Luminescent properties of Gd1.4Lu0.1Y1.5Al5O12:Ce and Gd3Ga2.7Al2.3O12:Ce single crystals grown by micro-pulling down technique

• Published in: Journal of luminescence 2023-11, Vol.263, p.120117, Article 120117
• Main Authors: Majewski-Napierkowski, Artur, Gieszczyk, Wojciech, Mrozik, Anna, Witkiewicz-Łukaszek, Sandra, Zorenko, Tetiana, Bartosiewicz, Karol, Bilski, Pawel, Zorenko, Yuriy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Garnet crystal; Luminescence; Micropulling down technique; Mixed garnet; Synchrotron radiation
• ISSN: 0022-2313; 1872-7883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jlumin.2023.120117

The luminescent properties of the single crystals of Ce3+ doped (Gd1−x−yLuxYy)3Al5O12:Ce (x = 0.1; y = 1.5) and Gd3GaxAl5-xO12:Ce (x = 2.7) garnets (GLYAG:Ce and GGAG:Ce) were investigated in this work. Both crystals were grown by the micropulling down method. The conventional absorption and luminescence spectral measurements together with the luminescent spectroscopy under excitation by synchrotron radiation were performed to characterize the optical properties of crystals. It has been found that cumulative effects of reducing the ion radius from Gd3+ to Y3+ and Lu3+ in the dodecahedral sites of the garnets host and alloying of Al3+ ions in octahedral positions instead Ga3+ ions increases the crystal field strength and causes the respective redshift of the Ce3+ emission spectra in GLYAG:Ce crystals in comparison with GAGG:Ce garnet. The energy transfer from Gd3+ cations to Ce3+ has also been registered at the emission spectra and excitation spectra of both crystals. The energies of creation of the excitons bound with the Ce3+ ions in GLYAG:Ce and GAGG:Ce hosts were found to be equal to 6.415 ± 0.15 eV and 6.22 ± 0.15 eV, respectively. Both crystals show well-distinguished thermo- and optically stimulated luminescence (TSL and IR OSL) after α- and β-particle irradiation. Meanwhile, GAGG:Ce crystals show significantly higher TSL and IR OSL intensities (by 3–4 times) and faster OSL decay kinetics in comparison with GLYAG:Ce counterpart. •Gd1.4Lu0.1Y1.5Al5O12:Ce (GLYAG:Ce) and Gd3Ga2.3Al2.7O12:Ce (GAGG:Ce) garnet crystals were grown using the micro-pulling down method.•Luminescent properties of crystals were investigated using conventional spectral methods and synchrotron radiation excitation.•The energy of creation of the excitons bound with the Ce3+ ions in GLYAG:Ce and GAGG:Ce hosts was found.•Gd1.4Lu0.1Y1.5 Al5O12:Ce and Gd3Ga2.3Al2.7O12:Ce crystals show well-distinguished TSL and IR OSL properties.•GAGG:Ce crystals show significantly higher TSL and IR OSL intensity and faster IR OSL decay kinetics in comparison with GLYAG:Ce counterpart.