The thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence properties of Cr-doped alpha alumina transparent ceramics

•Polycrystalline Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics were obtained with vacuum sintering method.•The influence of different concentration of Cr2O3 on the thermoluminescence and optical stimulated luminescence properties of Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics was studied.•It had a main peak at 503K of very high intensity and linear concentration dependence up to high concentration.•It showed so interesting results with high TL sensitivity and high stability of OSL signal that Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics might be a promising material in TL dosimetry and replace Cr:α-Al2O3 crystals. Polycrystalline Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics were fabricated by conventional solid-state processing under vacuum condition. The SEM microstructure photographs of Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics doped with different content of Cr2O3 were investigated. The absorption, emission spectra, thermoluminescence and optical stimulated luminescence of Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics were comparable to those of Cr:α-Al2O3 crystals. The influence of different concentration of Cr2O3 on the thermoluminescence and optical stimulated luminescence properties of Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics was discussed. It showed so interesting results with high TL sensitivity and high stability of OSL signal that Cr:α-Al2O3 transparent ceramics might be a promising material in TL dosimetry and replace Cr:α-Al2O3 crystals.