Synthesis of calcium sulfate nanoparticles doped with Yb3+ impurities by co-precipitation method and investigation of its thermoluminescence behavior under gamma irradiation

In this study, calcium sulfate nanoparticles doped with different percentages of ytterbium impurities were synthesized using the co-precipitation method. The structural properties and morphology of the nanoparticles were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Using the Williamson-Hall method an approximate size of 36 nm was obtained for the nanocrystallites. The results showed that nanoparticles synthesized with the presence of surfactant have a homogeneous and almost spherical structure. Also, the thermoluminescence glow curve following gamma irradiation and the photoluminescence spectrum of the samples were studied. The emission peak of photoluminescence at wavelength 1070 nm can be attributed to 2F5/2 to 2F7/2 transition. In addition, the results show that the nanoparticles synthesized in this method are sensitive to gamma rays at high doses and show a linear response in the range of 10 Gy up to 104 Gy. The fading of the samples during one month was about %10.