Highly Crystallized Transparent Composite for Cooperative Imaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Photonics
• Solid-State Physics

Background:

• Crystallized glass composites typically sacrifice optical transparency for X-ray response.
• Achieving efficient near-infrared (NIR) emission alongside high optical transparency and X-ray sensitivity is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly crystallized glass composite that maintains high optical transparency while exhibiting efficient NIR emission and a strong X-ray response.
• To explore the potential of this material for advanced imaging applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of Cr3+-doped transparent glass composite.
• Characterization of optical transmittance, internal quantum efficiency, and radioluminescence (RL) under X-ray excitation.
• Evaluation of thermally enhanced RL and performance in fiber form.
• Assessment of X-ray imaging capabilities and dual-modal imaging.

Main Results:

• The glass composite achieved >80% optical transmittance and 98.5% internal quantum efficiency.
• Demonstrated five times higher RL intensity than Bi4Ge3O12, with thermally enhanced RL up to 105% at 150°C.
• Realized NIR glass composite fibers with high-resolution X-ray imaging (27 lp mm-1) and cooperative dual-modal imaging.

Conclusions:

• A novel glass composite successfully integrates optical transparency, NIR emission, and X-ray response.
• This material platform offers a viable strategy for advanced photonic and dual-modal imaging applications.
• The developed material overcomes conventional trade-offs in glass composite properties.