A SEARCH FOR IRSL-ACTIVE DOSIMETERS WITH ENHANCED SENSITIVITY - A SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY

The spectral and radiation dose characteristics of a range of previous ly uninvestigated alumine-silicate materials are surveyed, with the in tention of searching for alternative, high sensitivity materials that could potentially be used as InfraRed Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) d osemeters for the measurement of environmental doserates. Quartz, peta lite, feldspar, leucite, analcite, nephaline, sodalite, tugtupite and alumina were studied and, of this set, only feldspar and alumina were found to be useful. To improve the sensitivity of natural feldspar mat erials, these were annealed in nitrogen atmospheres at 950 degrees C i n the presence of Fe, Zn, Eu, Dy, Ni, Cu, Ag and Au. Of these, Cu,Ag a nd Au were found to significantly enhance the IRSL sensitivity of the materials. From spectral analysis of the luminescence properties of th e samples, it is concluded that the dopants are not directly involved in the IRSL process, but rather they act as catalysts in the creation of native lattice defects. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.