Abstract
Y1.866Eu0.134O3 and Lu1.56Gd0.41Eu0.03O3 single crystals of the cubic rare-earth sesquioxide phase were grown for the first time by a new flux method, in air and at temperatures between 1250 and 1100 degrees C. Magnetic susceptibility measurements performed in the former crystals suggest that a preferential dissolution of Eu3+ cations occurs on the C-2-site. Transmission measurements established the promising optical quality of the samples, especially for Lu1.56Gd0.41Eu0.03O3 in the red spectral range where most of the scintillation light is emitted. The Lu1.56Gd0.41Eu0.03O3 single crystal, grown and tested for the first time, is an efficient X-ray scintillator and its characteristics seem promising for X-ray imaging with medium spatial resolution, in terms of light output and low afterglow. Emission and transmission spectra were measured and Eu3+ Judd-Ofelt analysis was performed in both crystals. (C)2015 Optical Society of America
Highlights
Speaking, the interest in synthesizing in different shapes rare-earth sesquioxides of the cubic phase is related to the diverse range of applications which can be envisioned from these materials: phosphor powders [1,2,3,4], scintillating thin films or powder materials [5,6,7,8], photonic nanomaterials, high-power and/or sub-100 fs lasers, eyesafe telecommunications lasers, yellow-orange-red solid state lasers, upconverter materials for the 3rd generation of photovoltaïc cell, and the list is not exhaustive [9,10,11]
The Lu1.56Gd0.41Eu0.03O3 single crystal, grown and tested for the first time, is an efficient X-ray scintillator and its characteristics seem promising for X-ray imaging with medium spatial resolution, in terms of light output and low afterglow
The interest in synthesizing in different shapes rare-earth sesquioxides of the cubic phase is related to the diverse range of applications which can be envisioned from these materials: phosphor powders [1,2,3,4], scintillating thin films or powder materials [5,6,7,8], photonic nanomaterials, high-power and/or sub-100 fs lasers, eyesafe telecommunications lasers, yellow-orange-red solid state lasers, upconverter materials for the 3rd generation of photovoltaïc cell, and the list is not exhaustive [9,10,11]
Summary
The interest in synthesizing in different shapes rare-earth sesquioxides of the cubic phase is related to the diverse range of applications which can be envisioned from these materials: phosphor powders [1,2,3,4], scintillating thin films or powder materials [5,6,7,8], photonic nanomaterials, high-power and/or sub-100 fs lasers, eyesafe telecommunications lasers, yellow-orange-red solid state lasers, upconverter materials for the 3rd generation of photovoltaïc cell, and the list is not exhaustive [9,10,11]. In addition to the first cubic Gd2O3:Yb3+ single crystals ever grown to date, pure Tb2O3 single crystals have been grown with promising Faraday rotation properties These heretofore unknown crystals displayed a Verdet constant ≈3.35 times higher than that of well-known commercial TGG crystals at 1064 nm, and an absorption coefficient (corrected for Fresnel reflexion losses) at the same wavelength ≈0.28 cm−1, still too high to comply with industrial specifications for Faraday rotators but quite encouraging [17]. Its hexagonal P63/mmc to cubic Ia-3 phase transition upon cooling makes it difficult to obtain optical quality and laser grade materials by classical high-temperature (≈2400-2500°C) solidification methods (heatexchanger method, laser-heated pedestal growth or micro-pulling down), that is, directly from the molten state of the same composition. Eu3+ was chosen as an optically active cation because its well-known luminescent and scintillating properties [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,27] occur mainly in the orange-red spectral range, where cheap and almost 100% efficient detectors exist
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