Influence of pre-irradiation annealing and Lix-Co(1-x)-O thin film deposition on the TL response of soda lime glass

Effects of pre-irradiation annealing and deposition of a thin film of Li-x-Co(1-x)-O on soda lime glass substrate are studied using the thermolummescence technique, at low gamma radiation doses. Simple but similar glow curves were obtained with a single glow peak in all cases. Glow peaks occurred within the temperature range of 266 and 288 degreesC depending on sample treatment and gamma dosage. Within the studied gamma radiation dose range of 0.86-4.29 mGy, the heated soda lime glass consistently showed the highest TL response, while that from the film deposited sample was the least. At a dose of 0.86 mGy, a 41.8% enhancement and a 56.7% loss in signal over those from ordinary soda lime glass were recorded for annealed and film deposited samples respectively. Peak shift to higher temperatures were also observed in the two treated samples, relative to blank. These we have attributed to the increased diffusion of alkali ions in the annealed glass and exchange of impurity ions between the Li-x-Co(1-x)-O thin film and the soda lime glass substrate, at high temperatures, resulting in increased formation of points and complex defects that could be either killer or radiative traps. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.