Synthesis and characterization of rare-earth garnets for applications as scintillators

• Grant number: 25/00895-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Nalin
• Grantee: Breno Cavalheiro de Siqueira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07793-6 - CEPIV - Center for Teaching, Research and Innovation in Glass, AP.CEPID

Abstract

This project aims to obtain garnets containing rare earth ions (Ce³¿ and Gd³¿) through the controlled precipitation of the desired crystalline phase, using special glass compositions as a reaction medium. Glasses with the composition GeO¿-PbO-Bi¿O¿-Ga¿O¿-TR¿O¿ (where TR = Ce¿O¿ or Gd¿O¿) are melted at temperatures close to 1200°C. After complete homogenization, controlled cooling is carried out, during which phase separation and the formation of TR¿Ga¿O¿¿ single crystals occur. This new methodology for preparing gallium garnets is unprecedented and was recently developed by our research group. Thus, the main objectives of this project are to synthesize luminescent garnets with applications as scintillators, targeting the synthesis of a scintillator with a very fast decay time and the development of garnets exhibiting persistent luminescence, for which the cerium-containing phase must be co-doped with Cr³¿.All synthesized materials will be characterized in terms of their structural, thermal, and optical properties, with particular emphasis on luminescent properties. The project includes an international research internship, which will focus on the study of efficiency of the scintillators. Preliminary results from the synthesis of the compounds to be explored in this project are presented.