Synthesis of materials by combustion technique results in homogeneous and fine crystalline product. Further, the technique became more popular since it not only saved time and energy but also was easy to process. Aluminum oxide phosphor was synthesized by using urea as fuel in combustion reaction. Photoluminescence (PL) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) characteristics of 𝛾-irradiated aluminum oxide samples were studied. A broad PL emission with a peak at ∼ 465 nm and a pair of strong and sharp emissions with peaks at 679 and 695 nm were observed in 𝛾-rayed samples. The PL intensity was observed to increase with increase in 𝛾-ray dose. Two prominent and well resolved TSL glows with peaks at 210°C and 365°C were observed in all 𝛾-irradiated Al₂O₃ samples. The TSL intensity was also found to increase with increase in 𝛾-ray dose. The TSL glow curves indicated second order kinetics.

Polycrystalline aluminum oxide is synthesized by combustion technique and XRD studies of the sample revealed the 𝛼-phase. The synthesized sample is irradiated with 120 MeV swift Au⁹⁺ ions for the fluence in the range from 1 × 10¹¹ to 1 × 10¹³ ions cm^-2. A broad photoluminescence (PL) emission with peak at ∼447 nm and two sharp emissions with peak at ∼ 679 and ∼ 695 nm are observed in pristine when sample was excited with 326 nm. However, in the irradiated samples the PL intensity at ∼ 447, 679 and 695 nm decreases with increase in ion fluence. The 𝛼-Al₂O₃ gives rise to seven Raman modes with Raman intensity with peaks at ∼ 253, 396, 417, 546, 630, 842, 867 cm^-1 observed in pristine. The intensity of these modes decreases with increase in ion fluence. However, the Raman modes observed at lower fluences are found to disappear at higher fluence.