Nature 561 , 88–93 (2018)..

Hirata, S. et al. Highly efficient blue electroluminescence based o n thermally activated delayed fluorescence. Nat. Mater. 14 , 330–336 (2015)..

Wang, J. X. et al. Heavy-atom engineering of thermally activated delayed fluorophores for high-performance X-ray imaging scintillators. Nat. Photonics 16 , 869–875 (2022)..

Dong, C. M. et al. Influence of isomerism on radioluminescence of purely organic phosphorescence scintillators. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60 , 27195–27200 (2021)..

Becker, M. A. et al. Bright triplet excitons in caesium lead halide perovskites. Nature 553 , 189–193 (2018)..

Ma, W. B. et al. Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) organic molecules for efficient X-ray scintillation and imaging. Nat. Mater. 21 , 210–216 (2022)..

Wang, X. et al. Organic phosphors with bright triplet excitons for efficient X-ray-excited luminescence. Nat. Photonics 15 , 187–192 (2021)..

Tang, L. L. et al. X-ray excited ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence for organic afterglow scintillators. Chem. Commun. 56 , 13559–13562 (2020)..

Zhang, X. Z. et al. Flexible and transparent ceramic nanocomposite for laboratory X-ray imaging of micrometer resolution. ACS Nano 16 , 21576–21582 (2022)..

Ma, W. B. et al. Highly resolved and robust dynamic X-ray imaging using perovskite glass-ceramic scintillator with reduced light scattering. Adv. Sci. 8 , 2003728 (2021)..

Han, K. et al. Seed-crystal-induced cold sintering toward metal halide transparent ceramic scintillators. Adv. Mater. 34 , 2110420 (2022)..

He, Y. H. et al. Perovskite computed tomography imager and three-dimensional reconstruction. Nat. Photonics 18 , 1052–1058 (2024)..

Jana, A. et al. Bounce back with triplet excitons for efficient X-ray scintillation. Matter 5 , 20–22 (2022)..

Pei, P. et al. X-ray-activated persistent luminescence nanomaterials for NIR-Ⅱ imaging. Nat. Nanotechnol. 16 , 1011–1018 (2021)..

Rayleigh, L. ⅩⅩ ⅩⅣ. On the transmission of light through an atmosphere containing small particles in suspension, and on the origin of the blue of the sky . Lond. Edinb. Dublin Philos. Mag. J. Sci. 47 , 375–384 (1899)..

Mishchenko, M. I. et al. Light scattering by nonspherical particles: theory, measurements, and applications. Meas. Sci. Technol. 11 , 1827 (2000)..

Zhou, R. et al. Multiphoton excited singlet/triplet mixed self-trapped exciton emission. Nat. Commun. 14 , 1310 (2023)..

Luo, J. J. et al. Efficient and stable emission of warm-white light from lead-free halide double perovskites. Nature 563 , 541–545 (2018)..

Hamze, R. et al. Eliminating nonradiative decay in Cu(Ⅰ) emitters: > 99% quantum efficiency and microsecond lifetime. Science 363 , 601–606 (2019)..

Han, Z. et al. Ultrastable atomically precise chiral silver clusters with more than 95% quantum efficiency. Sci. Adv. 6 , eaay0107 (2020)..

Liu, S. P. et al. Efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescence from all-inorganic cesium zirc onium halide perovskite nanocrystals. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59 , 21925–21929 (2020)..

Berger, M. J. et al. XCOM: photon cross sections database. at https://www.nist.gov/pml/xcom-photon-cross-sections-database https://www.nist.gov/pml/xcom-photon-cross-sections-database (2013).

Zhu, W. J. et al. Low-dose real-time X-ray imaging with nontoxic double perovskite scintillators. Light Sci. Appl. 9 , 112 (2020)..

Wang, Y. Z. et al. Efficient X-ray luminescence imaging with ultrastable and eco-friendly copper(Ⅰ)-iodide cluster microcubes. Light Sci. Appl. 12 , 155 (2023)..

Haruta, Y. et al. Scalable fabrication of metal halide perovskites for direct X-ray flat-panel detectors: a perspective. Chem. Mater. 34 , 5323–5333 (2022)..

Li, Z. Z. et al. Halide perovskites for high-performance X-ray detector. Mater. Today 48 , 155–175 (2021)..

Wang, B. Q. et al. Template assembled large‐Size CsPbBr 3 nanocomposite films toward flexible, stable, and high‐performance X‐ray scintillators. Laser Photonics Rev. 16 , 2100736 (2022)..

Chen, W. Q. et al. All‐inorganic perovskite polymer–ceramics for flexible and refreshable X‐ray imaging. Adv. Funct. Mater. 32 , 2107424 (2022)..

Li, N. et al. Flexible, high scintillation yield Cu 3 Cu 2 I 5 film made of ball‐milled powder for high spatial resolution X‐ray imaging. Adv. Opt. Mater. 10 , 2102232 (2022)..

Ou, X. Y. et al. High-resolution X-ray luminescence extension imaging. Nature 590 , 410–415 (2021)..

Mok, A. T. et al. A large field-of-view, single-cell-resolution two- and three-photon microscope for deep and wide imaging. eLight 4 , 20 (2024)..

Fan, Y. et al. Dispersion-assisted high-dimensional photodetector. Nature 630 , 77–83 (2024)..

Hou, Y. et al. Multi-resolution analysis enables fidelity-ensured deconvolution for luorescence microscopy. eLight 4 , 14 (2024)..

浏览量

Downloads

CSCD

文章被引用时，请邮件提醒。

Submit

工具集

关联资源

暂无数据