Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) response of Al2O3:C, BaFCl:Eu and K2Ca2(SO4)3:Eu phosphors.

This paper investigates the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) response of BaFCl:Eu and K2Ca2(SO4)3:Eu phosphors for different doses and bleaching durations. The results have also been compared with the commercially available Landauer Al2O3:C (Luxel®) dosemeter. Nanocrystalline K2Ca2(SO4)3:Eu is known to be a sensitive thermoluminescent phosphor, but its OSL response is hardly reported. At first, pellets of nanocrystalline K2Ca2(SO4)3:Eu powder were prepared by adding Teflon as a binder. Their OSL signal was compared with that of the material in pure form, i.e. without adding the binder (in 100:1 ratio). It was observed that adding the binder does not appreciably affect the OSL intensity. On comparison with the commercially available Al2O3:C from Landauer, it was found that K2Ca2(SO4)3:Eu is around 15 times less sensitive than Al2O3:C. 'Homemade' BaFCl:Eu phosphor has also been studied. The intensity of BaFCl:Eu was ∼20 times more than the standard Al2O3:C dosemeter and ∼200 times more sensitive than K2Ca2(SO4)3:Eu in the dose range of 13-200 cGy. OSL dosemeters are believed to give luminescence signal even if they are read before, i.e. multiple reading may be possible under suitable conditions after single exposure. This was also checked for all the prepared dosemeters and it was found that Al2O3:C showed the least decrease of <2 %, followed by BaFCl:Eu of 15 % and K2Ca2(SO4)3:Eu with 20 %. Finally, Al2O3:C and BaFCl:Eu phosphors were also studied for their optical bleaching durations to which the respective signals get completely removed so that the phosphor can be re-used. It was observed that BaFCl:Eu is bleached faster and more easily than Al2O3:C.