The growth of Y2O3, Sc2O3, and Lu2O3 single crystals using the micro-pulling-down method is reported. Crystallinity, optical transmittance, and scintillation characteristics including emission spectra, pulse height spectra, and decay kinetics under a-ray excitation of the grown crystals were studied. The light yields of Y2O3, Sc2O3, and Lu2O3 crystals were estimated from the pulse height spectra excited by Am-241 5.5 MeV alpha-rays, in about 920 +/- 92 ph/5.5 MeV alpha, 370 +/- 37 ph/5.5 MeV alpha, and 150 +/- 15 ph/5.5 MeV alpha, respectively. The scintillation decay times of Y2O3, Sc2O3, and Lu2O3 crystals were estimated with following fast/slow parameters 30.1/184, 14.6/51.3, and 16.7 ns, respectively. Furthermore, a-ray imaging was performed using Y2O3 crystal. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.