Influence of dysprosium doping on the structural, thermoluminescence and optical properties of lithium aluminium borate

Different samples of varying concentration of dysprosium doped lithium aluminium borate are reported for their structural, optical and thermoluminescence properties. The samples were prepared by adopting the method of high temperature solid state sintering. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify the frequency vibrations. The grain size distributions are revealed from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to be in a range from 140 to 160 μm and 60–80 μm for undoped and doped samples, respectively. Optical studies using a UV–Vis spectroscopy reveals a decrease in transmittance with increase in the concentration of dysprosium. The band gap decreases from 4.4 eV to 3.6 eV with an increase in mole concentration of dysprosium dopant used, while the undoped Li3Al3(BO3)4 has a band gap of 3.0 eV. The thermoluminescence glow curves for the Li3Al3(BO3)4 recorded have an intense peak at 90 °C. The kinetic parameters were determined for the intense glow peak. The dose response is linear for the dysprosium doped lithium aluminium borate. Lithium aluminium borate is found to be suitable for dosimetric applications. [Display omitted] •High temperature solid state sintering technique gives a large scale deposition of the synthesized material.•Dysprosium used as dopant enhanced the thermoluminescence property of aluminium borate.•A trend in the energy band gap and optical transmittance was observed from the varied concentration of dysprosium dopant used.•The spectra analysis from the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed the occurrence of B–O stretching vibrations of the trigonal BO3 and the tetragonal BO4 units.