Progress in fast-timing Ce-doped garnet scintillators by complex codoping with divalent cations

• Published in: Materials research bulletin 2025-04, Vol.184, p.113283, Article 113283
• Main Authors: Sidletskiy, O., Gerasymov, I., Kurtsev, D., Viahin, O., Tkachenko, S., Kofanov, D., Sadivnycha, S., Martinazzoli, L., Roux, L., Auffray, E., Kononets, V., Lebbou, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Codoping; Decay constant; Electromagnetic calorimeter; Light output; Physics; Scintillator
• ISSN: 0025-5408; 1873-4227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2024.113283

•Ca2+-Mg2+ codoping provides superior combination of light output and timing in YAG:Ce.•A decay time of 26 ns is achieved in combination with a light output of 22,850 pH/MeV.•A large 120 mm long YAG:Ce,Ca,Mg crystal was grown by the czochralski in w crucible.•Uniformity in scintillation properties was demonstrated along this large crystal.•YAG:Ce,Ca,Mg is a promising material for application at HL-LHC in CERN. This work focuses on the development of fast-timing inorganic scintillators for use in cutting-edge particle physics experiments at colliders and time-of-flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET). Significant progress in enhancing the timing performance of Y₃Al₅O₁₂ (YAG) scintillators is reported, achieved by optimizing the co-doping conditions with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. The optimized crystals exhibit fast rise and decay times of 30 ps and 26 ns, respectively, alongside with an impressive coincidence time resolution (CTR) of 131 ps, while maintaining a high light output of over 22,000 pH/MeV. The incorporation of dopants into the YAG lattice is explored, providing insights into the mechanisms driving scintillation response in YAG:Ce,Ca,Mg crystals. Furthermore, uniformity in scintillation properties was demonstrated along a large, 120 mm-long YAG:Ce,Ca,Mg ingot, which was grown using the Czochralski method in a tungsten crucible. [Display omitted]