Thermoluminescence characteristics of CaF2:Mn irradiated to environmental-like doses

Abstract In this study, the thermoluminescence characteristics of CaF2:Mn chips exposed to environmental-like doses are examined. Thermoluminescence measurements, at different doses (0.04 – 7.2 mGy) and heating rates (1 – 25oC/s), were carried out. The sample’s glow curves were analyzed using glow curve deconvolution (GCD), whole glow peak (WGP) and initial rise (IR) methods. The glow curves of the chips, readout at 5oCs-1, exhibited one peak around 306oC. The integrated intensity of the peak increased linearly with dose. The peak exhibits thermal quenching with activation energy of thermal quenching of 0.65 eV. The mean activation energy of the peak from using IR, WGP and VHR methods are 1.22 ± 0.08, 1.14 ± 0.12 and 1.46 eV respectively. GCD, however, indicated the presence of five peaks in the sample’s glow curve. Data from this study are compared with those reported for the sample exposed to high doses and discussed.