Luminescent properties of Al2O3:Ce single crystalline films under synchrotron radiation excitation

• High-performance Al2O3:Ce single crystalline films were grown by LPE method.
• Basic parameters of the Ce3+ luminescence in Al2O3 host were determined.
• Al2O3:Ce film samples show relatively large scintillation light yield.

The paper is dedicated to study the luminescent and scintillation properties of the Al2O3:Ce single crystalline films (SCF) grown by LPE method onto saphire substrates from PbO based flux. The structural quality of SCF samples was investigated by XRD method. For characterization of luminescent properties of Al2O3:Ce SCFs the cathodoluminescence spectra, scintillation light yield (LY) and decay kinetics under excitation by α-particles of Pu239 source were used. We have found that the scintillation LY of Al2O3:Ce SCF samples is relatively large and can reach up to 50% of the value realized in the reference YAG:Ce SCF. Using the synchrotron radiation excitation in the 3.7–25 eV range at 10 K we have also determined the basic parameters of the Ce3+ luminescence in Al2O3 host.