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This paper presents the results of a long experimental work carried out to study the influence of the heating rate (H.R.) on thermally stimulated light emission phenomenon, well known as thermoluminescence (TL) of MgB4O7 activated by Tm and Dy ions (MgB4O7:Tm.Dy) in pellet form. The kinetics parameters, i.e. the activation energy, E, the frequency factor, s, the kinetics order, b and the number of trapped electrons, n0, were determined using the algorithm of sequential quadratic programming glow curve deconvolution (SQPGCD). The results obtained for the kinetics parameters, were compared with those obtained by other methods like Initial Rise (IR), Chen General-Order Kinetics (PS-GOK) and variable heating rate (VHR). These results suggest that SQPGCD method gives more accurate kinetics parameters values for the experimental glow curves.

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The characterization of new materials thermoluminescent used in radiation dosimetry, require the determination of kinetic parameters, which are associated with the number and shape of the peaks which presents its glow curve, among the most important are: the activation energy, E, or depth of the traps, the frequency factor, s, and the kinetics order, b. These parameters are necessary to predict the stability of thermoluminescent information after irradiation of the material. In this work, we present the results obtained for the determination of kinetic parameters of Tm3+-doped CaF2, the methods used for the determination of kinetic parameters were; initial growth signal TL, General order Chen method, and Deconvolution of glow curve. The results showed that the glow curve of CaF2 presents three glow peaks, 492K main peak and two smaller peaks, one at 430K and another to 566K. The dosimetric glow peak fits to the general-order kinetics model.

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Imported commercial samples of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) tea leaves were characterized by thermoluminescence (TL) and photoluminescence (PSL) physical methods. Samples of Yerba Mate were irradiated between 0.5-50Gy and 20Gy-5kGy gamma doses by using two different dose rates from (60)Co irradiators. The Electron Dispersive Analysis (EDS) shows that the inorganic fraction is mainly composed by quartz and Ca-feldspars minerals. These polyminerals show a good sensitivity to gamma radiation and to UV light (530nm). Linear dose-response curves were obtained between 0.5 and 12Gy at low dose-rate, and with 20 to 500Gy at high dose-rate of gamma radiation. At higher doses (600Gy) an apparent slow saturation effect was observed. Low fading of the TL signal was found. The detection limits of TL and PSL are 6Gy and 300Gy, respectively. Results show that luminescence emission (TL and PSL) is a reliable method for detection of irradiation Yerba Mate.

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The isothermal decay method is useful for determining the trap activation energy in thermoluminescent material for dosimetry purposes. Recently we proposed new modified expressions for isothermal decay method. As validation of the modified expressions, after long-term (4 h) high temperature storage, the activation energy of experimental TL glow peaks, KMgF3:Lu (0.17 and 0.34 mol%) and LiF:Mg (0.04 mol%), in the framework of the general-order kinetic was calculated. The results of the kinetics parameters were compared with those obtained by the other methods like Initial Rise (IR), Sequential Quadratic Programming Glow Curve Deconvolution (SQPGCD), deconvolution of the TL glow curves by assuming the General Order Kinetic (GOK), and Chen General-Order Kinetics method. It seems that both SQPGCD and GOK deconvolution methods give more accurate kinetics parameters values for the experimental glow curves.

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We report the effect of thermal treatment on thermoluminescent (TL) sensitivity property of CaSO4:Dy obtained by a new preparation method at Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares (ININ) of Mexico. Samples of phosphor powder were subjected to different thermal treatments respectively at 773, 873, 973 and 1,173K for 1h and then irradiated from 0.1 to 1,000 Gy gamma doses. Low energy dependence was analyzed too by irradiating with X-rays in the range of 16-145 keV. The results were normalized to the energy (1,252 keV) of (60)Co and they were compared with those obtained using the commercial dosimeters TLD-100. Also the kinetic parameters were determined by deconvolution of glow curve.

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The perovskite-like LiMgF(3):ErF(3) pellets were obtained from the melt formed by LiF and MgF(2) mixed salts in the stoichiometric ratio. The perovskite material was doped with 1, 2 and 4 mol% of ErF(3) impurity. The pellets samples were (60)Co gamma irradiated and their thermoluminescence (TL) properties were analyzed, i.e., dose-response, fading at RT and under UV irradiation, TL signal reproducibility, and kinetic parameters. The intensity of the TL response against irradiation dose was increased remarkably by the high concentration of impurity, and a linear dose-response was observed in the range of 1-10 Gy. The fading observed at RT was about 10-30% after 24h from irradiation. All samples were exposed from 1 to 200 Gy gamma dose range. The TL glow peaks were found around 367-376, 438-447, 509-521, and 594-611 K, when the doped samples were 1, 2 and 4 mol% of the erbium impurity concentration. The thermoluminescence kinetics parameters of the glow curves have been analyzed using the Computerized Glow Curve Deconvolution (CGCD) method.

