The process of obtaining an X-ray image involves several stages: First, an X-ray beam passes through the body, with part of it being absorbed by dense media, such as bone tissues. The remaining radiation enters the ‘receiver’ – the detector, which is the material that first converts it (known as scintillators) into another light signal, then into an electrical signal, resulting in a digital image, according to scientists from the Siberian Federal University.
The university indicated that modern detectors are compact and have simple geometry because the scintillators are solid and fragile. Therefore, specialists are working on developing flexible scintillator screens that allow for the creation of detectors of any shape and size, as stated by Maxim Molokov, an associate professor in the Department of Solid State Physics and Nanotechnology at the Institute of Physical Engineering and Radio Electronics at the Siberian Federal University.
Molokov also pointed out that scientists are developing materials free from heavy metals that could harm the environment if improperly disposed of. According to Molokov, besides being environmentally friendly due to the absence of lead and plasticity, the new material boasts record efficiency.
Molokov explained, “We have created two organometallic materials with a quantum yield of 91% and 100%. This means that 9 out of every 10 or 10 out of every 10 X-ray light particles (quanta) will be converted into visible radiation for later display as a digital image of a living organism or object, making the image more complete.”
