Optically stimulated luminescence: Searching for new dosimetric materials

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is increasingly being used as a dosimetric technique in various fields such as medical, environmental and space dosimetry, and sediment and archaeological dating. Nevertheless few compounds are suitable as OSL materials. In this work, a survey was made of various insulators, searching for candidates for new OSL dosimeters. Natural and synthetic crystals and glasses from numerous sources are included. Luminescence was stimulated with blue LEDs (470 nm) and with IR laser (830 nm) provided by an automatic reader. Irradiation was performed with a 90Sr/90Y beta source, and the emitted light was measured with a photomultiplier tube, protected with suitable optical filters. Thermoluminescence (TL) of the samples was also measured, with the same equipment, to evaluate the thermal and optical stability of the defects related to OSL and TL. Among the various investigated materials, Al2O3:Cr, Mg, Fe, MgAl2O4 spinels, Mg2SiO4:Tb, and natural fluorite show potential as OSL dosimeters. Some materials, as barium aluminoborate glasses, although showing intense OSL signals, present a high fading at room temperature. In that situation the OSL signal is related to low temperature TL peaks that also fade at room temperature. None of the investigated materials was specially prepared to be used as an OSL dosimeter, which means that work can be done, mainly in the impurity nature and content, in order to improve OSL signals and to overcome some of the shortcomings that were noticed.