Growth and Scintillation Properties of La(Cl_0.05Br_0.95)₃:Ce Crystal

The growth and scintillation properties of La_0.97(Cl_0.05Br_0.95)₃:Ce_0.03 crystals are reported. A 1-inch-diameter as-grown crystal is achieved by applying the vertical Bridgman technique, and one machined single crystal with sizes 18 mm×8 mm×8 mm is acquired. The scintillation properties of La_0.97(Cl_0.05Br_0.95)₃:Ce_0.03 crystals are presented. Under the excitation of UV (ultraviolet) light, the crystal exhibits two luminescent peaks centered at 358 nm and 382 nm. The light output is about 62000 ph/MeV while the energy resolution (ΔE/E) of this crystal at 662 keV is 4.55% of the full width at half-maximum. Additionally, the crystal photoluminescence decay time constant is 17.7 ns, which is significantly faster than that of LaBr₃:Ce. The results indicate that the LaCl₃ and the LaBr₃ can form the anion solid solution crystal. The La_x(Cl_yBr_1?y)₃:Ce_1?x crystal is potentionally a promising scintillator.