Thermoluminescence centres created selectively in MgO crystals by fast neutrons

A possibility of using the thermoluminescent detection of collision-created interstitial centres in MgO by the TL peak at 700 K, arising at the radiative recombination of anion interstitials with F+ centres, for the selective detection of fast neutrons in mixed neutron-gamma fields, is examined. Selectivity and sensitivity of such a detector are discussed. For the present time, the sensitivity of the thermoluminescent detection of anion interstitials created by neutron irradiation is comparable to that of the EPR detection of F+ centres, the main limitations of the thermoluminescence method being connected with the background thermoluminescence and absence of suitable luminescence centres in this temperature region, when undoped and untreated MgO crystals are used. Possible ways to overcome these shortcomings are discussed.