Scintillation efficiency of Tb:YTaO₄ single crystals

Abstract Environmentally friendly scintillators are demanded to substitute CdWO 4 single crystal for X- ray imaging. Tb 3+ :YTaO 4 single crystals are a promising candidate with a high stopping power, green emission matching to photodiodes, and a small afterglow. This study demonstrates that the light yield of Tb 3+ :YTaO 4 scintillators is ∼ 24,000 ph/MeV. Furthermore, the fluorescence lifetime, ∼ 970 μ s, though shorter than in other oxides, is close to the theoretical prediction by Judd-Ofelt analysis, indicating a high emission quantum efficiency of the Tb 3+ activator. As the scintillation lifetime is shorter due to non-radiative decay, a potential light yield increase to 33,000 ph/MeV is estimated.