Studying the effects of thermally diffusing Ce into the surface of YAlO3 for associated particle imaging

Michael E. Moore; Cordell Delzer; Jeremy Watts; Brianna L. Musicó; Chen Xu; Robyn M. Collette; Philip D. Rack; Yanwen Zhang; Charles L. Melcher; Seth McConchie; Jason P. Hayward

doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2020.03.038

Studying the effects of thermally diffusing Ce into the surface of YAlO₃ for associated particle imaging

Michael E. Moore, Cordell Delzer, Jeremy Watts, Brianna L. Musicó, Chen Xu, Robyn M. Collette, Philip D. Rack, Yanwen Zhang, Charles L. Melcher, Seth McConchie, Jason P. Hayward

Advanced Detection and Applied Data Scie

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Active radiation environments and high-rate backgrounds pose a significant challenge towards improving the detection and characterization of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) using Associated Particle Imaging (API). Ongoing research seeks to reduce the sensitivity of a charged particle, or associated particle, detector to x-ray backgrounds through the creation and characterization of an alpha-sensitive, Ce-doped surface region of Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite (YAP). A wet-chemical layer of trivalent cerium (III) acetylacetonate hydrate was thermally diffused with a reducing atmosphere into single YAP crystals for a temperature range of 800 °C to 1500 °C. The diffusion concentration profile of the cerium compound was assayed with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), where the Ce diffusion activation energy and the pre-exponential factor within YAP were found to be 1.02±0.10 eV and 9.7±2.0×10^-15m²s^-1, respectively. Resulting transient polycrystalline structural features at the surface of the YAP crystals were investigated with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). YAP, Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG), and Yttrium Aluminium Monoclinic (YAM) phases were identified, as well as contributions from Y₂O₃, CeO₂, Ce₂O₃, and the metastable hexagonal polymorph of YAlO₃ (YAH). The luminescent responses of the complex surface layers to x-ray and α excitement were examined as functions of annealing temperature. Radioluminescence emissions typical of the Ce³⁺ 4f → 5d transition occupying both the Y³⁺ and Al³⁺ sites in YAP and YAG were observed. The brightness of the samples under alpha radiation increased as a function of diffused Ce concentration until the point of optical darkening.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	55-61
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
Volume	473
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2020.03.038
State	Published - Jun 15 2020

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration through the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium under Award Number DE-NA0003180 . The ion beam analysis was performed at the UT-ORNL Ion Beam Materials Laboratory located on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. XRD was performed at the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials (JIAM) Diffraction Facility, located at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration through the Nuclear Science and Security Consortium under Award Number DE-NA0003180. The ion beam analysis was performed at the UT-ORNL Ion Beam Materials Laboratory located on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. XRD was performed at the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials (JIAM) Diffraction Facility, located at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or limited, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States? ?Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

Funders	Funder number
UT-ORNL Ion Beam Materials Laboratory
United States Government
National Nuclear Security Administration	DE-NA0003180
University of Tennessee

Keywords

Associated particle imaging
Cerium
Rutherford backscattering spectrometry
Thermal diffusion
Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite

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10.1016/j.nimb.2020.03.038

Cite this

Moore, M. E., Delzer, C., Watts, J., Musicó, B. L., Xu, C., Collette, R. M., Rack, P. D., Zhang, Y., Melcher, C. L., McConchie, S., & Hayward, J. P. (2020). Studying the effects of thermally diffusing Ce into the surface of YAlO₃ for associated particle imaging. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 473, 55-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2020.03.038

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abstract = "Active radiation environments and high-rate backgrounds pose a significant challenge towards improving the detection and characterization of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) using Associated Particle Imaging (API). Ongoing research seeks to reduce the sensitivity of a charged particle, or associated particle, detector to x-ray backgrounds through the creation and characterization of an alpha-sensitive, Ce-doped surface region of Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite (YAP). A wet-chemical layer of trivalent cerium (III) acetylacetonate hydrate was thermally diffused with a reducing atmosphere into single YAP crystals for a temperature range of 800 °C to 1500 °C. The diffusion concentration profile of the cerium compound was assayed with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), where the Ce diffusion activation energy and the pre-exponential factor within YAP were found to be 1.02±0.10 eV and 9.7±2.0×10-15m2s-1, respectively. Resulting transient polycrystalline structural features at the surface of the YAP crystals were investigated with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). YAP, Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG), and Yttrium Aluminium Monoclinic (YAM) phases were identified, as well as contributions from Y2O3, CeO2, Ce2O3, and the metastable hexagonal polymorph of YAlO3 (YAH). The luminescent responses of the complex surface layers to x-ray and α excitement were examined as functions of annealing temperature. Radioluminescence emissions typical of the Ce3+ 4f → 5d transition occupying both the Y3+ and Al3+ sites in YAP and YAG were observed. The brightness of the samples under alpha radiation increased as a function of diffused Ce concentration until the point of optical darkening.",

