Abstract: The 5% Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramic precursor was synthesized by wet chemical method, and the morphologies, microstructures and phases of both Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramic precursor and the calcined Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramic powders were studied by SEM and XRD. The results show that the powders are spherical, well-dispersed and good crystalline. The particle size is calculated to be about 68.5 nm. Using the powders calcined at 1 100 ℃ for 4 h as raw material, the highly transparent Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics were successfully fabricated by vacuum sintering at 1 650 ℃ for 30 h.The grain size is calculated to be about 46 μm, and in-line transmittance of the Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics reaches 66.3% at 611 nm. What's more, the absorption curve, the excitation spectrum, the emission spectrum and the X-ray excited emission spectrum of the Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics were studied. It can be observed that the absorption curve of Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics is consisted of the matrical absorption and active ion absorption. It can be seen from the photo-luminescence emission spectrum and X-ray excited emission spectrum of the Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics that an extremely strong peak is located at 611 nm, corresponding to the ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ transition of Eu³⁺. By comparison with the BGO crystal, the light output of the Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics is estimated to be about 85 000 ph/MeV. Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics have an excellent X-ray stopping power due to its high density and effective atomic number. It is indicated that Eu:Lu₂O₃ ceramics are a potential ceramic scintillator for the application of X-ray detection imaging combined with the characteristics of high light output.

Key words: Eu:Lu₂O₃, scintillation ceramics, transparent ceramics, vacuum sintering, photo-luminescence, emission spectrum, light output