E. V. D. van Loef, P. Dorenbos, C. W. E. van Eijk, K. Krämer and H. U. Güdel
Scintillation Properties of LaCl₃:Ce³⁺ Crystals: 
Fast, Efficient and High-Energy Resolution Scintillators
IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 48, 341-345 (2001)                 

Abstract: The scintillation properties of LaCl₃ doped with different Ce³⁺ concentrations studied by means of optical, X-ray, and g-ray excitation are presented. Under optical and g-ray excitation, Ce³⁺ emission is observed peaking at 330 and 352 nm. For LaCl₃ doped with 2%, 4%, 10%, and 30% Ce³⁺ and pure CeCl₃, we measured a light yield of 46000±3000 photons per MeV of absorbed g-ray energy. The scintillation decay curve con be described by three decay components: short (t = 25 ns), intermediate (t = 200-800 ns), and long (t = 0.8-14 ms). The contribution of the short decay component to the total light yield increases with Ce³⁺ concentration: ranging from 10% for LaCl₃: 2% Ce³⁺ to 69% for pure CeCl₃. An energy resolution (full-width half-maximum over peak position) for the 662-keV full energy peak of 3.5±0.4%, 3.5±0.4%, 3.1±0.3%, 3.3±0.3%, and 3.4±0.3%, respectively, was observed for LaCl₃: 2%, 4%, 10%, 30% Ce³⁺ and pure CeCl₃.