Effect of Ce codoping on the thermoluminescence dosimetry and photoluminescence behavior of SrBPO₅:Dy/Sm/Eu

Effect of Ce on the thermoluminescence and photoluminescence of Dy, Sm and Eu in SrBPO5 was investigated. Samples of Sm, Dy, Eu doped and Ce-Dy/Sm/Eu codoped SrBPO5 were prepared through the high temperature solid-state synthesis route. Prepared phosphor samples were checked for their phase purity with powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Thermoluminescence glow curves were recorded for the phosphors and explored for the dosimetric applications. TL glow curves of 20 Gy gamma irradiated SBP:Dy0.01-1/Sm0.01-1/Eu0.01-1 and SBP:Ce1- Dy0.01-1/Sm0.01-Eu0.01-1 were obtained with 2 K/s heating rate. Gamma dose response of the phosphor samples were studied from 5 mGy to 100 Gy. The SBP:Ce1-Dy0.5 and SBP:Ce1-Sm1 demonstrated excellent dose linearity to gamma dose. The thermoluminescence behavior indicated that, Ce codoping has profound effect on the amount and type of traps and the glow peak intensity of Ce codoped SBP:Dy/Sm enhanced significantly. The photoluminescence study suggested efficient exchange type energy transfer interaction between excited states of Ce3+ and Dy3+/Sm3+ in the SrBPO5 host. The results confirmed the suitability of SBP:Ce-Dy/Sm phosphors for the thermoluminescence applications. The range of dose linearity of SBP:Ce-Dy, and SBP:Ce-Sm phosphor were found to be better than the commercial CaSO4:Dy and could be promising materials for personal as well as accidental dosimetry.