Gamma Ray-Induced Radiation Damage in Ultrafast Lu₂O₃:Yb Ceramic Scintillators

Abstract

Activated by charge transfer luminescence ytterbium doped lutetium oxide (Lu₂O₃:Yb) is an ultrafast scintillator. Combined with its high density (9.4 g/cm³), it is a promising ultrafast inorganic scintillator for breaking the picosecond (ps) timing barrier for future high energy physics (HEP) time of flight (TOF) and ultrafast calorimetry applications. We report gamma rayinduced radiation damage in Lu₂O₃:Yb and Lu₂ₓY₂₍₁₋ₓ₎O₃:Yb ceramic samples fabricated in Radiation Monitoring Devices Inc. All samples show X-ray excited luminescence peaked at 370 nm with an ultrafast decay time of one ns observed by using a microchannel plate-photomultiplier tube-based test bench. Pulse height spectra and light output as a function of integration time were measured before and after irradiation up to 20 Mrad. This is a part of an on-going investigation for developing ultrafast inorganic scintillators for future HEP experiments.

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