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The influence of heating rate on the thermoluminescence (TL) property of LiF:Mg,Cu,P+PTFE was analyzed. The activation energy and the frequency factor as a function of the heating rate were determined. The kinetic parameters and their dependence on the heating rate were evaluated using the sequential quadratic programming glow curve deconvolution (SQPGCD). The results showed that as the heating rate increases, the peak intensity at the maximum (I(M)) decreases and shifts to higher temperature; similar behavior of the kinetics parameters was observed.

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The well known Initial Rise Method (IR) is commonly used to determine the activation energy when only one glow peak is presented and analysed in the phosphor materials. However, when the glow peak is more complex, a wide peak and some holders appear in the structure. The application of the Initial Rise Method is not valid because multiple trapping levels are considered and then the thermoluminescent analysis becomes difficult to perform. This paper shows the case of a complex glow curve structure as an example and shows that the calculation is also possible using the IR method. The aim of the paper is to extend the well known Initial Rise Method (IR) to the case of multiple trapping levels. The IR method is applied to minerals extracted from Nopal cactus and Oregano spices because the thermoluminescent glow curve's shape suggests a trap distribution instead of a single trapping level.

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The thermoluminescent response and kinetics parameters of NaCl, doubly activated by Ca-Mn and Cd-Mn ions, exposed to gamma radiation are analyzed. The doped NaCl samples were irradiated at relative low temperature, i.e. at the liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT) and at dry ice temperature (DIT), and the glow curves obtained after 2 Gy of gamma irradiation were analyzed using the computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD). An evident variation in the glow curve structure after LNT and DIT was observed. It seems that different kinds of trapping levels are activated at relative low temperature. The original two prominent peaks in compositions A (Ca,Mn) and B (Ca,Mn) have been changed in only one main peak with satellites in the low temperature side of the glow curves. In compositions C (Cd,Mn) and D (Cd,Mn), low temperature peaks become stronger and prominent than the high temperature peaks; this effect could be explained considering that the trapping probability for low temperature traps, the one very close to the conduction band, is enhanced by low temperatures during irradiation.

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This paper gives a full mathematical description of the kinetics expressions used in thermoluminescent isothermal decay experiments. The corresponding equations have been slightly modified considering the peak intensity at the maximum (I(M)) instead of the peak area Φ as proportional to absorbed dose, given normally in isothermal decay equations. The isothermal decay method was applied to the principal glow peaks of two different phosphors: LiF:Mg,Cu,P+PTFE, using first- and second-order kinetics, and BaSO(4):Eu+PTFE, using second-order kinetics.

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This work describes an algorithm for absorbed dose evaluation in the region of X-ray diagnostic energy based on the response of CaSO(4):Dy thermoluminescence powder detectors. The absorbed dose was calculated using Monte Carlo simulation code (MCSC) and then compared to the experimental TLD results for X-rays effective energies (60)Co gamma radiation. In order to study the photon interaction in the matter, a cylindrical model of 1 cm(3) was used. The gamma radiation source was placed at 100 cm to the object; the source is considered as an isotropic source of (60)Co. The energy deposited into the cylindrical model was determined by the Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNPX) method. Measurements of the TL phosphors were obtained by irradiating the powder by gamma radiation. TL glow curve of CaSO(4):Dy after gamma irradiated at a 1 Gy of absorbed dose was then obtained.

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The aim of this work is to present the results concerning the photon irradiation of a new phosphor, the LiF:Mg,Cu,P+PTFE, produced at the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares (ININ-Mexico). The photon irradiations were performed using X-rays of 16, 24, 34.5, 42, 100 and 145keV, and gamma rays from (137)Cs (662keV) and from (60)Co (1 252keV). The results obtained are normalized to the (60)Co response. The experimental data are then compared to those obtained using the commercial dosimeters TLD-100 and GR-200A.

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The parameters characterising the trap centres involved in the thermoluminescence of KMgF3:LaF3 compounds have been found by deconvolving the glow curve with the General One Trap model (GOT). For the fitting procedure the Levenberg-Marquardt method has been employed. Tm-T(stop) measurements along with initial rise measurements were performed in order to estimate the number of peaks the glow curve is made up of, and the corresponding activation energies. Instead of the Runge-Kutta method, a novel algorithm has been employed to integrate the differential equation of the GOT model, which reduces the computational time nearly 30 times with respect to the former when the glow curve is recorded with a lineal heating rate profile. The strong computational time reduction makes feasible a large number of runs with different guess values. An interesting result is that the concentration of disconnected deep traps is much less than the concentration of trap centres.

