The influence of radiation-induced defects on thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence of α-Al2O3:C

It is known that when α-Al2O3:C is exposed to excessive amounts of ionising radiation, defects are induced within its matrix. We report the influence of radiation-induced defects on the thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) measured from α-Al2O3:C after irradiation to 1000 Gy. These radiation-induced defects are thermally unstable in the region 450-650 °C and result in TL peaks in this range when the TL is measured at 1 °C/s. Heating a sample to 700 °C obliterates the radiation-induced defects, that is, the TL peaks corresponding to the radiation induced defects are no longer observed in the subsequent TL measurements when moderate irradiation doses below 10 Gy are used. The charge traps associated with these radiation-induced defects are more stable than the dosimetric trap when the sample is exposed to either sunlight or 470-nm blue light from LEDs. TL glow curves measured following the defect-inducing irradiation produce a dosimetric peak that is broader and positioned at a higher temperature than observed in glow curves obtained before the heavy irradiation. In addition, sample sensitization/desensitization occurs due to the presence of these radiation-induced defects. Furthermore, both the activation energy and the kinetic order of the dosimetric peak evaluated when the radiation-induced defects are present in the sample are significantly lower in value than those obtained when these defects are absent. The radiation-induced defects also affect the shape and total light sum of the OSL signal as well as the position and width of the resultant residual phototransferred thermoluminescence main peak.