Synthesis, thermoluminescence, defect centers and dosimetric characteristics of LiF:Mg,Cu,B phosphor

The present paper reports the thermoluminescence (TL), dosimetric characteristics and electron spin resonance (ESR) of LiF: Mg, Cu,B (MCB) phosphor synthesized by a solid state method. Its glow curve structure is similar to that of LiF: Mg, Cu,P (MCP) phosphor with the main dosimetric peak at 218 °C. MCB is 12 times more sensitive than LiF: Mg, Ti and about 1.9 times less sensitive than MCP phosphor. A noteworthy feature is that the phosphor exhibits a linear dose response up to 100 Gy with a minimum detectable dose of 17 μGy. The TL emission spectrum was recorded and the post irradiation fading in MCB at ambient temperatures and humidity was negligible for a period of one month. Room temperature ESR spectrum of irradiated phosphor consists of at least two distinct centers. Center I with an isotropic g factor 2.0061 is attributable to an F-center and is the likely recombination center for the main TL peak at 220 °C. Center II characterized by a g-factor 2.0090 and an unusual broad line (linewidth ~ 415 G) is also identified as an F-center. A third defect center, observable during thermal annealing at high temperature, is assigned to another F-center.