Lithium Chloride-Substituted Methylammonium Lead Tribromide Perovskites for Dual γ/Neutron Sensing

Abstract

Dual γ/neutron radiation sensors are a critical component of the nuclear security mission to prevent the proliferation of a special nuclear material (SNM). While highperforming semiconductors such as high purity germanium (HPGe) and CdZnTe (CZT) already exist in the nuclear security enterprise, their high cost and/or logistical burdens make widespread deployment difficult to achieve. Metal lead halide perovskites (MHPs) have attracted interest in recent years to address this challenge. In particular, methylammonium lead tribromide (CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 , MAPbBr 3 , or MAPB) has been widely evaluated for its radiation sensing capabilities. While previous studies have demonstrated low-energy X-ray and α particle sensing of MAPB-based detectors and several studies discuss the potential for γ ray sensing, neutron sensing of this material has been rarely explored. Here, we explore the incorporation of lithium in the form of LiCl into the MAPB structure to add thermal neutron sensitivity. Characterizations of the lithium-doped MAPB crystals demonstrate that quality growths are achievable with single crystals that exhibit high crystallinity, no phase change, and high macroscopic bulk quality. Finally, we report on the first demonstrated γ ray and thermal neutron sensing based on lithium-doped MAPB single crystals, which is a significant milestone in the development of 3D dual γ/neutron MHP sensors.

Unlocking the potential of perovskite-based nanomaterials for revolutionary smartphone-based sensor applications

“…[44][45][46] Perovskite-based nanomaterials demonstrate a diverse range of functionalities in advanced sensing technologies, encompassing areas like optical sensing, mechanochemical detection, piezoelectric responses, thermal sensing, and integrated modalities such as photothermal-pyroelectric sensing. [47][48][49] Their integration into smartphone-based sensors may be significantly enhanced by their superior luminescence properties and the ability to precisely tailor their emission spectra. [50][51][52][53] This attribute is critically advantageous for incorporation into smartphone platforms, where inherent optical limitations of the devices can be effectively compensated by the remarkable brightness and tunable emission properties.…”