Scintillation properties of the Ce-doped multicomponent garnet epitaxial films

• (Lu,Y,Gd)3(Al,Ga)5O12:Ce scintillator films were grown by liquid phase epitaxy.
• Most of the samples exhibited strong UV emission.
• Emission of Gd2YAl5O12:Ce is dominated by the Ce3+ 5d–4f luminescence.
• Gd2YAl5O12:Ce photoelectron yield is the highest of all the garnet films.

(Lu,Y,Gd)3(Al,Ga)5O12:Ce garnet scintillator single crystalline films were grown onto LuAG, YAG and GGG substrates by liquid phase epitaxy method. Absorption, radioluminescence spectra and photoluminescence excitation, emission spectra, and decay kinetics were measured. Photoelectron yield, its dependence on amplifier shaping time and energy resolution were determined to evaluate scintillation performance. Most of the samples exhibited strong UV emission caused by trapped excitons and/or Gd3+ 4f–4f transition. However, emission spectrum of the best performing Gd2YAl5O12:Ce is dominated by the Ce3+ fast 5d–4f luminescence. This sample has outperformed photoelectron yield of all the garnet films studied so far.