In-situ growth of Cs3Cu2I5 scintillators with an anodic aluminum oxide matrix for high-resolution X-ray imaging

A Cs 3 Cu 2 I 5  perovskite scintillator film with ordered array structure is fabricated  via  AAO-templated  in-situ  growth. • The AAO template guides photon propagation and reduces optical crosstalk, achieving 15.5 lp mm -1  at MTF 0.2. • The Cs 3 Cu 2 I 5 -AAO composite scintillator shows an ultralow detection limit of 92 nGy s -1  and excellent stability. • This work offers a scalable, eco-friendly strategy for high-performance pixelated scintillators in X-ray imaging. Scintillators are essential for X-ray imaging as they convert high-energy radiation into detectable visible light, thereby directly determining the spatial resolution and sensitivity of the imaging system. Among these, pixelated scintillator films based on the optical waveguide effect are considered an ideal structure for achieving high-resolution imaging. However, their efficient and high-precision fabrication remains challenging. To address these challenges, this study introduces a strategy for the in-situ growth of lead-free perovskite scintillator Cs 3 Cu 2 I 5 within an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template via a vacuum-assisted infiltration method, resulting in the successful fabrication of a Cs 3 Cu 2 I 5 -AAO composite scintillator film featuring a well-ordered array structure. The ordered nanoporous structure of AAO guides photon propagation, minimizing lateral scattering and significantly enhancing light extraction and spatial confinement. X-ray imaging experiments demonstrate that the fabricated scintillator film achieves a spatial resolution of 15.5 lp mm −1 at a modulation transfer function (MTF) of 0.2. Moreover, the material exhibits a low detection limit of 92 nGy s −1 and maintains excellent stability under continuous X-ray irradiation, highlighting its outstanding overall scintillation performance. By integrating material design with structural engineering, this work provides a scalable and effective strategy for designing environmentally friendly and high-performance scintillators for next-generation X-ray imaging applications. Download: Download high-res image (171KB) Download: Download full-size image