Characterization of high dense Pr:GdTaO4 crystal scintillators

Pr-doped GdTaO4 crystals with various Pr-concentrations were prepared using a floating zone furnace, and the photo- and radio-luminescence properties were evaluated. Pr:GdTaO4 exhibits photo- and radio-luminescence with several sharp emission peaks due to Pr3+. The decay time constants are in tens of μs order and monotonically decrease with dopant concentration, and the values are reasonable as that of the 4f–4f transitions of Pr3+. The pulse height distribution under 137Cs γ-ray irradiation demonstrates that the 0.5% Pr:GdTaO4 crystal shows the highest scintillation light yield of 5110 photons/MeV among the samples. •Pr-doped GdTaO4 crystals were investigated as a notably high dense scintillator.•Samples exhibit luminescence with a several sharp emission peak due to Pr3+.•The light yields of 0.5% Pr:GdTaO4 was 5110 photons/MeV under 137Cs γ-rays.