Abstract
Thermoluminescence (TL) characteristics and dosimetric properties of Ba~2~Ca(BO~3~)~2~ phosphor doped with Tb^3+^ exposed to gamma‐ray irradiation are reported for the first time. Firstly, the influence of different rare earth dopants, i.e. Dy^3+^, Tb^3+^ and Tm^3+^, on TL of Ba~2~Ca(BO~3~)~2~ phosphor is discussed. All glow curves consist of two TL peaks located at 109–120 °C and 199–220 °C and Tb^3+^‐doped Ba~2~Ca(BO~3~)~2~ phosphor exhibits the highest TL sensitivity. Secondly, the effects of concentration of Tb^3+^ and gamma‐ray irradiation dose on TL are investigated. The optimum Tb^3+^ concentration is 2 mol% and the TL kinetic parameters of Ba~2~Ca(BO~3~)~2~:0.02Tb are calculated by the peak shape method. The high‐temperature peak for this sample shifts to higher temperature with increasing irradiation dose. Furthermore, the dosimetric properties of Ba~2~Ca(BO~3~)~2~:0.02Tb phosphor, i.e. the pre‐irradiation annealing treatment, reproducibility and linearity, are studied, the results of which indicate that Tb^3+^‐doped Ba~2~Ca(BO~3~)~2~ phosphor has a potential application in the personal protection dosimetry field. TL emission of the phosphor is observed to peak at about 485, 542, 580 and 625 nm originating from the characteristic transitions of Tb^3+^. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)