LuI/sub 3/:Ce - a new scintillator for gamma ray spectroscopy

In this paper, we report on a new cerium doped, high atomic number scintillator - LuI/sub 3/:Ce for gamma ray spectroscopy. Crystals of this material have been grown using Bridgman process. LuI/sub 3/ crystals doped with 0.5 and 5% Ce/sup 3+/ show high light output (/spl sim/50,000 photons/MeV) and fast principal decay constant (23 to 31 ns). The Ce/sup 3+/ emission peaks at 474 nm. Energy resolution of LuI/sub 3/:Ce coupled to photomultiplier (PMT) and measured at 662 keV was /spl sim/10% (FWHM). Timing resolution of LuI/sub 3/-PMT and BaF/sub 2/-PMT detectors operating in coincidence mode was measured to be 210 ps (FWHM). Potential applications of this scintillator are discussed.