Scintillation properties of REF3 (RE=Ce, Pr, Nd) single crystals

CeF3, PrF3 and NdF3 single crystals have been grown under CF4 atmosphere by the modified Czochralski technique. PrF3 exhibited a dominant sharp emission at about 400 nm (1S0→1I6), with a decay time of 510 ns. Photon cascade process as well as energy migration to RE-dopants were not observed. Light emission from CeF3 remarkably increased by Lu3+-doping, yielding to efficiencies over that of BGO.