New types of composite scintillators based on the single crystalline films and crystals of Gd3Al5-xGaxO12:Ce garnets

Abstract

This work presents the results on creation of novel types of composite scintillators based on Ce3+ doped Gd3Al5-xGaxO12 single crystalline films grown by the LPE method using PbO–B2O3 flux onto substrate-scintillators prepared from commercial Gd3Al2.3Ga2.7O12:Ce and Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce single crystals. The sets of films with different Ga contents x = 1.75–2.25 and various thicknesses in the 13–150 μm range were grown onto the mentioned substrates. The scintillation properties of the respective epitaxial structures (pulse height spectra, light yield and scintillation decay kinetics) were investigated under excitation by α– (239Pu) particles, β- (90Sr+90Y) particles and γ–quanta (137Cs). The best scintillation properties for simultaneous registration of the mentioned particles and quanta in the mixed radiation fluxes are demonstrated with Gd3Al2.75Ga2.25O12 film/Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce substrate epitaxial structure.