Emerging Perovskite Dosimetry for In-Situ and High-Dose Radiotherapy

Robust radiation detectors are essential in state-of-the-art radiotherapy and cancer treatment. This project exploits an innovative perovskite detector that meets the stringent requirements for such dosimeters. Our interdisciplinary team possesses complementary expertise in chemical synthesis (Bischak), semiconductor devices (Yoon), nuclear radiation (Sjoden), and clinical medical physics (Nelson).

Metal-halide perovskites are emerging semiconductors owing to their facile synthesis, tunable bandgap, long carrier diffusion length, and high defect tolerance. Researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of perovskite detectors where the performance is comparable to or exceeds established detectors. While exciting, the stability of perovskites under high radiation doses must be better understood. The detector architecture that optimizes the complex interactions between radioactive particles with semiconductors remains challenging. This research field faces limited experimental evaluation under irradiation by high-energy particles.

Our team is ideally positioned to tackle such challenges by maximizing our expertise and resources (TRIGA reactor (n-gamma), electron/proton sources). This project will be built on a solid partnership among experts, staff, and students, providing an excellent opportunity to promote diversity, educational training, and close collaborations. This project will enable us to pursue large external grants in medical, homeland security, and space research.

Current Status

2025-02-02
This research focuses on developing advanced radiation dosimetry through innovative 3D microstructural geometry incorporating hybrid-perovskite conversion materials. We utilized high-power laser processing to fabricate perforated 3D microhole arrays in semiconductor materials, aiming to enhance radiation detection performance.

As an initial demonstration, we successfully patterned 3D architectures on Si semiconductor substrates and optimized the fabrication process for reproducibility. Surface damage caused by laser irradiation was effectively mitigated using wet chemical etching solutions, improving structural integrity. Additionally, we synthesized hybrid-perovskite conversion materials and integrated them into the patterned microhole structures. Preliminary beta-electron radiation tests at the reactor demonstrated the feasibility of our prototype device for high-dose radiation detection, confirming its potential for next-generation dosimetry applications.

Beyond technical achievements, this project fostered interdisciplinary collaborations across campus, facilitating knowledge exchange in semiconductor processing and radiation detection. The findings contributed to a patent disclosure and a publication. This work also supported proposal submissions, with plans for additional external funding applications using these preliminary results. The developed technology lays the foundation for high-performance, scalable radiation detectors with broad applications in medical imaging, nuclear safety, and space exploration.