Ultrafast Transparent Ceramic Scintillators Using the Yb³⁺ Charge Transfer Luminescence in RE₂O₃ Host

We report a new discovery of Yb 3+ -doped ultrafast scintillators based on the Yb 3+ charge transfer luminescence. Transparent ceramic Yb 3+ -doped Y 2 O 3 , Sc 2 O 3 , Lu 2 O 3 , and Yb 2 O 3 were prepared by sintering. When irradiated by γ- and X-rays, they showed a well detectable photoabsorption peak in the pulse height spectra and ultrafast scintillation decay dominated by the decay time of about 1 ns. For the first time, the Yb 3+ -doped oxide materials show detectable scintillation in the pulse height measurement at room temperature with ultrafast scintillation decay.