Thermoluminescence Characteristics of LiF: Cu Nanocrystalline Phosphor.

Copper (Cu) activated LiF phosphor in nanocrystalline form has been prepared by the chemical co-precipitation method for radiation dosimetry application. The formation of nanocrystalline structure has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy. Cubical shaped nanostructure with average particle size of 33nm has been formed. The sample was prepared at different concentration of Cu from 0.01mol% to 3 mol%. TL properties were investigated by studying the glow curve after irradiating the phosphor to gamma ray Co60 source with dose of 15 Gy. It has been found that nanocrystalline LiF: Cu show simple glow curve structure with a single glow peak at 404 K where as commercially available phosphors exhibits multi peak complex glow curve structure. The effect of different normality on the TL properties of phosphor has been studied. Maximum TL intensity for LiF: Cu (0.1mol %) phosphor is observed at the normality of 0.5N and annealing temperature of 200°C. The phosphor showed good linearity up to 10 KGy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]