Dosimetric properties of Li₂B₄O₇:Cu,Ag,P solid detector

This work presents results obtained following the preparation of lithium borate by the chemical reaction between lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) and boric acid (H₃BO₃), doping the host salt of lithium borate (Li₂B₄O₇) with ions of copper, silver and phosphorus. With the obtained material dosimeters were produced in sintered pellet form which were exposed by gamma radiation that emitted from ⁶⁰Co source. The highest sensitivity was found for the sample of Li₂B₄O₇:Cu,Ag,P (in pellet form) with 0.45, 0.45 and 12 mol% of Cu, Ag and P, respectively, subjected to a thermal treatment at 1123 K during 2 h. The TL response shows linearity in the dose range from 0.005 to 100 Gy. The lower detection limit (LDL) was equal to 6.10 μGy. The fading was found to be 3% in the first ten days and 9% at the end of thirty days. The repeatability of TL measurements for twenty cycles, showed a variability coefficient equal to 4.15%. The glow curve shape of Li₂B₄O₇:Cu,Ag,P sintered pellet shows two peaks with general-kinetics order. This new material could be appropriate for dosimetry in clinical radiation applications.