Dramatic impact of the giant local magnetic fields on spin-dependent recombination processes in gadolinium based garnets

Abstract

A giant magnetic field effect on spin-dependent recombination of the radiation-induced defects has been found in cerium doped gadolinium based garnet crystals and ceramics, promising materials for scintillator applications. A sharp and strong increase in the afterglow intensity stimulated by external magnetic field and an evidence of the magnetic field memory have been discovered. The effect was ascribed to huge Gd-induced internal magnetic fields, which suppress the recombination, and cross-relaxation with Gd3+ ions leading to reorientation of the spins of the electron and hole centers. Thus, the spin system of radiation-induced defects in gadolinium garnet based scintillator materials was shown to accumulate significant energy which can be released in external magnetic fields.