For the first time, the highly transparent yellow Ce:YAG scintillation crystal with a diameter of 3 in has been grown by the temperature gradient technique (TGT). The segregation coefficient of Cc ions in 0.8at% doped TGT-Ce:YAG crystal determined by the ICP-AES method was 0.082, and the Ce distribution along the [111] growth axis was also investigated. The main macroscopic defects such as striations, side cores, bubbles, inclusions and stress birefringence were observed in as-grown Ce:YAG crystal by means of cross-polarized light microscope observation. The results show that the main defects such as bubbles, inclusions and stress birefringence mainly existed near the crystal peripheral edges. (C) 200 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.