Efficient and Robust Europium(III)‐Based Hybrid Lanthanide Scintillators for Advanced X‐ray Imaging

Abstract

Scintillators that convert ionizing radiation into low‐energy photons are essential for medical diagnostics and industrial inspections. Despite advances in X‐ray scintillators, challenges remain in achieving high efficiency, environmental compatibility, stability, and flexibility. Here, we present experimental investigations of a new type of europium(III)‐based hybrid ternary complex scintillators for improved X‐ray detection and imaging. Benefiting from the synergistic interaction between dual organic ligands and lanthanide ions, the Eu(TTA)3Phen complex demonstrates exceptional radioluminescence and light yield under X‐ray excitation, with a detection limit of 19.97 nGy s−1, well below typical radiation doses used in medical diagnostics. Moreover, lanthanide complex Eu(TTA)3Phen exhibited excellent thermal and photostability, showing minimal degradation even after extended X‐ray exposure. By integrating with flexible polymer matrices, a high‐transmission Eu(TTA)3Phen‐PMMA composite film was fabricated for X‐ray radiography, demonstrating high spatial resolution (< 10 um) and superior image quality across various target samples. These findings hold substantial promise for next‐generation X‐ray imaging applications, offering high sensitivity, stability, flexibility, and versatility, making them ideally suited for advanced radiographic systems.