Nd-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (NdYAG) is an important solid-state laser material due to Nd3+ interconfigurational
transitions which result in intense infrared emission. This work shows that NdYAG crystals
also emit visible radio-luminescence in response to exposure to beta particles due to other Nd3+
interconfigurational 4f–4f transitions. Additionally, thermo-luminescence spectroscopy reveals the
absence of traps in NdYAG, making it a potentially superior scintillation material. The fact that Nd is present
in only one valence state in NdYAG leads to charge balance and results in the suppression of defect
formation. This finding reveals fundamental understanding regarding defect formation in ionic crystals