keywords = "Associated particle imaging, Cerium, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Thermal diffusion, Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite",

author = "Moore, {Michael E.} and Cordell Delzer and Jeremy Watts and Music{\'o}, {Brianna L.} and Chen Xu and Collette, {Robyn M.} and Rack, {Philip D.} and Yanwen Zhang and Melcher, {Charles L.} and Seth McConchie and Hayward, {Jason P.}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.nimb.2020.03.038",

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Moore, ME, Delzer, C, Watts, J, Musicó, BL, Xu, C, Collette, RM, Rack, PD, Zhang, Y, Melcher, CL, McConchie, S & Hayward, JP 2020, 'Studying the effects of thermally diffusing Ce into the surface of YAlO₃ for associated particle imaging', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, vol. 473, pp. 55-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2020.03.038

Studying the effects of thermally diffusing Ce into the surface of YAlO₃ for associated particle imaging. / Moore, Michael E.; Delzer, Cordell; Watts, Jeremy et al.
In: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, Vol. 473, 15.06.2020, p. 55-61.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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T1 - Studying the effects of thermally diffusing Ce into the surface of YAlO3 for associated particle imaging

AU - Moore, Michael E.

AU - Delzer, Cordell

AU - Watts, Jeremy

AU - Musicó, Brianna L.

AU - Xu, Chen

AU - Collette, Robyn M.

AU - Rack, Philip D.

AU - Zhang, Yanwen

AU - Melcher, Charles L.

AU - McConchie, Seth

AU - Hayward, Jason P.

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N2 - Active radiation environments and high-rate backgrounds pose a significant challenge towards improving the detection and characterization of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) using Associated Particle Imaging (API). Ongoing research seeks to reduce the sensitivity of a charged particle, or associated particle, detector to x-ray backgrounds through the creation and characterization of an alpha-sensitive, Ce-doped surface region of Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite (YAP). A wet-chemical layer of trivalent cerium (III) acetylacetonate hydrate was thermally diffused with a reducing atmosphere into single YAP crystals for a temperature range of 800 °C to 1500 °C. The diffusion concentration profile of the cerium compound was assayed with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), where the Ce diffusion activation energy and the pre-exponential factor within YAP were found to be 1.02±0.10 eV and 9.7±2.0×10-15m2s-1, respectively. Resulting transient polycrystalline structural features at the surface of the YAP crystals were investigated with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). YAP, Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG), and Yttrium Aluminium Monoclinic (YAM) phases were identified, as well as contributions from Y2O3, CeO2, Ce2O3, and the metastable hexagonal polymorph of YAlO3 (YAH). The luminescent responses of the complex surface layers to x-ray and α excitement were examined as functions of annealing temperature. Radioluminescence emissions typical of the Ce3+ 4f → 5d transition occupying both the Y3+ and Al3+ sites in YAP and YAG were observed. The brightness of the samples under alpha radiation increased as a function of diffused Ce concentration until the point of optical darkening.

AB - Active radiation environments and high-rate backgrounds pose a significant challenge towards improving the detection and characterization of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) using Associated Particle Imaging (API). Ongoing research seeks to reduce the sensitivity of a charged particle, or associated particle, detector to x-ray backgrounds through the creation and characterization of an alpha-sensitive, Ce-doped surface region of Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite (YAP). A wet-chemical layer of trivalent cerium (III) acetylacetonate hydrate was thermally diffused with a reducing atmosphere into single YAP crystals for a temperature range of 800 °C to 1500 °C. The diffusion concentration profile of the cerium compound was assayed with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), where the Ce diffusion activation energy and the pre-exponential factor within YAP were found to be 1.02±0.10 eV and 9.7±2.0×10-15m2s-1, respectively. Resulting transient polycrystalline structural features at the surface of the YAP crystals were investigated with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). YAP, Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG), and Yttrium Aluminium Monoclinic (YAM) phases were identified, as well as contributions from Y2O3, CeO2, Ce2O3, and the metastable hexagonal polymorph of YAlO3 (YAH). The luminescent responses of the complex surface layers to x-ray and α excitement were examined as functions of annealing temperature. Radioluminescence emissions typical of the Ce3+ 4f → 5d transition occupying both the Y3+ and Al3+ sites in YAP and YAG were observed. The brightness of the samples under alpha radiation increased as a function of diffused Ce concentration until the point of optical darkening.

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