New luminescent ceramics based on anion-deficient Al2O3–BeO for high-dose dosimetry

New Al2O3–BeO ceramics were synthesized by using high-temperature treatment of the initial compacts of nanostructured alumina in BeO crucible. The decomposition of the pulsed cathodoluminescence spectra into Gaussians revealed the luminescence bands related to oxygen vacancies and their aggregates in the ceramics. TL of the synthesized ceramics exposed to high-dose irradiation contained three peaks at 360 (A), 525 (B) and 730 K (C). It was found that optical stimulation at the wavelength of 470 nm causes optical bleaching of the traps responsible for peaks A and B, in contrast to the deep traps of the peak C, and gives rise to OSL. At the same time, there was a shift of the position of peaks A and B to the high-temperature region. This result shows the presence of the energy distribution of the traps responsible for TL peak A. It was found that the range of linearity of the TL dose response after gamma-irradiation is from 0.01 to 1.0 kGy. After irradiation with a pulsed electron beam (130 keV), the linear behavior of the OSL dose response was observed from 3 to 30 kGy.