Czochralski Growth of ${\rm Ce}^{3+}$-Doped ${\rm Li}_{6}{\rm Gd}({\rm BO}_{3})_{3}$ Single Crystals

The Ce
³⁺
doped Li
₆
Gd(BO
₃
)
₃
(LGBO) crystal is a promising scintillation crystal for thermal neutron detection. This crystal can be grown by Czochralski technique or modified Bridgman method for its melting point at about 848°C. With a lower radial temperature gradient, the LGBO crystal using CeO
₂
as dopant host (CeO
₂
:LGBO) can only be grown with the diameter less than 15 mm with a smaller shouldering angle. The viscosity of the melt will be decreased and the crystal diameter can be effectively enlarged by using CeF
₃
as dopant host (CeF
₃
:LGBO) when the crystals are grown with the same growth parameters. By increasing the radial temperature gradient, larger diameter single crystals of CeO
₂
:LGBO with the diameter of 30 mm or 40 mm have been grown with a larger shouldering angle. The excitation and emission peaks will red shift and the X-ray excited luminescence emission intensity will be increased by using CeF
₃
instead of CeO
₂
as dopant host.