Photoluminescence and thermoluminescence properties of dysprosium doped zinc metaborate phosphors

Abstract Polycrystalline powder samples of dysprosium doped Zn(BO 2 ) 2 phosphors were prepared by solid state reaction in air at high temperature and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. The IR, Photoluminescence (PL), diffuse reflectance and three-dimensional (3D) thermoluminescence (TL) emission spectrum after 60 Co gamma ray irradiation were investigated. The characteristic 3D TL emission bands at about 425, 481 and 573 nm with a main emission band of around 573 nm were attributed to the host emission, 4 F 9/2 → 6 H 15/2 and F 9/2 → 6 H 13/2 f-f transitions of Dy 3+ ions. No emission from Dy 2+ ions was observed in the measurement wavelength range. The TL-dose response of the Zn(BO 2 ) 2 :Dy polycrystalline powder sample to gamma ray radiation in the range from 1 to 100 Gy at clinical dose levels was almost linear. The experimental results showed that Zn(BO 2 ) 2 :Dy had potential use as the materials of gamma-ray thermoluminescence dosimeter (TLD) for clinical dosimetry.