Investigation of Optical and Scintillation Properties of Y-doped CaWO4

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Faculty of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: A scintillator is a specialized material that converts high energy radiation, including X-rays or gamma rays, into UV or visible light. Calcium tungstate (CaWO4) represents one of the materials employed in scintillator applications. The principal emphasis of this investigation is directed towards the fabrication of CaWO4 powder and the influence of yttrium doping on its optical characteristics.
Materials and Methods: In the present investigation, CaWO4 powder was synthesized using Ca(NO3)2.4H2O and Na2WO4.2H2O as precursors via the co-precipitation technique and then calcined at 600 ℃. YCl3.6H2O precursor was introduced as a dopant, serving as a source of Yttrium ions to enhance the properties of CaWO4. Y-doped CaWO4 powder was also synthesized through the co-precipitation method. The microstructural characteristics, optical properties, and scintillation performance of the synthesized samples were meticulously examined utilizing XRD, FESEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, PL spectroscopy, and Alpha spectroscopy analyses.
Results: XRD analysis substantiated the high purity of the synthesized powders, as well as the incorporation of Y ions into the CaWO4 crystal lattice. The morphological examination of the powders predominantly revealed a mainly spherical configuration, with dimensions measured at approximately 500-600 nm. The band gap energy, derived from the absorption spectrum, was determined to be 5.6eV for the pure CaWO4 and 5.8eV for the Y-doped CaWO4. Luminescence characterization of the samples indicated that their emission spectra fall within the range of 350-550 nm.
Conclusion: The scintillation properties of the samples, as assessed through pulse height spectrum analysis, revealed that the Y-doped CaWO4 sample exhibited a significantly higher scintillation count rate intensity compared to its undoped counterpart.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Advanced Materials in Engineering
Volume 45, Issue 1
March 2026
Pages 109-122

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