Growth and scintillation properties of directionally solidified Ce:LaCl3/AECl2 (AE = Mg, Ca, Sr) eutectic Scintillators

• Ce doped LaCl 3 /AECl 2 (AE = Mg, Ca, Sr) eutectics were grown by BS method. • In case of AE = Mg, Ca, eutectic with PSSFs structures were observed. • The Ce:LaCl 3 /CaCl 2 eutectic showed Ce 3+ 4f-5d emission at 345 nm. • The light output of Ce:LaCl 3 /CaCl 2 under 137 Cs was 9000 photons/MeV. • The scintillation decay time under 137 Cs was 26.8 ns (26%) and 282 ns (74%). Ce-doped LaCl 3 /AECl 2 (AE = Mg, Ca, Sr) system eutectics were explored. Ce-doped LaCl 3 / AECl 2 (AE = Mg, Ca, Sr) eutectics were grown using the Bridgman–Stockbarger method in quartz ampoules. In the case of AE = Mg, Ca, eutectics with submicron-diameter phase-separated scintillator fibers (PSSFs) structure were observed. In the case of AE = Sr sample, a solid solution of La 0.708 Sr 0.292 Cl 2.708 was observed. The plate sample from the grown eutectics has some transparency. The grown eutectic structure showed a mixture of rods and plates shape. This mixed structure was aligned with a length of around 100–400 μm. The Ce:LaCl 3 /CaCl 2 eutectic showed 345 nm emission ascribed to Ce 3+ 4f-5d transition under X-ray excitation. The Ce:LaCl 3 /CaCl 2 sample resulted in the highest light output of 9,000 photon/MeV, which is comparable to the previously reported eutectic scintillator Ce:GdAlO 3 /α-Al 2 O 3 , 9500 photon/MeV. Scintillation decay time of the Ce:LaCl 3 /CaCl 2 sample under 662 keV gamma-ray excitation was 26.8 ns (26%) and 282 ns (74%).