Characterization of Ce-doped lithium borosilicate glasses as tissue-equivalent phosphors for radiation measurements

We synthesized lithium borosilicate glasses doped with different concentrations of Ce (0.01%, 0.03%, 0.10%, and 0.30%) as well as undoped glass, and then the prepared glasses were studied for their optical, dosimetric, and scintillation properties. The Ce-doped samples exhibited scintillation and photoluminescence (PL) due to the 5d-4f transitions of Ce3+, with broad spectral features peaking around 350 nm. The PL and scintillation decay times were 30.7-31.6 ns and 64-82 ns, respectively. As the concentration of Ce increased, the scintillation intensity increased. Among the present samples, the 0.03% Ce-doped sample showed the highest PL quantum yield (9.7%). The quantum yield was well correlated with the decay time. In addition, thermally stimulated luminescence was observed after irradiation with X-rays. The sensitivity was highest for the 0.10% Ce-doped sample, having a dynamic range from 0.05 mGy to 10 Gy, which was equivalent to that of commercial dosimeters. Furthermore, the thermally stimulated luminescence spectrum was due to the 5d-4f transitions of Ce3+. The concentration of Ce that gave the highest sensitivity was 0.10%.