High-quality Li2B4O7 single crystals doped with Cu, Mn and Mg impurities were grown by Czochralski method in platinum crucibles. The dosimetric and optical characteristics of doped Li2B4O7 crystals were performed through thermoluminescence (TL) and photoluminescence (PL) under X-ray irradiation. The glow curves of LBO doped with Mn and Mg are composed of the main TL peak important for dosimetric studies, at about 200 degreesC and 250 degreesC, respectively. PL spectra of Li2B4O7 single crystal doped with Cu, Mn and Mg were observed for the first time in this paper. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.