Scintillation properties of LaCl3:Ce3+ crystals: fast, efficient, and high-energy resolution scintillators

The scintillation properties of LaCl₃ doped with different Ce³⁺ concentrations studied by means of optical, X-ray, and γ-ray excitation are presented. Under optical and γ-ray excitation, Ce³⁺ emission is observed peaking at 330 and 352 nm. For LaCl₃ doped with 2%, 4%, 10%, and 30% Ce ³⁺ and pure CeCl₃, we measured a light yield of 46 000±3000 photons per MeV of absorbed γ-ray energy. The scintillation decay curve can be described by three decay components: short (τ=25 ns), intermediate (τ=200-800 ns), and long (τ=0.8-14 μs). The contribution of the short decay component to the total light yield increases with Ce³⁺ concentration: ranging from 10% for LaCl₃: 2% Ce³⁺ to 69% for pure CeCl₃. An energy resolution (full-width half-maximum over peak position) for the 662-keV full energy peak of 3.5±0.4%, 3.5±0.4%, 3.1±0.3%, 3.3±0.3%, and 3.4± 0.3%, respectively, was observed for LaCl₃: 2%, 4%, 10%, 30% Ce³⁺ and pure CeCl₃