Thermoluminescence studies of γ-irradiated Al2O3:Ce3+ phosphor

Pure and Ce3+ doped Al2O3 phosphors were synthesized by solution combustion method. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and its shows α-phase of Al2O3. Crystallite size was estimated by Williamson–Hall (W–H) method and found to be 49, 59 and 84 nm for pure, 0.1 mol% and 1 mol% Ce3+ doped Al2O3 respectively. Trace elemental analysis of undoped Al2O3 shows impurities viz. Fe, Cr, Mn, Mg, Ti, etc. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Al2O3:Ce3+ shows emission at 367 nm and excitation peak at 273 nm, which are corresponding to 5D → 4F and 4F → 5D transitions respectively. PL intensity decreases with concentration up to 0.4 mol%, beyond this mol% PL intensity increases with doping concentration up to 2 mol%. Thermoluminescence (TL) studies of γ-rayed pure and Ce3+ doped Al2O3 have been studied. Two well resolved TL glow peaks at 457.5 K and 622 K were observed in pure Al2O3. Additional glow peak at 566 K was observed in Al2O3:Ce3+. Maximum TL intensity was observed for Al2O3:Ce3+ (0.1 mol%) beyond this TL intensity decreases with increasing Ce3+ concentration. Computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) method was used to resolve the multiple peaks and to calculate TL kinetic parameters. Thermoluminescence emission (TLE) spectra of pure Al2O3 glow peaks (457.5 K and 622 K) shows sharp emission at 694 nm and two small humps at 672 nm and 709 nm. The sharp peak at 696 nm corresponds to Cr3+ impurity of 2Eg → 4A2g transition of R lines and 713 nm hump is undoubtedly belongs to Cr3+ emission of near neighbor pairs. The emission at 672 nm is characteristic of Mn4+ impurity ions of 2E → 4A2 transition. TLE of Al2O3:Ce3+ (0.1 mol%) shows additional broad emission at 412 nm corresponds to F-centers. Linearity is observed in the dose range 20–500 Gy in Al2O3:Ce3+ (1 mol%).