Luminescent and scintillation properties of the Pr3+ doped single crystalline films of Lu3Al5−xGaxO12 garnet

• Single crystalline films of Lu3Al5−x GaxO12:Pr garnet at x = 1–3 were grown by the LPE method.
• Pr3+ emission spectra, light yield and decay time of films show strong dependence on Ga content.
• The maximal light yield of Lu3Al5−x GaxO12:Pr film is observed at Ga content x = 2.0–2.5.

The Pr3+ d–f luminescence was investigated in the single crystalline films (SCF) of Lu3Al5−xGaxO12:Pr garnet solid solution at x = 1–3, grown by the liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) method from the melt-solution based on the PbO–B2O3 flux. The shape of CL spectra and decay kinetics of Pr3+ ions in Lu3Al5−xGaxO12 SCFs strongly depend on the total gallium concentration x and distribution of Ga3+ ions between the tetrahedral and octahedral position of the garnet host. The best scintillation properties of Lu3Al5−xGaxO12:Pr SCF are achieved at the nominal Ga content in melt-solution in the x = 2–2.5 range.