Our recent publication in ACS Energy Letters on sub-3-micrometer resolution X-ray imaging has been featured in a press release by the American Chemical Society (ACS). We demonstrated the fabrication of free-standing, conformal scintillating screens using atomically precise 0D organic–inorganic hybrid nanoclusters. Our study reveals that the photoluminescence and radioluminescence pathways in these amorphous glass systems have distinct physical origins. Furthermore, by processing these clusters into a stable glassy phase, we were able to develop large-area screens that achieve a spatial resolution of 203 lp/mm and high signal-to-noise ratios. Furthermore, the screens perform reliably in aqueous environments, allowing for detailed, high-contrast imaging of biological samples in water. Because these nanocluster glasses become highly moldable at low temperatures, they represent a step toward low-dose, high-resolution conformal 3D imaging systems. This platform has the potential to mitigate the physical limitations of conventional rigid flat-panel detectors in medical diagnostics, including mammography.

Read the ACS Press Release and access our paper in ACS Energy Letters.