Synthesis, photoluminescence, thermoluminescence and dosimetry properties of novel phosphor KSr4(BO3)3:Ce

Polycrystalline powder sample of KSr4(BO3)3 was synthesized by high-temperature solid-state reaction. The influence of different rare earth dopants, i.e. Tb3+, Tm3+ and Ce3+, on thermoluminescence (TL) of KSr4(BO3)3 phosphor was discussed. The TL, photoluminescence (PL) and some dosimetric properties of Ce3+-activated KSr4(BO3)3 phosphor were studied. The effect of the concentration of Ce3+ on TL intensity was investigated and the result showed that the optimum Ce3+ concentration was 0.2 mol%. The TL kinetic parameters of KSr4(BO3)3:0.002 Ce3+ phosphor were calculated by computer glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) method. Characteristic emission peaking at about 407 and 383 nm due to the 4f05d1 → 2F(5/2, 7/2) transitions of Ce3+ ion were observed both in PL and three-dimensional (3D) TL spectra. The dose–response of KSr4(BO3)3:0.002 Ce3+ to γ-ray was linear in the range from 1 to 1000 mGy. In addition, the decay of the TL intensity of KSr4(BO3)3:0.002 Ce3+ was also investigated.