Studies of aluminium nitride ceramics for application in UV dosimetry

The study is reported of the ceramic material A1N-Y₂O₃ as a potential luminescence dosemeter for the detection of UV radiation. Both the thermoluminescence and the optically stimulated luminescence properties of the material have been studied after exposure to UV radiation and compared with those of the widely used dosemeter material Al₂O₃:C. It has been shown that A1N-Y₂O₃ ceramics exhibit three orders of magnitude higher sensitivity to UV radiation than does Al₂O₃:C over a broad spectral region. The thermoluminescence from A1N-Y₂O₃ is characterised by linear dose dependence over a wide range. The fading characteristics of the UV-induced thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence signals with storage time at room temperature were found to be a drawback, but still lower than those induced after exposure to ionising radiation.