Investigations of Ba3BP3O12:Eu2+ single crystal as a scintillator

Single crystals of Ba3BP3O12:Eu2+ with high optical quality have been grown by the top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) method using BPO4–NaF mixture as the flux. Ba3BP3O12:Eu2+ single crystal exhibits wide transparency in the wavelength range from 250 to 700 nm, and shows a broad emission band in the wavelength range of 350–650 nm when excited by X-ray radiation. The overall scintillation efficiency is about 1.8 times of that of BGO crystal under the same conditions. Its room temperature fluorescence decay curve exhibits a single-exponent shape with decay time of about 860 ns. It is worth noting that Ba3BP3O12:Eu2+ single crystal may be of great interest for applications in the field of scintillation materials considering its scintillation properties, as well as the good chemical stability.