Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions

A new gamma-ray sensor, which could be employed in harsh underwater conditions, was developed using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) single crystal and carbon nanotube reinforced polyetheretherketone (CNT/PEEK). The sensor is compact, highly sensitive and stable, by providing real-time gross counts...

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Main Authors: Chanki Lee, Hee Reyoung Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/5/1606
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author Chanki Lee
Hee Reyoung Kim
author_facet Chanki Lee
Hee Reyoung Kim
author_sort Chanki Lee
collection DOAJ
description A new gamma-ray sensor, which could be employed in harsh underwater conditions, was developed using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) single crystal and carbon nanotube reinforced polyetheretherketone (CNT/PEEK). The sensor is compact, highly sensitive and stable, by providing real-time gross counts and an accumulated spectrum for fresh, saline, or contaminated water conditions. The sensor was tested in a water tank for quantification of the limit of detections. The Φ51 × 51 mm<sup>2</sup> YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) crystal exhibits a nearly perfect proportionality with a correlation of over 0.999 in terms of light yield per energy and possesses a high energy resolution. The chemically stable CNT/PEEK window material further enhances the detection efficiency by minimizing the background counts from penetrating gamma-rays. Data timeliness was obtained for regulation-based minimum detectable activity targets within 300 s. For a source-detector distance of up to 300 mm in water, the gross counts demonstrate the existence of radionuclides (Cs-137 and Co-60), owing to their higher efficiency (max. ~15 times) than those of the photopeak counts. Such differences between efficiency values are more likely in water than in air because of the high density of water, resulting in an increased build-up of scattered photons. The proposed sensor is suitable for autonomous underwater systems.
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spelling doaj.art-ddd5c40ed45644128ffd3e0ad18af1042023-12-11T18:24:05ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-02-01215160610.3390/s21051606Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater ConditionsChanki Lee0Hee Reyoung Kim1Department of Nuclear Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50 UNIST-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, KoreaDepartment of Nuclear Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50 UNIST-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, KoreaA new gamma-ray sensor, which could be employed in harsh underwater conditions, was developed using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) single crystal and carbon nanotube reinforced polyetheretherketone (CNT/PEEK). The sensor is compact, highly sensitive and stable, by providing real-time gross counts and an accumulated spectrum for fresh, saline, or contaminated water conditions. The sensor was tested in a water tank for quantification of the limit of detections. The Φ51 × 51 mm<sup>2</sup> YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) crystal exhibits a nearly perfect proportionality with a correlation of over 0.999 in terms of light yield per energy and possesses a high energy resolution. The chemically stable CNT/PEEK window material further enhances the detection efficiency by minimizing the background counts from penetrating gamma-rays. Data timeliness was obtained for regulation-based minimum detectable activity targets within 300 s. For a source-detector distance of up to 300 mm in water, the gross counts demonstrate the existence of radionuclides (Cs-137 and Co-60), owing to their higher efficiency (max. ~15 times) than those of the photopeak counts. Such differences between efficiency values are more likely in water than in air because of the high density of water, resulting in an increased build-up of scattered photons. The proposed sensor is suitable for autonomous underwater systems.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/5/1606gamma-ray spectrometryYAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce)CNT/PEEKunderwater conditionsgross efficiencyphotopeak efficiency
spellingShingle Chanki Lee
Hee Reyoung Kim
Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions
Sensors
gamma-ray spectrometry
YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce)
CNT/PEEK
underwater conditions
gross efficiency
photopeak efficiency
title Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions
title_full Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions
title_fullStr Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions
title_short Gamma-Ray Sensor Using YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce) Single Crystal and CNT/PEEK with High Sensitivity and Stability under Harsh Underwater Conditions
title_sort gamma ray sensor using yalo sub 3 sub ce single crystal and cnt peek with high sensitivity and stability under harsh underwater conditions
topic gamma-ray spectrometry
YAlO<sub>3</sub>(Ce)
CNT/PEEK
underwater conditions
gross efficiency
photopeak efficiency
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/5/1606
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AT heereyoungkim gammaraysensorusingyalosub3subcesinglecrystalandcntpeekwithhighsensitivityandstabilityunderharshunderwaterconditions