Luminescence properties of SiO2:Tb nanocrystals obtained via sol-gel route and its applicability to environmental ionizing radiation dosimetry

SiO₂ was synthesized by sol-gel method and its luminescence investigated by emission spectroscopy and thermoluminescence (TL) techniques. A study on the influence of Tb on SiO₂ was performed and a high increase of about 3000 times in TL intensity was observed. In addition, the presence of 4 bands in the UV (309, 336, 344 and 370 nm) and 6 bands (468, 521, 544, 585, 612 and 631 nm) in the visible region were detected. To verify its viability as an environmental radiation dosimeter, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) measurements were made by irradiating the crystal with beta radiation, and linear growth was obtained in the region of low radiation doses, with minimum detectable dose of 0.4 mGy.