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Expanded phase stability of Gd-based garnet transparent ceramic scintillators

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2014

Zachary M. Seeley ,
Nerine J. Cherepy  and
Stephen A. Payne
Zachary M. Seeley*
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550, USA
Nerine J. Cherepy
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550, USA
Stephen A. Payne
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore California 94550, USA
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Gadolinium-based transparent polycrystalline ceramic garnet scintillators are being developed for gamma spectroscopy detectors. The scintillator light yield and energy resolution depend on many of the ceramic characteristics, including composition, homogeneity, and presence of secondary phases. To investigate phase stability dependence on composition, three base compositions – Gd3Ga2.2Al2.8O12, Gd1.5Y1.5Ga2.2Al2.8O12, and Gd1.5Y1.5Ga2.5Al2.5O12 were studied, and for each composition the rare earth content was varied according to the formula (Gd,Y,Ce)3(YXGa1−X)2(Ga,Al)3O12; where −0.01 < X < 0.05. We have found that yttrium and gallium help to stabilize the garnet crystal structure in the ceramics by allowing interionic substitution among the cationic garnet sites. Specifically, a composition of Gd1.49Y1.49Ce0.02Ga2.5Al2.5O12 can accommodate approximately 2 at.% excess rare earth ions from the perfect garnet stoichiometry and remain a phase pure transparent ceramic with optimal performance as a radiation detector. This expanded phase stability region helps to enable the fabrication of large transparent ceramics from powder with tolerance for flexibility in chemical stoichiometric precision.

Keywords

phase equilibriapolycrystalchemical composition
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 29 , Issue 19: Focus Issue: Optical Ceramics Science , 14 October 2014 , pp. 2332 - 2337
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2014 

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References

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