Scintillation properties of Pr3+-doped lutetium and yttrium aluminum garnets: Comparison with Ce3+-doped ones

Scintillation properties of Pr3+-doped LuAG and YAG crystals were investigated and compared with those of Ce3+-doped ones. The highest L.Y.’s were observed with the longest shaping time 10 μs. They can reach up to ∼16,000 ph/MeV or ∼23,500 ph/MeV for LuAG:Pr and LuAG:Ce, respectively. Energy resolutions (FWHM) are a bit better with LuAG:Pr than those of LuAG:Ce, e.g. at 662 keV FWHM are around 6% and between 8–12%, respectively. There were observed no large changes in proportionality of Pr3+- or Ce3+-doped LuAG or YAG crystals but the best proportionality has YAP:Ce crystal. Pr3+- or Ce3+-doped LuAG crystals exhibit slow decay components in the time range 1.5–3.5 μs while those of YAG ones have shorter decay components between 0.3–1.7 μs.

► Scintillation properties of Pr3+-doped LuAG and YAG crystals were investigated.
► L.Y.’s of LuAG:Pr reach up to 16,000 ph/MeV (about 30% less than that of LuAG:Ce).
► Slow decay components between 0.3–3.5 μs are observed on LuAG:Pr and YAG:Pr.
► Ce, Sc or Si co-dopants have no influence on properties of Pr3+-doped LuAG and YAG.
► Pr3+-doped LuAG or YAG are new and efficient in the UV emitting fast scintillators.