Relative thermoluminescence effects of alpha? and beta? radiation

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Abstract
A study has been made of the relative thermoluminescence response to α- and β-radiation of six phosphors (two types of natural fluorite, CaF2: Mn, CaF2: Tb, CaSO4: Mn and quartz) using samples which are thin compared to the range of the α-particles. The α- and β-radiations induce the same glow peaks, but at low doses (2: Mn to 2 per cent for quartz (110°C peak) at 3.7 MeV and decreases with decreasing α-particle energy. At higher doses (106−107 rads) the TL responses to α- and β-radiation become equal within 15 per cent; most of the glow peaks are in or near saturation at these doses. The higher the β-dose at which a peak saturates, the higher is the α-efficiency (at low doses) of that peak. The results support the interpretation that the α-efficiency is low because the phosphor is near or in saturation in the localized region near the α-path. This interpretation is given quantitative support by a theoretical calculation of the localized energy-density.