Method of preparing doped lithium fluoride thermoluminescent radiation detector
AssigneeVictoreen, Inc.
InventorWilliam F. Spicuzza
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for preparing doped lithium fluoride suitable for use as a thermoluminescent radiation-sensitive material includes the sequential steps of: 1) preparing a mixture of microcrystals of lithium fluoride and one or more dopants; 2) heating the mixture at a temperature at which the dopants can diffuse into said microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to produce sensitized microcrystals of lithium fluoride; 3) hot pressing the sensitized lithium fluoride microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to prepare a compact of doped polycrystalline lithium fluoride; 4) cooling the compact to room temperature.
Claims48
A process for preparing a sensitized lithium fluoride compact suitable for use in preparing a thermoluminescent radiation detector consisting essentially of the steps of:
- 1) preparing a mixture of microcrystals of undoped lithium fluoride and one or more dopants;
- 2) heating the mixture at a temperature at which said dopants can diffuse into said microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to produce sensitized microcrystals of lithium fluoride;
- 3) hot pressing the sensitized lithium fluoride microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to prepare a compact of doped polycrystalline lithium fluoride;
- 4) cooling said compact to room temperature.
A process for preparing a sensitized lithium fluoride compact suitable for use in preparing a thermoluminescent radiation detector consisting essentially of the steps of:
- 1) preparing a mixture of microcrystals of undoped lithium fluoride and one or more dopants;
- 2) heating the mixture at a temperature at which said dopants can diffuse into said microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to produce sensitized microcrystals of lithium fluoride;
- 3) hot pressing the sensitized lithium fluoride microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to prepare a compact of doped polycrystalline lithium fluoride;
- 4) holding said compact prepared in step 3) at a temperature below the hot-pressing temperature and above room temperature for a period of time from about 1 hour to about 12 hours;
- and
- 5) cooling said compact to room temperature.
A process for preparing a sensitized lithium fluoride compact suitable for use in preparing a thermoluminescent radiation detector consisting essentially of the steps of:
- 1) preparing a mixture of microcrystals of undoped lithium fluoride and one or more dopants;
- 2) heating the mixture at a temperature at which said dopants can diffuse into said microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to produce sensitized microcrystals of lithium fluoride;
- 3) cooling said sensitized microcrystals to the temperature of hot-pressing step 4) and holding the temperature of said sensitized microcrystals constant at a temperature intermediate between the temperature of step 2) and the temperature of said hot pressing step 4) for a period of time sufficient to produce a compact having greater uniformity of sensitivity as compared with a compact produced when said temperature of said microcrystals is not held constant at a temperature intermediate between the temperature of step 2) and the temperature of said hot-pressing step 4);
- 4) hot pressing the sensitized lithium fluoride microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to prepare a compact of doped polycrystalline lithium fluoride wherein said hot-pressing is conducted at a temperature lower than the temperature of step 2);
- and
- 5) cooling said compact to room temperature.
A process for preparing a sensitized lithium fluoride compact suitable for use in preparing a thermoluminescent radiation detector consisting essentially of the steps of:
- 1) preparing a mixture of microcrystals of undoped lithium fluoride and one or more dopants selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, titanium, manganese, europium, tellurium, copper, carbon, and phosphorus;
- 2) heating the mixture at a temperature at which said dopants can diffuse into said microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to produce sensitized microcrystals of lithium fluoride;
- 3) hot pressing the sensitized lithium fluoride microcrystals for a period of time sufficient to prepare a compact of doped polycrystalline lithium fluoride;
- 4) holding said compact at a temperature in a range of from the hot-pressing temperature to room temperature for a period of time from about 1 hour to about 12 hours before being cooled to room temperature;
- and
- 5) cooling said compact to room temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.