Novel non-thermoluminescent CaSO₄:Dy dosimeters

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Radiation Detection
• Dosimetry

Background:

• Thermoluminescence (TL) and afterglow (AG) are crucial phenomena in radiation dosimetry.
• Developing cost-effective and environmentally friendly phosphors is essential for advanced radiation detection applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the non-thermoluminescence afterglow-based dosimetry performance of self-agglomerating pellet-shaped CaSO₄:Dy phosphors.
• To evaluate the potential of CaSO₄:Dy as a dosimeter for real-time radiation detection and as a long persistent phosphor (LPP).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of CaSO₄:Dy phosphors using a low-cost, environmentally friendly method.
• Analysis of Thermoluminescence (TL) and afterglow (AG) responses after beta particle irradiation.
• Characterization of TL glow curves and AG sensitivity in the dose range of 0.06 to 8.0 Gy.

Main Results:

• CaSO₄:Dy phosphors exhibited characteristic TL peaks at 134°C, 200°C (shoulder), and 447°C.
• A highly sensitive and linear AG response was observed for 24 hours within the tested dose range.
• Excellent reproducibility in both TL and AG responses was achieved without pre-irradiation annealing.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized CaSO₄:Dy phosphors demonstrate promising properties for afterglow-based dosimetry and real-time radiation detection.
• These phosphors present a cost-effective alternative to existing long persistent phosphors (LPPs).