Scintillation properties of Tm-doped Lu3Al5O12 single crystals

Using the micro-pulling-down (μ-PD) method, Tm-doped Lu3Al5O12 (Tm:LuAG) single crystals were grown to examine their scintillation properties. In transmittance spectra, they exhibited about 80% transparency in the wavelengths longer than 320 nm and five absorption lines due to Tm3+ 4f–4f transitions were observed. 241Am α-ray excited radioluminescence spectra were measured and intense 4f–4f emission peaks were observed with the host emission. When excited by 137Cs γ-Ray to obtain pulse height spectra, Tm 1% doped LuAG showed the highest light yield coupled with a photomultiplier (PMT) or a silicon avalanche photodiode (Si-APD). The light yield was estimated to be 5800 and 7300 photons/MeV for PMT and Si-APD, respectively. Decay time profiles consist of two exponential components and the fast and slow components are considered to be attributed to the host and the combination of the host and Tm3+ 4f–4f emission, respectively.

► Using the micro-pulling-down method, Tm-doped LuAG single crystals were grown.
► They exhibited about 80% transparency in the wavelengths longer than 320 nm.
► Intense Tm3+ 4f–4f emission peaks were observed with the host emission.
► The light yield was 5800 and 7300 photons/MeV for PMT and Si-APD, respectively.