Radiation-induced defects and processes on the surface of radiation detector oxides according to exoelectron emission data

Abstract

Exoelectron emission from materials for high-sensitivity thermoluminescence (TL) and exoelectron emission (EE) dosimeters based on α-Al2O3, BeO, and LiF was examined, a scheme for the formation of TL and EE centers induced by low-penetrating (β, α) radiation was proposed, and their relation to electron and hole (F, V K) centers and to the emergence of dosimetric peaks during dose readout (thermal stimulation) was revealed. A unified approach to the interpretation of the phenomenon of thermally stimulated emission (TSEE) from these materials in terms of valence transformations of oxygen that is weakly bound to the surface was developed. The difficulties in the manufacture of hybrid high-sensitivity TL-TSEE dosimeters are explained from the standpoint of the physicochemical mechanism of exoelectron emission.