Effect of thermal annealing on light yield, low temperature thermoluminescence, and time profiles of LuAG:Pr scintillator crystals

Measurements of light yield, low temperature thermoluminescence, and scintillation time profiles, performed comparatively on “as grown” and thermally annealed LuAG:Pr samples, are reported. It is shown that traps play an efficient role in the scintillation of LuAG:Pr, being responsible for the yield decrease and introducing a long component to the time profiles. The trap concentrations in the annealed crystals are lower than in the non-annealed ones, which correlates with the yield enhancement.

► Charge traps are responsible for scintillation yield decrease in LuAG:Pr.
► Trap concentrations can be reduced by thermal annealing, resulting in higher yield.
► 0.15 eV traps manifest themselves as long components in scintillation time profiles.