Radiation damage of pure and doped KMgF3 crystals

The radiation damage nature of pure and doped KMgF₃ crystals was studied on the basis of the absorption emission excitation and thermoluminescence (TL) spectra. It is shown that the sensitivity of this material to the ionizing irradiation is defined not only own color centers but by the presence of oxygen impurities too. The availability of oxygen in KMgF₃ is revealed in additional absorption and emission bands, high temperature (T>400°C) peaks of TL, UV-energy storage. From the RE doped KMgF₃ crystals the most illustrative results were obtained for EuF₃ and Eu₂O₃ doped samples. High emission efficiency corresponds to the f-f transitions in Eu²⁺ ions and trap´s structure is connected as with intrinsic point defects as with oxygen impurity contents. The most intensive TL-peak is at 390°C and in crystals with Eu₂O₃ it´s in many times higher than in those with EuF₃. It is shown that KMgF₃:Eu₂O₃ is an effective dosimeter not only for X-ray but for UV-registration too