Intrinsic and Ce-related luminescence of YAG and YAG:Ce single crystals, single crystalline films and nanopowders

A comparative analysis of the luminescent properties of YAG and YAG:Ce nanopowders (NP) in comparison with single crystalline film (SCF) and single crystal (SC) analogues was performed under excitation by a pulsed synchrotron and X-ray radiation. It was shown that the natural defects concentration in NP was between the SC with a large (0.18–0.19 at.%) concentration of Y_Al antisite defects (AD) and SCF of these garnets where Y_Al AD were completely absent. At the same time, Ce³⁺ doped YAG NP showed luminescent properties close to those of YAG:Ce SCF.