Fabrication and luminescent properties of Ce:LaAlO3 translucent ceramics

• Ce:LaAlO3 translucent ceramics were fabricated with solid-state reaction method.
• Three excitation peaks at 249, 317 and 354 nm were attributed to the 4f–5d transition of Ce3+.
• The scintillation properties were investigated by radioluminescence.

Ce3+ doped LaAlO3 translucent ceramics were fabricated with solid-state reaction method and sintered in vacuum condition. LaAlO3 single phase was formed at 1200 °C. Their microstructures were observed and luminescent properties were investigated. The average grain size increases with the increase of sintering temperature. A dense and pore-free microstructure is displayed at 1700 °C. A band to band absorption of LaAlO3 host is round 220 nm. Three excitation peaks at 249, 317 and 354 nm were observed in the Ce3+:LaAlO3 ceramics, they were attributed to the 4f–5d transition of Ce3+ ions. The scintillation properties were investigated by X-ray excited radioluminescence in Ce3+:LaAlO3 ceramics and the emission peak is 428 nm.