A new technique in retrospective TL dosimetry: Pre-dose effect in the 230°C TL glow peak of porcelain

We have observed that the 230°C TL glow peak in porcelain possesses the same pre-dose properties as the 110°C TL glow peak in quartz. The pre-dose effect is the increase in TL radiation sensitivity observed after irradiation and subsequent heating of quartz and the increase is proportional to the total absorbed radiation dose prior to heating. It is a useful technique in dating and authentication of art objects as well as in retrospective dosimetry after radiation accidents. The disadvantage of the 110°C pre-dose peak is that it rapidly becomes non-linear and can only be used for doses less than 1 Gy. Porcelain contains quartz and exhibits both the 110°C TL glow peak and a peak at 230°C. Both peaks are observed to have approximately the same amplitude when using narrow band blue filters. The thermal activation properties, radiation dose response and dosimetric applicability of 230°C pre-dose TL glow peak of porcelain were investigated, and we found that it has the same TL properties as the 110°C peak but has advantages for dose evaluation due to its longer half-life and linearity up to a dose of 3 Gy.