Peculiarities of luminescent and scintillation properties of YAG:Ce phosphor prepared in different crystalline forms

In this work, we have performed the comparative analysis of the luminescent and scintillation properties of Y3Al5O12:Ce (YAG:Ce) single crystals (SC), single crystalline films (SCF) and transparent optical ceramics (OС) using the traditional spectral methods as well as the luminescence spectroscopy under excitation by pulsed synchrotron radiation in the fundamental absorption range of YAG host. We have shown that the properties of YAG:Ce OC are rather closer to the properties of SCF counterpart where YAl antisite defects are completely absent than to the properties of SC of this garnet with large concentration of YAl antisite defects. At the same time, the luminescence spectra of YAG:Ce OC and SC show the emission bands in the 200–450 nm range related to YAl antisite defects and charged oxygen vacancies (F+ and F-centers). YAG:Ce ОС also possesses significantly higher thermoluminescence in the range above room temperature and large contribution of slow components in the Ce3+ luminescence decay under high-energy excitation in comparison with SC and SCF of this garnet. The mentioned properties of YAG:Ce OC are caused by the participation of antisite defects and charged oxygen vacancies located in OC mainly on the boundaries of grains, as trapping centers in the energy transfer processes from the host to the Ce3+ ions.

► Comparison of the luminescence and scintillation properties of YAG:Ce crystals, films and transparent ceramic.
► Antisite defects and oxygen vacancies as emission centers in YAG host.
► Influence of the boundaries of grains on luminescent properties of YAG:Ce ceramic.