Measurements of high-temperature emission spectra of highly irradiated LiF:Mg,Cu,P (MCP-N) TL detectors

High-sensitive thermoluminescent detectors LiF:Mg,Cu,P have been investigated after exposures with γ-rays doses up to hundreds of kGy. Both emission spectra and TL glow curves have been measured up to temperature of 550 °C. TL emission spectra integrated over a temperature range of 47–470 °C were analyzed. Two emission regions, main (220–450 nm) and long wavelength (450–800 nm), were distinguished. No significant changes, with increasing dose, were observed in the main emission. The long wavelength emission was visible at the doses of 4 kGy and higher, indicating that such an amount of energy, deposited in the detector volume, makes additional recombination centers active. At the “B” peak temperature range (above 400 °C), the wavelength of emitted light was nearly identical, as for the main glow peak (∼220 °C) at lower doses. It tends to suggest that high-dose high-temperature emission of MCP-N occurs along the same recombination path as the emission below the saturation level. Gaussian deconvolution in the energy domain was also performed for the measured spectra. The results of deconvolution remain in a general agreement with previous measurements.

► MCP-NTL detectors were studied after exposures with doses up to hundreds of kGy.
► Emission spectra and TL glow curves were measured up to temperature of 550 °C.
► Activation of additional recombination centers was observed at doses above 4 kGy.
► The “B” peak emission was nearly identical as for the main glow peak at low doses.
► The “B” peak emission seems to occur along the same recombination path as <1 kGy.