OPTICALLY STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE OF LiF:Mg,Cu,P POWDER-INFLUENCE OF THERMAL TREATMENT

Area of Science:

• Solid State Physics
• Luminescence Dating
• Dosimetry

Background:

• LiF:Mg,Cu,P is a widely recognized thermoluminescent (TL) material.
• Recent findings indicate significant optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) properties in LiF:Mg,Cu,P.
• Standard thermal treatments optimized for TL may not be suitable for OSL applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of thermal annealing on the OSL intensity of LiF:Mg,Cu,P.
• To determine optimal annealing conditions for maximizing OSL signal in LiF:Mg,Cu,P.
• To characterize the OSL emission spectrum of LiF:Mg,Cu,P.

Main Methods:

• LiF:Mg,Cu,P samples were subjected to various thermal annealing protocols.
• OSL intensity measurements were performed after each annealing treatment.
• OSL emission spectra were recorded.

Main Results:

• The conventional annealing temperature of 240°C is suboptimal for OSL measurements.
• Lower annealing temperatures, particularly around 190-200°C for 30 minutes, significantly increased OSL intensity.
• A maximum OSL signal enhancement of 95% was observed compared to standard annealing.
• The OSL emission spectrum of LiF:Mg,Cu,P peaks at 360 nm.

Conclusions:

• Optimal thermal annealing conditions for LiF:Mg,Cu,P differ significantly between TL and OSL applications.
• Annealing at 190-200°C for 30 minutes is recommended for maximizing OSL sensitivity in LiF:Mg,Cu,P.
• The OSL emission at 360 nm provides insights into the material's luminescence mechanisms.