Synthesis of low-dimensional metal halide CsAgCl2 for X-ray scintillation applications

Low-dimensional metal halides, which possess efficient luminescent properties, have garnered significant interest in the fields of optoelectronics and radiation detection. This study introduces novel lead-free silver-based metal halide material, CsAgCl₂ microcrystals (MCs). These MCs have a one-dimensional atomic chain structure and a unique [AgCl₅]^4- tetragonal shared triangular configuration. CsAgCl₂ MCs exhibit excellent performance as X-ray scintillators due to their bright broadband yellow emission and fast decay time in the microsecond range. The large Stokes shift of 350 nm is produced by self-trapped exciton emission. In X-ray scintillation applications, CsAgCl₂ MCs demonstrate a high light yield of 13280 photons/MeV and a wide range of linear scintillation response. It is noteworthy that the CsAgCl₂ MCs maintain good stability under both atmospheric conditions and continuous X-ray irradiation. The sample was used in an X-ray imaging screen, which clearly presented the X-ray projection image of a wooden stick. As a result, this research not only contributes to the collection of lead-free metal halide scintillators but also indicates that CsAgCl₂ MCs have a wide range of future applications and potential in areas such as medical imaging, scientific research, and diagnostic and detection technologies.