YAGCe

YAGCe, or cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (chemical formula Y3Al5O12:Ce), is a crystalline oxide used as both a scintillator and a phosphor. It is based on the yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) lattice, with cerium ions (Ce3+) substituting for yttrium sites to activate luminescence. The Ce3+ dopant introduces broad 5d–4f transitions that produce an intense emission in the green–yellow region, typically around 550 nm, when excited by ionizing radiation or blue light.

Crystal growth and doping are well established, with common methods including the Czochralski process and flux growth. Cerium concentrations are kept at modest levels (often a fraction of a percent to a few percent) to optimize light yield and decay characteristics. Because Ce3+ substitutes for Y3+, simple charge compensation is usually not required.

Key properties include high density and Zeff for good stopping power, non-hygroscopic nature, and a high refractive index, all contributing to effective light collection in detectors. YAGCe exhibits fast scintillation decay times, typically on the order of tens of nanoseconds, making it suitable for fast timing applications. The material is also relatively robust under radiation and has good thermal stability.

Applications span both scintillation detectors and solid-state lighting. In medical imaging and high-energy physics, YAGCe serves as a cost-effective scintillator for gamma and X-ray detection. In lighting technology, YAG:Ce crystals and powders are widely used as phosphors in white LEDs, where blue LED emission is converted to yellow to produce white light when combined with other phosphors or color channels.

Variants and performance can vary with crystal quality and dopant concentration, which influence emission spectrum, light yield, and afterglow.