Synthesis, structural and thermoluminescence properties of YAlO3:Dy3+ nanophosphors

•The YAlO3:Dy3+ nanophosphors were prepared by combustion and solid state method.•XRD, SEM, TEM and EPR techniques were used to characterize the phosphor.•TL properties were well studied.•Kinetic parameters for different g -dose shows the usage in dosimeter application. Thermoluminescence properties of YAlO3:Dy3+ nanophosphor prepared by a low temperature solution combustion (SC) method using oxalyl dihydrazide as a fuel were studied and the results were compared to bulk phosphor prepared by solid state (SS) synthesis. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the orthorhombic phase of SC and SS methods. Rietveld refinement was used to estimate the cell parameters of undoped and Dy3+ doped YAlO3. Scanning electron micrographs reveal dumbbell shape particles. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of YAlO3:Dy3+ nanophosphors were studied at 293K, 77K and 10K. Thermoluminescence responses of SC and SS prepared phosphor were studied using γ irradiation in the dose range 0.1–6kGy at a warming rate of 1 °Cs−1 at room temperature (RT). The optimized concentrations of Dy3+ ions in YAlO3 was found to be 3mol%. The trapping parameters (i.e. activation energy, frequency factor, order of kinetic) of all the individual peaks of the glow curves have been analysed by using Chen’s method. The low fading and linear response in the wide range (0.1–1kGy) suggests the possibility of usage of SC prepared phosphor in dosimeter applications.