A wavelength conversion member (20) includes a fluoride phosphor (25) activated by Ce.sup.3+ or Eu.sup.2+. Then, with regard to the fluoride phosphor, internal quantum efficiency measured at 80 C. is 85% or more when internal quantum efficiency measured at 30 C. is taken as 100%. Moreover, a photovoltaic device includes the above-mentioned wavelength conversion member. The wavelength conversion member uses a fluoride phosphor, in which a decrease of the internal quantum efficiency is suppressed, and excellent temperature characteristics are imparted. Therefore, the wavelength conversion member can effectively utilize ultraviolet light even at high temperature, and it becomes possible to enhance an output of the photovoltaic device.

A phosphor of the present invention has a crystal structure in which at least one of Ce.sup.3+ and Eu.sup.2+ is substituted for a part of a host crystal that contains at least one of an alkaline earth metal element and a rare earth element and does not contain an alkaline metal element. In the phosphor, a light emission spectrum measured at room temperature has a light emission peak, which is derived from at least one of Ce.sup.3+ and Eu.sup.2+, within a wavelength range of 440 nm or more to less than 1200 m, the light emission peak indicates a maximum intensity value of the light emission spectrum, and a refractive index is 1.41 or more to less than 1.57.

Scintillator compositions comprising lithium, an alkaline earth metal, a halide, and optionally a dopant, and related systems and methods for detecting radiation are disclosed.

Strontium halide scintillators, calcium halide scintillators, cerium halide scintillators, cesium barium halide scintillators, and related devices and methods are provided.

A neutron scintillator excellent in neutron detection efficiency and n/ discrimination ability, having uniform characteristics, and easily available in a large size is provided. The neutron scintillator comprises a resin composition having eutectic particles incorporated in a resin having a similar refractive index, the eutectic particles having a sphere equivalent diameter of the order of 50 to 1000 m and being composed of lithium fluoride and an inorganic fluorescent material, such as MgF.sub.2, CaF.sub.2 or SrF.sub.2, the inorganic fluorescent material containing a lanthanoid, such as Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Yb, as a luminescent center atom.

Li-containing scintillator compositions, as well as related structures and methods are described. Radiation detection systems and methods are described which include a Cs.sub.2LiLn Halide scintillator composition.

Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A.sub.2BX.sub.4 and AB.sub.2X.sub.5, wherein A is an alkali metal, such as Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs or any combination thereof; B is an alkali earth metal, such as Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba or any combination thereof; and X is a halide, such as Cl, Br, I, F or any combination thereof. Radiation detectors comprising the novel metal halide scintillators and other ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A.sub.2EuX.sub.4 and AEu.sub.2X.sub.5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

Metal halide scintillators are described. More particularly, the scintillators include doped (e.g., europium-doped) ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A.sub.2BX.sub.4 and AB.sub.2X.sub.5, wherein A is an alkali metal, such as Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs or any combination thereof; B is an alkali earth metal, such as Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba or any combination thereof; and X is a halide, such as Cl, Br, I, F or any combination thereof. Radiation detectors comprising the novel metal halide scintillators and other ternary metal halides, such as those of the formulas A.sub.2EuX.sub.4 and AEu.sub.2X.sub.5, wherein A is an alkali metal and X is a halide, are also described.

A scintillator includes CsBr.sub.xI.sub.(1-x) doped with Europium (CsBr.sub.xI.sub.(1-x):Eu) wherein x<0.5, and is obtained by annealing CsBr.sub.xI.sub.(1-x):Eu material at a temperature from 50 C. to 280 C. The EPR spectrum of the obtained scintillator measured at room temperature at a frequency of 34 GHz shows a maximum signal height at a magnetic field of 1200 mT, and the signal height at 1090 mT and 1140 mT does not exceed 40%, wherein the normalized signal height percentage at 1200 mT is calculated to be 100%. The scintillator is useful in a high energy radiation detection and radiography imaging apparatus.

Disclosed herein is a method including disposing in a mold a powder that has a composition for manufacturing a scintillator material and compressing the powder to form the scintillator material; where an exit surface of the scintillator material has a texture that comprises a plurality of projections that reduce total internal reflection at the exit surface and that increase the amount of photons exiting the exit surface by an amount of greater than or equal to 5% over a surface that does not have the projections.