Deltronic wins SBIR contract for top-seeded solution growth
Deltronic Crystal Industries Inc. (Dover, NJ) received a $74,159 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract for the development of top-seeded solution growth of lutetium orthophosphate (LuPO4) from potassium pyrophosphate flux. The eight-month project is funded by the Department of Energy. Cerium-doped LuPO4 shows promise as a scintillator material and can be used for detectors in downscaled positron-emission-tomography cameras, offering increased resolution and sensitivity in noninvasive medical applications. Current LuPO4 production methods result in crystals too large for use in detectors. Deltronic Crystal is a manufacturer of single-crystal components.