Scintillation characteristics of nonstoichiometric phases formed in MF2-GdF3-CeF3 system - Part II. (M = Ba), scintillation of Ba1-xCexF2+x (0.1 <= x<= 0.45)

Among three different Ce-concentrations (10, 27 and 45 mol%) which we teste d, the 27 mol% sample showed by far the best radiation hardness and the max imum fast component fraction in the luminescence. For this Ce-concentration , the scintillation intensity was about 30% of that in pure BaF2 (within a 1 mu s gate) and comparable to that in CeF3. The decay constant of scintill ation was about 38 ns. The melting curve of the Ba1-xCexF2+x solid solution s has a maximum at approximately 27 mol% CeF3. The congruent character of t he melt with this composition, which should be related with specific struct ural defects configuration in anionic sublattice, could be the reason for t he excellent radiation hardness observed in the Ba0.3Ce0.27F2.27 crystal. ( C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.