Thermoluminescence Stability of LiF TLD-100 Dosimeter Following Different Annealing Profiles Under Megavoltage Photon Irradiation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66514/ssst34-1-75-87Abstract
TLD-100 dosimeter is widely used in radiation dosimetry due to its near-tissue-equivalent response and reliable dosimetric properties. However, the manufacturer-recommended annealing protocol requires approximately 25 hours, which may reduce operational efficiency in clinical and research settings. This study investigated the effects of modified annealing profiles on the thermoluminescence (TL) stability and dosimetric performance of TLD-100. Six modified annealing profiles were investigated, comprising shortened heating durations at 400°C (45, 30, and 15 min) and shortened cooling durations at 80°C (12, 6, and 3 h). Following annealing, TLD-100 chips were irradiated using 6 MV photon beams at absorbed doses of 1, 5, and 10 Gy. TL responses and glow-curve characteristics were evaluated using a Harshaw 3500 TL reader. Percentage relative differences (PRDs) were used to assess variations in TL output relative to the reference annealing condition. Reducing the heating duration below 60 min increased TL output, with peak intensity increases of up to 28.8% and PRD exceeding ±20% at some dose levels. These changes were accompanied by glow-curve distortions and changes in peak height, suggesting incomplete emptying of deep electron traps. In contrast, reducing the cooling duration from 24 h to 3 h resulted in PRD within ±5% for all investigated doses, with no substantial changes in glow-curve characteristics. Under the experimental conditions investigated, a 60-min heating stage at 400°C appears necessary to achieve a reproducible TL response from TLD-100, whereas the cooling stage at 80°C may be reduced to 3 h without observable deterioration in dosimetric performance. These findings suggest that optimization of the annealing protocol may substantially improve operational efficiency without compromising TL stability.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Chong Yu Tong, Muhammad Safwan Ahmad Fadzil, Gunalan Ramachandran, Siti Hajar Zuber, Abdul Khaliq Mohd Saparudin, Siti Farizwana Mohd Ridzwan, Ung Ngie Min, Ahmad Bazlie Abdul Kadir, Nur Nadiah Mohd Rais (Author)
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