Gamma irradiated Er3+ ions doped Li2O-BaO-B2O3-P2O5 glasses: Structural, optical, and thermoluminescence glow curve analysis

Lithium barium borophosphate glasses doped with Er3+ rare earth ions are reported in terms of their physical, optical, structural, and thermoluminescence (TL) properties in this study. The melt quenching method was used to synthesize the glasses with varying concentration of the dopant (0.0, 0.2, 0.4 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 mol%). A thorough analysis of physical characteristics, including their variation with erbium oxide, has been conducted. The amorphous phase of the as-quenched samples has been validated through X-ray diffraction patterns, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the existence of different structural groups. UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy at wavelengths ranging from 200 to 1100 nm has been utilized to investigate various optical properties. In the gamma dose range of 50 Gy to 10 kGy, the glass sample with 0.6 mol% of erbium concentration (LBPEr0.6) showed the maximum integrated TL intensity with an optimized heating rate of 5 degrees C/s and annealing temperature of 400 degrees C. The deconvolution of TL glow curves was done using the R-package "tgcd: Thermoluminescence Glow Curve Deconvolution" by employing the Kitis general order kinetics model. Chen's peak shape approach has been used to calculate the trapping parameters, including order of kinetics (b), shape factor (mu g), frequency factor (s), and activation energy (E). The ideal thermoluminescence dosimeter characteristics showed that LBPEr0.6 glass has outstanding linearity, excellent sensitivity, minimal fading and good reproducibility over six cycles.