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Title: Nanoparticles of K{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3}:Eu as effective detectors for swift heavy ions

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2779237· OSTI ID:21062102
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  1. Inter-University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi-110067 (India) and Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 (India) and Nano Technology Center, King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia

The modification of thermoluminescence (TL) and photoluminescence (PL) properties of K{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3}:Eu nanoparticles by swift heavy ions (SHI), irradiation is studied. Pellets form of the nanomaterials were irradiated by 48 MeV Li{sup 3+}, 75 MeV C{sup 6+}, and 90 MeV O{sup 7+} ion beams. The fluence range is 1x10{sup 9}-1x10{sup 13} ions/cm{sup 2}. The modification in TL glow curves of the nanomaterials irradiated by Li{sup 3+}, C{sup 6+}, and O{sup 7+} ion beams are essentially similar to those induced by {gamma}-ray irradiation. These glow curves have single peaks at around 427 K with a small variation in their positions by around {+-}3 K. The TL intensity of the ion beams irradiated nanomaterials is found to decease, while going from low to high atomic number (Z) ions (i.e., Li{sup 3+}{yields}O{sup 7+}). The TL response curve of the pellets irradiated by Li{sup 3+} ions is linear in the whole range of studied fluences. The curves for C{sup 6+} and O{sup 7+} irradiated samples are linear at lower fluences (1x10{sup 9}-1x10{sup 12} ion/cm{sup 2}) and then saturate at higher fluence. These results for the nanomaterials are much better than that of the corresponding microcrystalline samples irradiated with a Li{sup 3+} ion. The curves were linear up to the fluence 1x10{sup 11} ion/cm{sup 2} and then become sublinear at higher fluences. The TL efficiency values of K{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3}:Eu nanoparticles irradiated by 48 MeV Li{sup 3+}, 75 MeV C{sup 6+}, and 90 MeV O{sup 7+} ion beams have been measured relative to {gamma} rays of {sup 60}Co and are found to be 0.515, 0.069, and 0.019, respectively. This value for the Li{sup 3+} ion (0.515) is much higher than that of the corresponding microcrystalline material (0.0014). These superiorities for the nanomaterials make K{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3}:Eu nanophosphor a suitable candidate for detecting the doses of swift heavy ions. PL studies on the ion beams irradiated and unirradiated K{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3}:Eu nanoparticles show a single band at 384 nm, which could be assigned to Eu{sup 2+} emission, while the microcrystalline form of this material shows emission at 436 nm. This wide blueshift in PL of the nanomaterial could be attributed to the extension of the band gap of Eu{sup 2+} due to the absence of crystal field effects.

OSTI ID:
21062102
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 102, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2779237; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English