Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1493848 | Optical Materials | 2015 | 5 Pages |
•Single crystal of KMgF3 was grown by Bridgman–Stockbarger technique.•TL glow curve has revealed that KMgF3:Eu2+, Ce3+ has a very stable dosimetric peak at 248 °C.•The activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s) were calculated by Chen’s and variable heating rate method.•TL emissions occur at 361 nm, characteristic of Eu2+ in KMgF3 lattice.•The linear dose response and also low fading rate the material is a potential candidate to be used as a dosimeter.
This paper describes investigation of thermoluminescence radiation dosimetry characteristics of Eu2+ doped Potassium Magnesium Fluoride (KMgF3) single crystal co-doped with Ce3+ ions. The perovskite-like KMgF3 polycrystalline compounds were synthesized by standard solid state reaction technique. Phase purity of the synthesized compounds was analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction technique. Single crystals of KMgF3 have been grown from melt by using a vertical Bridgman–Stockbarger method. Thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics of KMgF3 samples doped with Eu2+ and Ce3+ have been studied after β-ray irradiation at room temperature. Order of kinetics (b), activation energy (E), and frequency factor (s) were determined by Chen’s method and variable heating rate method. Results show that the TL glow peak of the KMgF3 samples obeys second-order kinetics. Analysis of the main dosimetric peak by using the methods mentioned above revealed that activation energy (E) is about 1.2 eV and the frequency factor (s) is in the range 1010–1011 s−1. The TL glow curve structure of the sample remained stable for higher doses of 90Sr/90Y beta source and it shows linearity up to 180 Gy. The time dependent fading behavior of the TL characteristics has also been investigated and is found to be quite stable over long time duration. The characteristic Eu2+ emissions are observed in the TL emission spectra.