Optical and scintillation properties of the Eu2O3-doped HfO2-Al2O3–SiO2 glass ceramics

Abstract

In this study, Eu-doped 10HfO2–10Al2O3–80SiO2 glass ceramics with different Eu concentrations were prepared by the melt-quenching method using an optical floating zone furnace, and optical and scintillation properties were investigated to apply them for radiation detectors. All the glass ceramic samples were transparent, although they included not only an amorphous phase but also a crystal phase of cubic-HfO2. Photoluminescence and scintillation peaks due to Eu2+ were detected at 400–550 nm. In the glass ceramic samples with higher Eu concentration, the luminescence of Eu3+ was also observed. Quantum yields and afterglow levels decreased with increasing Eu concentration. The 1.0% Eu-doped sample had the highest light yield among all our glass samples, and the light yield was 630 photons/MeV under γ-ray irradiation from 137Cs.