Elucidation of trap energies of Gamma-irradiated BaMgAl10O17: Ce3+ phosphors for dosimetry applications

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive examination of the thermoluminescence properties of BaMgAl10O17: Ce (BAM: Ce) phosphors, which were synthesized via the combustion method. The study employs five distinct approaches to determine the kinetic parameters for individual traps. To investigate the structural, morphological, and elemental composition of the samples, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were utilized. The photoluminescence spectra revealed a broad emission centered around 420 nm upon 330 nm excitation. By subjecting the phosphors to γ doses ranging from 5 to 5 kGy and conducting TL glow curve analysis, the kinetic characteristics of the BAM: Ce phosphors were determined. The linear dose–response was observed for 5–50 Gy, indicating a high sensitivity value. Additionally, there is a consistent estimation of trap energy across various methods. It is also worth noting that the phosphor exhibits a very low minimum detectable dose, estimated to be in the microgray range, making BAM: Ce a strong candidate for low gamma dosimetry applications.