The effect of Y3+ on microstructure and scintillation properties of hot-pressed Eu2+ doped CaF2 transparent ceramics

CaF₂:Eu²⁺ transparent ceramics with and without Y³⁺ doping were fabricated by the hot-pressed sintering method under the inert atmosphere via the co-precipitation-synthesized nanoparticles. After the co-doping of Y³⁺, there was no significant change in the particle size of the nanoparticles, but the grain size of the ceramics was markedly reduced. The optical transmission of CaF₂: Eu²⁺, Y³⁺ ceramics at 425 nm achieved approximately 46.3 %, surpassing that of CaF₂:Eu²⁺ ceramics. With Y³⁺ ions co-doping, the photoluminescence (PL) and X-ray induced emission spectra displayed stronger emission bands at 422 nm ascribed to 5d-4f transitions of Eu²⁺ ions and weaker emission peaks at 550–650 nm range originating from 4f-4f transitions of Eu³⁺ ions in Eu²⁺:CaF₂ ceramic. Furthermore, the effect of co-doped Y³⁺ ions on the scintillation decay lifetime, pulse height spectra, and thermoluminescence of the samples were investigated.