The effect of synthesis and doping procedures on thermoluminescent response of lithium tetraborate

Lithium tetraborate has been a scientific focus since 1960s by the courtesy of the thermoluminescence property it possesses. Moreover, it is utilized in surface acoustic wave apparatuses, in sensor sector and in laser technology owing to its non-linear optical characteristics. For the uses in thermoluminescence dosimetry lithium tetraborate is activated by addition of a variety of metals as dopants. This study includes the synthesis of lithium tetraborate by two methods (high temperature solid state synthesis and water/solution assisted synthesis), doping of activators into the matrix material synthesized and characterization of the products. Lithium tetraborate is readily commercially available in TL (Themoluminescence) dosimetry; hence, the main aim in this study was to specify the effect of synthesis and doping methods on the TL response. The heating temperature for the synthesis was 750 degrees C and the retention time as selected as 4 h for both methods. The synthesis stages were followed by doping step where the compounds of Cu, Ag and In in different proportions were doped in lithium tetraborate by solid state and solution assisted doping techniques. Characterization of the product was achieved by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fourier transform Infra Red Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. All samples prepared displayed TL response and the best TL signal was obtained from the sample produced by solid state synthesis and doped by solution assisted method with 0.1% Cu and 0.004% Ag. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.