Synthesis of KNaSO4:Tb3+ and MgSO4:Dy3+ phosphors for lyoluminescence dosimetry

KNaSO4:Tb3+ phosphors were synthesized by melt technique with different concentration of Tb3+ ions and MgSO4:Dy3+ phosphor is prepared by solid state diffusion method. Lyoluminescence and photoluminescence characterization of KNaSO4:Tb and MgSO4:Dy3+ phosphors are reported in this paper. Only one sharp peak is observed in the lyoluminescence (LL) glow curve and KNaSO4:Tb(0.05 mol%) phosphor shows maximum efficiency. The LL intensity increases linearly with gamma ray dose. LL emission occurs in the blue and yellow region of the spectrum. Photoluminescence (PL) characterization of KNaSO4:Tb(0.05 mol%) phosphor shows PL emission at 486 and 546 nm. These PL emissions from KNaSO4:Tb3+ are due to 5D4 → 7F6 and 5D4 → 7F5 transitions of Tb3+ ion respectively. Lyoluminescence of MgSO4:Dy3+ phosphor shows the high sensitivity to γ-ray exposure and LL emission observed at 486 and 572 nm in the blue and yellow emission of the spectrum is due to Dy3+ ion. Experimental results obtained in the present investigation show that KNaSO4:Tb3+ and MgSO4:Dy3+ phosphors are suitable as a lyoluminescence dosimetry phosphor for ionizing radiations.