Dr Robert Hoye, University of Oxford

The advent of ionising radiation detection has transformed non-invasive medical imaging and various other industries, from quality control to space exploration. However, commercially available materials used for detection have limited effectiveness. In medical imaging, this necessitates high X-ray doses, which poses cancer risks. Our group recently pioneered the growth of high-quality single crystals of bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI), demonstrating the capability to detect much lower doses of X-rays. Scaling this breakthrough to commercial detectors could vastly improve medical imaging safety and effectiveness and enhance radiation detection across industries.

This project aims to upscale BiOI single crystal growth from small-scale (~5 millimetre in diameter) to centimetre-scale X-ray imagers, maintaining performance with high spatial resolution. We will explore two manufacturing routes: polycrystalline ceramic fabrication and thick film (>100 micrometre) growth. The advanced characterisation will guide optimisation of BiOI processing, post-processing, and device architecture to maximise imager performance. This initiative will propel the UK's leadership in radiation detector materials, benefit its medical imaging industry, and fortify collaboration between the University of Oxford and STFC.