Radiation Protection Dosimetry Advance Access originally published online on May 12, 2006
Radiation Protection Dosimetry 2006 119(1-4):62-65; doi:10.1093/rpd/nci606
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Deformation luminescence produced during application and release of pressure on to gamma-irradiated CaF2:RE crystals
1 Department of Physics, Government Science P.G. College, Bilaspur 495 006, C.G., India
2 Department of Physics, Kamla Nehru College, Sakkardara, Nagpur 440 009, M.S., India
3 Department of Rural Technology, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur 495 009, C.G., India
* Corresponding author: kherrs{at}hotmail.com
Calcium fluoride CaF2 is an interesting host lattice for rare earth (RE) activators. CaF2 crystals doped with different concentrations of Dy, Ce, Er and Gd have been grown by the Bridgman technique and their deformation luminescence (DL) induced by room temperature gamma irradiation has been recorded. When a uniaxial pressure is applied on to gamma-irradiated CaF2:RE crystals, initially the DL intensity increases with time, attains a maximum value and then it decreases with time. Although the DL intensity produced during the release of pressure is less, its rise and decay behaviours are similar to that obtained during the application of pressure. The DL intensity depends on dopant, concentration of dopant, irradiation doses and mass of the load or applied pressure. It is suggested that the moving dislocation produced during deformation of crystals capture holes from hole trapped centres (like perturbed Vk centre) and the subsequent radiative recombination of the dislocation holes with electrons give rise to DL.