Crystal growth, luminescence and scintillation properties of mixed Ce:Cs2LiLaxY1-xCl6 (0 < x ≤ 0.4) scintillators

Ce:Cs2LiYCl6 (CLYC) crystal is a marketable halide inorganic scintillator with very high light yield, excellent energy resolution and pulse-shape discrimination between gamma rays and thermal neutrons. Although the scintillation performance of Ce:Cs2LiLaCl6 (CLLC) crystal is better than CLYC crystal, the promising application was restricted by the crystal growth difficulties. To utilize the advantage of La3+ halide, research on the growth of Ce:Cs2LiLaxY1-xCl6 (0 < x ≤ 0.4) crystals were undertaken. The Ce:Cs2LiLaxY1-xCl6 with x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 were grown by the vertical Bridgman technique, and transparent Ce:Cs2LiLa0.1Y0.9Cl6 samples were successfully obtained. The crystal structure and composition of the as-grown crystals were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction patterns. The luminescence and scintillation properties of the mixed elpasolites Ce:Cs2LiLaxY1-xCl6 (0 < x ≤ 0.4) crystals were also investigated. Finally, it was found that Ce:Cs2LiLa0.1Y0.9Cl6 is a very promising gamma-rays and thermal neutrons scintillator with relatively high optical quality grown from vertical Bridgman method, acceptable energy resolution and relatively fast decay time.