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Numerical solutions of the differential equations system describing the transitions between energy levels can help in the understanding of the physical mechanisms governing thermoluminescence (TL) emission but they are not suitable for the analysis of complex experimental TL glow curves. On the other hand, simplified descriptions, as mixed or general order kinetics, require many additional assumptions that may limit the validity of the results or are mostly empirical. In this paper, the accuracy of such approximations has been evaluated for different retrapping-recombination ratios and it has been found that differences between the fitted and the simulated parameters arise from the simplification of the models because quasi-equilibrium condition seems to be valid in all the considered cases.

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The thermoluminescence properties of the inorganic dust extracted from the Chile Guajillo (paprika) Mexicano, were studied in order to verify the possibility of using the TL technique to discriminate between irradiated and non irradiated peppers. The inorganic dust was found to consist of quartz 60%, albite (NaAlSi(3)O(8)) 30%, and ortose (KAlSi(3)O(8)) 10%. Its thermoluminescence dose response covers the wide dose range of 1 Gy--10 kGy, which was attributed mainly to feldspars. Its high sensitivity and its stability over 10 irradiation-readout cycles allow the application of a single grain--single aliquot regeneration dosimetry in Chile Guajillo (paprika). Evaluations based on trapping parameters show that thermal fading at room temperature for glow-peaks above 180 degrees C, is not a problem in the dosimetry of paprika.

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The potentialities of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) for personal dosimetry of ionising radiation have stimulated the search for new synthetic materials with good dosimetric properties. The sensitivity of two new OSL materials KMgF3 and NaMgF3 doped with Ce3+ ions has been evaluated and found to be of the same order of magnitude as that of Al2O3:C. Several other characteristics have also been investigated. Promising results for KMgF3:Ce are the high sensitivity and the low fading. However, this material suffers from a high self-dose due to the presence of 40K. NaMgF5:Ce is sensitive as well but shows strong fading. Interesting information on the mechanism has been obtained by correlating the signals of OSL and TL. Furthermore, the different bleachabilities under blue LED illumination of the strongly overlapping glow peaks allowed the extraction of one single peak for KMgF3:Ce3+. The results demonstrate new possibilities offered by the combination of TL and OSL.

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The main dosimetric properties are reported of a new perovskite, LiMgF3, doped with Ce, Er and Dy impurities. An annealing temperature of 400 degrees C for one hour is necessary to erase any previous signal and to stabilise its sensitivity. A readout up to 450 degrees C gives the same result. The glow curve structure consists of two intense and isolated glow peaks at 170 degrees C and 315 degrees C. The sensitivity of both glow peaks to beta irradiation increases as the dopant concentration increases. The sensitivity is higher than that of LiF:Mg,Ti using the glow peaks 4+5 integral. Other properties like TL dose response, fading, sensitivity versus successive readout and ammealing cycles, sensitivity versus the heating rate, sensitivity to light and trapping parameter evaluation were also carried out.

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The perovskites are very interesting for their thermoluminescent properties and for their possible application as thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). In this paper we present results concerning the main dosimetric properties of KMgF3 activated by Ce and Er at various concentrations, i.e. annealing procedure, reproducibility of the TL signal, linearity and fading behaviour.

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This paper presents the dosimetric results obtained during computed tomography (CT) thorax examinations, carried out using two different techniques, i.e., sequential CT (SQCT) and helical CT (HECT). The radiological examinations have been carried out on pediatric phantoms expressly designed and realized. Four different phantoms have been realized, according to the children shapes of 0, 2, 6, and 12 years old. The dosimetric measurements have been carried out using thermoluminescent dosimeters. The comparison of the dosimetric data obtained using the two different techniques shows that there is not any relevant difference between them as far as the entrance dose and the doses received by the critical organs are concerned.

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Thermoluminescent dosimetric characteristics of MgB4O7:Dy,Na are presented. MgB4O7:Dy,Na is a newly prepared TL material with attractive features for dosimetric applications, such as near-tissue equivalence, simple glow curve, high sensitivity and low fading. The dosimetric properties of this material examined in this study include glow curve shape, TL sensitivity, annealing procedure, photon dose response, minimum detectable dose, precision of TL measurements, reproducibility, energy response and fading characteristics.

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