Anuj Soni

Combustion synthesis and preliminary luminescence studies of LiBaPO4 : Tb3+ phosphor

The polycrystalline sample of LiBaPO4 : Tb3+ (LBPT) was successfully synthesized by solution combustion synthesis and studied for its luminescence characteristics. The thermoluminescence (TL) glow curve of LBPT material consists of two peaks at 204.54 and 251.21°C. The optimum concentration was 0.005 mol to obtain the higher TL intensity compared to commercial TLD-100 phosphor. The peak shape method was used to calculate kinetic parameter (activation energy and frequency factor). In CW-OSL mode its sensitivity for beta exposure was found to be 50% compared to commercially available α-Al2O3 : C and 40% than LMP (BARC), and photoluminescence spectrum of LBPT shows green emission when excited with 225 nm UV source.

Thermally assisted OSL: A potent tool for improvement in minimum detectable dose and extension of dose range of Al2O3:C

The influence of electron-phonon interaction on the shape of the optically stimulated luminescence decay curve of Al2O3:C has been studied using thermally assisted optically stimulated luminescence (TA-OSL). The minimum detectable dose (MDD) of a phosphor depends on the standard deviation of the background signal which affects the signal-to-noise ratio. The standard deviation of the background signal reduces at lower stimulation light intensity while the readout time increases. Further, measurement at higher temperature enhances the OSL signal with faster decay due to the temperature dependence of photo-ionization cross-section. To achieve the same decay constant and more signal, the temperature of measurement was raised. As a result of lowering the stimulation in-tensity at higher temperature (85°C) the overall MDD of α-Al2O3:C was found to improve by 1.8 times. For extension of dose linearity in higher range, deeper traps were studied by simultaneous application of CW-OSL and thermal stimulation up to 400°C, using a linear heating rate of 4K/s. By using this method, two well defined peaks at 121°C and 232°C were observed. These TA-OSL peaks have been correlated with two deeper defects which can be thermally bleached at 650°C and 900°C respectively. These deeper defects are stable up to 500°C, so they can store absorbed dose information even if the sample is inadvertently exposed to light or heat. The dose vs. TA-OSL response from deep traps of α-Al2O3:C was found to be linear up to 10 kGy, thus extending its application for high dose dosimetry.

Thermoluminescence, OSL and defect centers in Tb doped magnesium orthosilicate phosphor.

Mg2SiO4:Tb phosphor exhibits four thermoluminescence (TL) peaks at 124, 244, 300 and 370°C for a heating rate of 2°C/s, 244°C peak being the main dosimetry peak. The irradiated phosphor exhibits CW-OSL response on stimulation with blue (470nm) light. Thermal decay of OSL shows that all the TL traps contribute to CW-OSL signal. Its TL and OSL sensitivities are 0.21 and 0.038, respectively, than that of Al2O3:C (Landauer Inc.). Its CW-OSL response increases linearly up to 30Gy, thereafter increase was supralinear up to the studied dose of 1000Gy. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) studies were carried out to study the defect centers induced in the phosphor by gamma irradiation and also to identify the centers responsible for the TL process. Room temperature ESR spectrum of irradiated phosphor appears to be a superposition of at least three distinct centers. One of the centers (center I) with an isotropic g-factor 2.0122 is attributable to an intrinsic O(-) radical and this correlates with the main TL peak at 244°C. Center II with an isotropic g-factor 2.0012 is assigned to an F(+)-center (singly ionized oxygen vacancy) and is the likely recombination center for all the TL peaks. Both the centers grow with radiation dose at least up to 1 kGy. Center III with an axial symmetric g-tensor with principal g-values g||=2.0049 and g⊥=2.0029 is identified as an F(+)-center and is not related to the observed TL peaks in the phosphor.

Synthesis and luminescence properties of Tb3+-doped LiMgPO4 phosphor

Polycrystalline sample LiMg(1−x)PO4:xTb3+ (x = 0.001, 0.002, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02) phosphor was synthesized via modified solid state method (MSSM). The prepared sample was characterized through XRD pattern (X-ray diffraction) and SEM (scanning electron microscope). Additionally, photoluminescence (PL), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), thermoluminescence (TL) and other dosimetric properties including dose linearity, reusability and fading were studied. In OSL mode, sensitivity of prepared phosphor was found to be 2.7 times that of LiMgPO4:Tb3+, B (BARC) phosphor and 4.3 times that of α-Al2O3:C (BARC) phosphor. The TL glow consists of overlapping peaks in temperature range of 50–400∘C and first peak (P1) was observed at 150∘C, second peak (P2) at 238∘C, third peak (P3) at 291∘C and fourth peak (P4) at 356∘C. The TL sensitivity of second peak (P2) of LiMgPO4:Tb3+ phosphor was compared with α-Al2O3:C (BARC) phosphor and found to be 100 times that of the α-Al2O3:C (BARC) phosphor. The minimum detectable dose (MDD) was found to be 5.6 μGy. Moreover, photoionization cross-sections, linearity, reusability, fading and kinetic parameters were calculated. Also, photoluminescence spectra of LiMgPO4: Tb3+ shows characteristic green–yellow emission exciting at 224 nm UV source.

Some novel features of post-500°C heating blue stimulated OSL emission of fired natural quartz

Abstract In this study, some novel features of the post 500°C blue stimulated optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of fired geological quartz are reported. Different observations (i) pulse annealing and (ii) impact of bleaching on high temperature TL glow peak suggested 510°C (heating rate of 2°C/s) TL peak trap to be responsible for the observed emission. The dosimetric properties of this emission were seen to make its applicability for dose assessment till kGy range. The signal was seen to be easily bleachable, reaching background value within 100 s with blue light at 125°C. The signal qualified all the tests (i) reproducibility, (ii) negligible recuperation and (iii) accuracy of dose recovery needed for reliable assessment of the radiation dose with modified Single aliquot regenerative (SAR) protocol. Considering the bleachability and high dynamic dose range of this signal, it has the potential to stretch the upper dose limit of dating by one order of magnitude than possible with conventional OSL, corresponding to 325°C TL trap. So, combining all the results, the signal reported here could be very useful for dosimetric applications involving measurement of high radiation dose, like dating.