Abstract
The impact of 230-MeV Xe132 ion irradiation on the structural, optical, and luminescent properties of YAG:Ce single crystals is investigated over a fluence range of 1011–1014 ions/cm2. Optical absorption; cathodo-, X-ray, and photoluminescence; and X-ray diffraction are employed to analyze radiation-induced changes. Irradiation leads to the formation of Frenkel (F, F+) and antisite defects and attenuates Ce3+ emission (via enhanced nonradiative processes and Ce3+ → Ce4+ recharging). A redistribution between the fast and slow components of the Ce3+-emission is considered. Excitation spectra show the suppression of exciton-related emission bands, as well as a shift of the excitation onset due to increased lattice disorder. XRD data confirm partial amorphization and a high level of local lattice disordering, both increasing with irradiation fluence. These findings provide insight into radiation-induced processes in YAG:Ce, which are relevant for its application in radiation–hard scintillation detectors.