(BZA)&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;PbBr&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;: A potential scintillator for photon-counting computed tomography detectors

van Blaaderen, J.J.; van der Sar, S.J.; Onggo, Djulia; Sheikh, Md Abdul K.; Schaart, D.R.; Birowosuto, Muhammad D.; Dorenbos, P.

doi:10.1016/j.jlumin.2023.120012

(BZA)₂PbBr₄

Title

(BZA)₂PbBr₄: A potential scintillator for photon-counting computed tomography detectors

Author

van Blaaderen, J.J. (TU Delft RST/Luminescence Materials)
van der Sar, S.J. (TU Delft RST/Medical Physics & Technology)
Onggo, Djulia (Institute of Technology Bandung)
Sheikh, Md Abdul K. (PORT Polish Center for Technology Development, Wroclaw)
Schaart, D.R. (TU Delft RST/Medical Physics & Technology; Holland Particle Therapy Centre)
Birowosuto, Muhammad D. (PORT Polish Center for Technology Development, Wroclaw)
Dorenbos, P. (TU Delft RST/Luminescence Materials)

Date

2023

Abstract

Due to recent development in detector technology, photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) has become a rapidly emerging medical imaging technology. Current PCCT systems rely on the direct conversion of X-ray photons into charge pulses, using CdTe, CZT, or Si semiconductor detectors. Indirect detection using ultrafast scintillators coupled to silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) offers a potentially more straightforward and cost-effective alternative. In this work a new 2D perovskite scintillator, benzylamonium lead bromide (BZA)₂PbBr₄, is experimentally characterised as function of temperature. The material exhibits a 4.2 ns decay time under X-ray excitation at room temperature and a light yield of 3700 photons/MeV. The simulation tool developed by Van der Sar et al. was used to model the pulse trains produced by a SiPM-based (BZA)₂PbBr₄ detector. The fast decay time of (BZA)₂PbBr₄ results in outstanding count-rate performance as well as very low statistical fluctuations in the simulated pulses. These features of (BZA)₂PbBr₄, combined with its cost-effective synthesis make (BZA)₂PbBr₄ very promising for PCCT.