Thermoluminescence characteristics of biological tissue equivalent single crystal: europium doped lithium tetraborate for dosimetry applications

The Eu doped Li 2 B 4 O 7 (Eu:LTB) is a low effective atomic number (Z eff ), biological tissue equivalent material that is commonly used for medical and nuclear research. Eu:LTB compound was synthesized by a two-step solid-state reaction method. Single crystal was grown from melt by Czochralski technique. The phase purity of crystalline materials was investigated by using powder X-ray diffraction study. Thermoluminescence study was carried out after exposing the crystalline samples to γ-irradiation in various dose ranges of 26, 52, 78, 104, 130 and 156 Gy. Parameters associated in thermoluminescence process of Eu:LTB crystal such as glow curve measurements, dose response, fading analysis, reusability test, TL emission, computerized deconvolution analysis and kinetic parameters like activation energy (E), frequency factor (s) and order of kinetics (b) are discussed. These appealing features indicated that; the grown Eu: LTB single crystal is useful in radiation dosimetry applications particularly in medical and nuclear research.