# Enhancing X‑ray Sensitivity via the Antenna Effect in Quantum Shells with Multiexciton Emission

## TL;DR

Researchers improved X-ray sensitivity of quantum shells by using a high-atomic-number antenna effect, boosting their performance for X-ray imaging.

## Contribution

A novel antenna-sensitization strategy using heavy-element molecular absorbers to enhance X-ray absorption and energy transfer in quantum shells.

## Key findings

- Quantum shells with antenna-sensitization show over tenfold increased radioluminescence under X-ray exposure.
- Achieved X-ray imaging resolution of 25.2 lp mm–1, surpassing most existing scintillators.

## Abstract

Quantum shells (QSs) with efficient multiexciton emission
can generate
multiple excitons per particle under high-energy excitation, thereby
improving exciton utilization under intense X-ray exposure and offering
strong potential for X-ray-based scintillation applications. However,
these QSs are typically composed of low-atomic-number (Z) elements, which substantially limits their X-ray absorption efficiency
and leads to poor X-ray sensitivity. Here, we overcome this fundamental
limitation by introducing a high-Z antenna-sensitization
strategy that couples QSs to heavy-element molecular absorbers, which
act as X-ray harvesting centers and funnel energy into the QSs via
efficient interfacial transfer. By combining enhanced X-ray absorption
with efficient interfacial energy transfer and improved exciton utilization,
we achieve more than an order-of-magnitude increase in multiexciton-driven
QS radioluminescence (RL) relative to pristine shells. Additionally,
a high X-ray imaging resolution of 25.2 lp mm–1 was
achieved, exceeding the performance of most previously reported X-ray
imaging scintillators. These findings offer a promising design strategy
for advancing QS-based materials toward high-performance X-ray imaging
applications.