Role of y Admixture in (Lu1-x Yx)3Al5 O12 Pr Ceramic Scintillators Free of Host Luminescence

To improve particle detectors in physics research and PET scanners in medicine, for example, better scintillators are sought. In this study, researchers succeed in creating a ceramic that is free of defect-induced host luminescence. In a combined ``defect engineering'' and ``band-gap engineering'' approach, the detrimental influence of lattice defects is significantly reduced, by simultaneously lowering the concentration of point defects and shifting their energy levels. Thanks to this approach, efficient scintillator material with high density, high light yield, and short decay time is obtained.