X-ray and proton luminescences of bismuth-borate glasses

Heavy scintillators with good radiation hardness and low cost can be applied in high -energy physics, astrophysics, homeland security and radiation detection. It is possible to make heavy-iondoped glass scintillators that can meet these requirements. We fabricated bismuth-borate glasses, Bi₂O₃(30): B₂O₃(70), doped with CeO₂, Nd₂O₃, Er₂O₃, Dy₂O₃, and Pr₂O₃ in difference concentrations by using the melt-quench technique. An X-ray luminescence study showed that only Dy₂O₃-doped glass emitted luminescence with a peak at 575 nm. Absorption spectra of the Dy₂O₃- doped glass were studied to understand the optical property. Proton luminescence of Dy₂O₃-doped glass was studied by using the 45-MeV proton beam from the MC-50 cyclotron at the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS). The results for the proton and the X-ray luminescences were compared.