LPE growth and study of the Ce3+ incorporation in LuAlO3:Ce single crystalline film scintillators

Abstract

This work reports the results of the optical and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigation of the Ce³⁺ incorporation in single crystalline film (SCF) scintillators of Ce-doped LuAlO₃ perovskite, grown by the liquid phase epitaxy method onto YAlO₃ substrates using a PbO–B₂O₃ flux. The absorption, luminescence and EPR spectra showed the presence of the main Ce³⁺ center type (Ce_Lu) corresponding to the location of Ce³⁺ ions in the twelve-fold coordinated cuboctahedral positions of the LuAlO₃ host. Also the dimer Ce_Lu–Ce_Lu centers were found in the EPR spectra of the LuAP:Ce SCFs. No EPR spectrum of the Ce³⁺ ions located in the octahedral positions of Al³⁺ cations has been detected indicating their negligibly small concentration (below 5 × 10⁻³ at%) in the SCFs. Pb³⁺ and Pt³⁺ impurity ions incorporated into the SCFs grown from the PbO–B₂O₃ flux and Pt crucible were also identified by resolving, in particular, the hyperfine structure from the ¹⁹⁵Pt isotope in the EPR spectra.