Single-shot X-ray and near-infrared (NIR) dual-mode fusion imaging based on bifunctional NIR scintillators

X-ray and near-infrared (NIR) imaging are two well-established noninvasive imaging techniques, whose fusion often delineates a more complementary view of the subject. In this study, we introduce an innovative dual-mode imaging approach using a NIR scintillator, functioning both as a conventional scintillator for X-ray imaging and as a light source for NIR imaging. Our method facilitates the concurrent acquisition and registration of X-ray and NIR images in a single X-ray shot, eliminating the need for additional hardware beyond that of a standard X-ray imaging system. We have successfully synthesized an ytterbium-doped perovskite NIR scintillator using a water-based scalable process, which exhibits a pronounced scintillation emission at 980 nm, suggesting the presence of a potential quantum cutting effect. The experimental results underscore the enhanced capabilities in visualizing features typically elusive in standard X-ray images, such as the vascular network in a human palm. Besides, our method can effectively separate the X-ray and NIR signals, which is a common issue with recently developed multi-band detectors that suffer from superimposed electrical signals. This separation is achieved by designing a NIR-Visible dual-band scintillator that channels the X-ray and NIR characteristics into distinct emission pathways, thus avoiding any potential interference between the two imaging modalities. This study presents a novel strategy for harnessing the synergistic information from X-ray and NIR photons, enabled by the simple yet effective design of a NIR X-ray scintillator. This advancement might hold the potential to broaden the application scope of conventional X-ray imaging, enhancing its diagnostic and analytical capabilities.