Characteristics of thermoluminescence LiF:Mg,Cu,Ag nano-phosphor

A nano-phosphor of LiF:Mg,Cu,Ag was prepared by planetary ball milling for the first time in the laboratory. The size and shape of the nano-phosphor were confirmed by XRD and SEM, which showed that it was cubic in shape and ∼53 nm in size. The thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics of this nano-phosphor were then investigated. It was found that the optimum annealing condition was 250 deg. C for 10 min. The TL sensitivity of the prepared nano-powder was less than that of its micropowder counterpart and the TL glow curve structure exhibited several peaks. The LiF:Mg,Cu,Ag nano-phosphor exhibited a linear response over a range of doses from 1 Gy to ∼10 kGy. From this study, it appears that LiF:Mg,Cu,Ag nano-phosphor is a good candidate for dosimetry because of its linearity over a range of doses, low tendency to fade, good repeatability and simple glow curve structure. (authors)