Dosimetric characteristics of lithium triborate (LiB3O5) nanophosphor for medical applications

Abstract

Lithium triborate (LiB3O5), as a new nanophosphor with a tissue-equivalent absorption coefficient, was successfully synthesized by the precipitation assisted high-temperature solid-state technique and its specifications were investigated. In this work, TL dosimetric characteristics of LiB3O5:Al (2 wt), including sensitivity, reproducibility, fading, annealing procedure, and energy response, were investigated for both gamma and X-ray photons. Its dose-response was compared to TLD-100 using gamma irradiation of Co-60 source at dose ranges of 0.1 mGy-100 Gy. Al-doped LiB3O5 nanophosphor showed a linear dose-response for the gamma exposure range of 0.01-100 Gy as well as having a smooth energy response. Its fading was less than 10 after two months. Findings verified that the TL nanophosphor might be proposed as a promising material for gamma dosimetric purposes in medical applications.