Scintillation Properties of Ga₂O₃ Translucent Ceramics Annealed at Different Temperatures

Abstract

Annealing temperature dependence on optical and scintillation properties of the β-gallium oxide (β-Ga₂O₃) translucent ceramic has been investigated. The Ga₂O₃ translucent ceramic was prepared by spark plasma sintering and annealed in air. All the ceramics showed the broad emissions peaking at 390—410 nm due to the recombination of defect-related donors and acceptors. The ceramics annealed at 1000—1100°C showed ultraviolet emission at around 350 nm due to increase in transmittance which was caused by decrease in oxygen vacancies. Under α-ray excitation from ²⁴¹Am, the scintillation light yield of the ceramic annealed at 1000°C was the highest among all the ceramics, and the value was 2300 photons/5.5 MeV-α.