Luminescence and scintillation characteristics of Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce3+ scintillators

Cerium-doped Gd3Al2Ga3O12 single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method with 1 at.% cerium. Absorption, luminescence and scintillation characteristics were investigated. The light yield and energy resolution were measured under 662 key gamma-ray excitation. The characteristic emission band of Ce3+ 5d-4f transition peaking around 525 nm was observed in the photoluminescence of Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce. The light yield of 56,100 ph/MeV and energy resolution of 6.8% were obtained for a 5 x 5 x 1 mm(3) Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce sample. The light yield dependence on the sample height and on the shaping time was also studied and compared With Lu3Al5O12:Ce crystal. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.