Optical and scintillation properties of Pr-doped 12CaO•7Al2O3 single crystals grown by the FZ method

We have investigated the photoluminescence (PL), scintillation and thermally-stimulated luminescence (TSL) dosimeter properties of Pr-doped 12Ca0.7Al(2)O(3) (Pr:C12A7) crystals prepared by the floating zone (FZ) method. In PL emission and excitation spectral measurements, some emission bands around 600-650 and 850-950 due to the 4f-4f transitions of Pr3+ were observed under excitation at 450-500 nm. The decay time constants of these emissions were approximately 78 mu s. The scintillation spectra showed the 4f-4f transition related emissions of Pr3+ at similar wavelengths with those in PL. The scintillation decay time constants of Pr-doped samples except 0.1% Pr-doped one were around 50 mu s, and the latter value was shorter than those of PL In contrast, the 0.1% Pr-doped sample showed the scintillation decay time constant about 80 mu s. The PL quantum yield of 0.5% Pr:C12A7 crystal was the highest among the present samples. After X-ray irradiations, the 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% Pr-doped samples showed intense and broad TSL glow peak arotind 95 degrees C while the undoped and 0.1% Pr-doped samples showed no significant signal. (C) 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.