Low temperature TL studies on indigenously developed and commercial α-Al2O3:C

Commercially available and indigenously developed single crystal α-Al2O3:C (using Post Growth Thermal Impurification (PGTI) technique), were studied for their thermoluminescence (TL) response in the temperature range from -100 deg C to 60 deg C. Both types of samples were found to possess similar pattern of TL peaks. In PGTI samples, a dominant TL peak occurred at 8 deg C and commercial reference samples showed an intense TL peak at 12.5 deg C. The results indicate that the nature of shallow traps formed using PGTI method is qualitatively analogous to those created by conventional method of growing single crystal α-Al2O3:C in vacuum in graphite ambience. The low temperature TL peaks are found to respond to blue light optical stimulation as well and therefore may play a crucial role in real time OSL radiation dosimetry in the regime of low temperature ambient conditions, especially with improved detection threshold. (author)