Scintillation properties of the Yb-doped <f>YAlO3</f> crystals

<f>Yb3+</f>-doped <f>YAlO3</f> single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method with a radio frequency heating system. The starting melt compositions of <f>Y1-xYbxAlO3</f> were varied as <f>x=0.02</f>, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.45. Photo- and thermo-luminescence characteristics including emission decays were measured within 4–<f>300 K</f>. Very fast charge transfer luminescence of <f>Yb3+</f> was found, with the typical double peak spectrum at 345 and <f>525 nm</f>. At room temperature the photoluminescence and scintillation decay curves show a leading subnanosecond decay component without any additional slower processes. The high density of Yb-rich <f>YAlO3</f> makes this material a promising candidate for fast scintillators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]