Effects of various dopants on NaCl and KCl glow curves

Abstract

We have measured the thermoluminescence of a number of NaCl and KCl crystals following irradiation at ambient temperature with the same dose (10 kGy) of Co-60 γ rays. We compare the TL of pure samples and of samples doped with europium and calcium ions. In the case of NaCl, additional impurities (Ni, Pb, Sr and Cr) have been investigated. The effects of irradiation are determined using optical absorption and thermoluminescence. Factors investigated include the effects of different dopants on TL glow curves and the effects of thermal annealing samples at 400 °C before the irradiation. Changes in TL glow curves relating to changes in the state of aggregation of the impurities produced by pre-irradiation annealing are reported in this paper. Perhaps the most significant effect is a temperature shift of the main glow peak in pre-annealed compared to not pre-annealed samples in the case of Eu doped NaCl. The magnitude of the shift depends on the concentration of the Eu dopant. Shifts are also observed for Ni and Sr impurities in NaCl, but not for Ca and Cr impurities in NaCl. In the case of KCl, glow peaks generally occur at similar temperatures in doped samples and do not shift when doped samples are pre-annealed. Here the main effect of different impurities is to influence the size of the emission and not the structure of the glow curve. Results are discussed in terms of current theories of thermoluminescence.