Glow curve analysis of β-particles irradiated Na 21 Mg(SO 4 ) 10 Cl 3 :Dy phosphor Bhushan P. Kore a , N.S. Dhoble b , S.J. Dhoble a,n a Department of Physics, R.T.M. Nagpur University, Nagpur 440033, India b Department of Chemistry, Sevadal Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Nagpur 440009, India article info Article history: Received 6 May 2013 Received in revised form 5 September 2013 Accepted 7 September 2013 Available online 16 September 2013 Keywords: Thermoluminescence dosimetry β-Irradiation Dose response Glow curve analysis T m –T stop Deconvolution abstract Dy doped Na 21 Mg(SO 4 ) 10 Cl 3 phosphor was prepared by modifying the solid state method and the formation of the compound was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. Morphology of the phosphor was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) studies of Dy doped Na 21 Mg(SO 4 ) 10 Cl 3 samples show the complex glow curve. Powder samples of Na 21 Mg (SO 4 ) 10 Cl 3 :Dy were irradiated by 2.2 MeV β-particles within dose range of 100–16,000 mGy. Analysis of the thermoluminescence glow curves was carried out by T m –T stop and glow curve deconvolution (GCD) method. Trapping parameters (activation energy and frequency factor) for individual deconvoluted peaks were obtained by Chen's peak shape method. The comparison of trapping parameters between γ-ray irradiated and β-particles irradiated Na 21 Mg(SO 4 ) 10 Cl 3 :Dy phosphor were also studied. & 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Ionizing radiations are used in medical applications for ther- apeutic and diagnostic purposes. In radiotherapy an efficient and accurate calibration of the radiation beam ensures knowledge of the particular radiation dose delivered to the patient (tissue), thus, allowing an effective radiation treatment with a destruction of cancer/tumor cells producing the least possible harm to healthy tissue around the cancer/tumor [1–3]. For treating superficial malignant tumors clinical electron beams are used. This applica- tion requires a precise and accurate dosimetry of the electron beams to control the desirable absorbed dose delivered to tumor. Although, the technological advances in medicine provide more accurate diagnosis of tissue related problems, the dissemination of beam in such technologies may lead to decrease in damage of healthy tissues and enhance ion beam penetration effectively, so that essentially medical practices based on ionizing radiations are optimized, promising the benefits of such technologies and redu- cing associated risks [4]. To know the exact amount of dose delivered to particular tissue highly sensitive thermoluminescent materials which are resistive towards environmental circum- stances are required. These resistant detectors in various shapes and sizes make them a useful tool, particularly for measurements in region of sharp dose gradient [5]. Furthermore, the small size and the large useful dose range of these detectors make them to be used as thermoluminescent dosimeters. Therefore there is a continual interest in the development of new high sensitive thermoluminescent (TL) materials that can be utilized for radiation detectors and solid- state dosimeters in industrial, scientific and medical applications [6]. While dealing with applications of TL materials, good knowledge of trapping parameters is essential. The trap centers responsible for the TL emission are quantitatively described by the various kinetic parameters such as activation energy, frequency factor and order of kinetics. The study of TL is important, since it gives information about the trapping and recombination mechanisms relevant to the type of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations, which will explore its potential applications in different areas. As it is well known that the dosimetric characteristics of TL materials mainly depend on the depth of energies of trapped charge carriers produced after irradia- tion and the radiative recombination efficacy of these charges which are free after thermal stimulation. There is a permanent interest in search of new materials, which can be used as efficient solid-state dosimeters [7–9]. A significant amount of investigations on sulfate based materials, both doped and undoped, has revealed the usefulness of these materials as con- venient detectors and dosimeters for a wide energetic range of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations. Several authors reported that mixed sulfate phosphors have well-desired characteristics like a high-temperature glow peak, linear response with ionizing radiation exposure, low fading and an easy method of preparation [10–12]. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jlumin Journal of Luminescence 0022-2313/$ - see front matter & 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jlumin.2013.09.022 n Corresponding author. E-mail address: sjdhoble@rediffmail.com (S.J. Dhoble). Journal of Luminescence 145 (2014) 888–894