Properties optimization of temperature dependence of nanophosphor KCl:Sm3+ for radiation dosimetry

Abstract

Present study reports the temperature dependent optically stimulated luminescence (TA-OSL) properties of KCl:Sm in the range of 40–310 °C. KCl:Sm was synthesized by high-temperature solid-state reaction method with optimized dopant concentration of Sm (0.45%). The morphological and structural properties of KCl:Sm are carried out using SEM, and XRD. KCl:Sm is found to be polycrystalline in nature with average crystallite size 30–70 nm as confirmed by XRD. SEM images of KCl:Sm showed the uniform morphology within the range of 0.1 μm. The KCl:Sm exhibits good TA-OSL intensity at 100 °C (at a fixed dose of 10 Gy of gamma photons) as well as the linear response. The optimized elevated temperature for KCl:Sm is found to be 100 °C because of the maximum TA-OSL intensity on this temperature due to the depletion of its filled traps. The Arrhenius analysis estimated the activation energy of Ea, is 0.2 ± 0.05 eV. In this work, we also report thermally stimulated luminescent (TSL) characteristics till 500 °C. Intense and broad TSL peaks are obtained at 265 °C, 310 °C & 340 °C when irradiated to the low energy HCPs protons and carbon beams of 250 keV. In this analysis, the prominent glow peak temperature shifts towards lower temperature region. The trapping kinetic parameters are estimated (for knowing the trap structure) and glow curves are analyzed though de-convolution techniques. The temperature dependence characteristics of KCl:Sm with respect to low LET gamma photons and high LET HCPs have been discussed with reference to medical as well as high radiation dosimetry.