LuAG:Ce ceramic is an important garnet scintillator. The study on improving its scintillation properties has always been a hot topic. The previous work done by Prof. Pan’s group illustrated that the light yield of LuAG:Ce ceramics was improved by Mg²⁺ co-doping, which is the highest among all LuAG:Ce scintillators (pss(RRL),8(1):105-109(2014)).

Researchers from Prof. Yubai Pan’s group in Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, CAS studied the form of traps and thermodynamic properties in LuAG:Ce ceramic scintillators by electron spin resonance (ESR) device provided by Steady High Magnetic Field Facilities (SHMFF) in High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS (CHMFL). They studied the electron and hole traps in LuAG:Ce ceramic scintillators to investigate the intrinsic defects in them. 

The results illustrated that electron traps in form of Lu_Al,16a antisite defects and hole traps in form of O^- centers were verified. The thermodynamic properties of these traps were studied. By a combination of low temperature thermoluminescence (TSL) experiment, the interaction between electron and hole traps in LuAG:Ce ceramics was found. These results give a guidance on further improvement on the co-doped oxide scintillators.  

The results were published in Phys. Status Solidi RRL 9(4): 245-249(2015), Opt. Mater. 45: 252-257(2015), and Phys. Status Solidi b recently.

Scheme of the carrier recombination processes evidenced by ESR and TSL experiments in LuAG:Ce,Mg ceramics