Properties of the YAP : Ce scintillator

Light yield, light pulse shape due to γ-rays and α-particles, energy and time resolutions for a 10 × 10 × 5 mm3 YAB crystal coupled to the XP2020Q photomultiplier were studied. The measured light output of 17000 ± 850 photons/MeV includes a correction for the calibrated quantum efficiency of the XP2020Q. The fast component of the light pulse with the decay time constant of 26.7 ± 0.12 ns also shows a finite rise time described approximately by the time constant of 380 ± 45 ps. The YAP crystal which was studied exhibited an energy resolution of 5.7% for 662 keV γ-rays fron a 137Cs source. This very good energy resolution is due to a low intrinsic energy resolution of 3.4%. These characteristics, together with a good time resolution for 60Co γ-rays of 160 ps measured at the threshold of 1 MeV, suggest a broad range of applications for the YAP scintillator.