Micro-Pulling-Down Method (MPD) can be applied for the relatively fast growth of fluorides and oxides crystals, working as detectors of ionizing radiation. The aim of the work was to measure the thermo- and optically- stimulated luminescent (TL and OSL) properties of radiation sensitive fluorides and oxides, such as LiF, CaF₂ and Al₂O₃, in a pure and in doped state.

   Crystals of fluorides and oxides grown in MPD system at the Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ PAN) in Krakow in the form of rods with a diameter up to 3mm were tested regarding their TL and OSL properties. After growing in MPD system, consisting of an induction furnace and 20kW generator, the crystals were cut to a smaller slides. Irradiation was performed using ¹³⁷Cs photons and ²⁴¹Am 5.49 MeV alpha particles. The measurements were carried out using conventional TL and OSL readers with a blue and green light for stimulation of the signal and a set of interferential filters for stimulation and excitation light control. The measurement results were referred to the substrate powder or standard detectors. The single crystals “as grown” longer than 1cm before cutting were additionally irradiated and read out in 2-dimensional TL reader equipped with a CCD camera to investigate the sensitivity of the particular parts of the crystals and unhomogenity of dopants distribution in the crystal structures. The crystal structure was analysed by x-ray diffraction.

The preliminary results showed that MPD method is a very useful tool for the laboratory research on TL and OSL detector doping due to the relatively fast growth of single crystals of fluorides and oxides.

Acknowledgments:  This work was supported by the National Science Centre (Contract No. DEC-2012/05/B/ST5/00720).

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