Effect of Ce3+ doping on the structural, optical, and dosimetric properties of magnesium-borate glasses

Abstract

Ce3+ doped magnesium-borate glasses with compositions 80MgB2O4-20MgB4O7:xCe and 60MgB2O4-40MgB4O7:xCe (where x = 0.10, 0.30, 0.50, 0.70, and 0.90 wt%), were successfully synthesized using the melt quenching method. The physical, structural, and luminescent properties of the glasses were systematically investigated through density measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical absorption, spectrofluorometry, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). XRD patterns confirmed the amorphous nature of the glasses, while DSC provided insights into their thermal stability and phase transition behavior. The thermal stability of the 60 MBO matrix was found to be higher than that of the 80 MBO glass. An increase in glass density with higher Ce3+ concentrations was observed, accompanied by a reduction in molar volume. The indirect and direct optical band gap decreased with increasing Ce3+ content, correlating with the observed decrease in molar volume. Photoluminescence studies revealed emissions associated with Ce3+ ions incorporated into the glass matrix. Additionally, OSL measurements demonstrated the dose-response behavior of the glasses over the range of 0.02–5 Gy. Particularly, the 60MBO glass composition exhibited superior sensitivity to ionizing radiation compared to the 80MBO composition. The OSL signal of the 60MGO glass fades significantly within a few days. Long-term stability of the OSL signal should be a goal for new studies on these glasses.