Structural and scintillation properties of new Ce3+-doped alumino-borate

The compound LuAl3(BO3)(4) doped with Ce3+ ions has been synthesized and in vestigated for the first time, It was compared with analogous Y and Gd alum ino-borates. All materials have been prepared in the form of polycrystallin e powders by solid state reaction. These three compounds have a trigonal st ructure with a R32 space group and the symmetry of each aluminium, lanthani de and boron site have been confirmed by MAS-NMR experiments. Main structur al, thermal and fluorescence properties are given. The results show that in these compounds there are two sites of Ce3+ and in the ultra violet range (maximum at 340 and 365 nm) Ce3+ exhibits a 25 ns fluorescence. An extra-em ission is observed in the low energy range. It could be originated from non -regular sites (aluminium and/or interstitial sites). (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.