Floating zone growth and evaluation of photoluminescence and dosimetric properties of undoped and Eu-doped Al4SiO8 single crystals

Abstract

We fabricated undoped and 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0% Eu-doped Al4SiO8 single crystals by the floating zone method and analyzed their photoluminescence (PL) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) properties. In PL properties, the undoped sample exhibited an emission band at 460 nm under excitation wavelength at 260 nm. The Eu-doped samples showed an emission band at 410 nm attributed to the 5d-4f transitions of Eu2+ ions. In TSL properties, the undoped sample exhibited TSL glow peaks at 280 and 390 °C, while the Eu-doped samples showed the ones at 230 and 370 °C. The TSL spectra of the Eu-doped samples under heating at 230 °C had an emission band due to the 5d-4f transitions of Eu2+ ions. TSL dose response functions showed a lower detection limit of 10 mGy for the undoped sample, 10 μGy for the 0.5% Eu-doped sample, and 1 μGy for the 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0% Eu-doped samples. The TSL intensity of the 2.0% Eu-doped sample was approximately 72.6% after 11 days from X-ray irradiation compared to immediately after X-ray irradiation.