How reproducible are kinetic parameter constraints of quartz luminescence? An interlaboratory comparison for the 110 °C TL peak

Schmidt, C. et al. (2018) How reproducible are kinetic parameter constraints of quartz luminescence? An interlaboratory comparison for the 110 °C TL peak. Radiation Measurements, 110, pp. 14-24. (doi: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2018.01.002)

Abstract

Knowledge of the kinetic parameters E (thermal activation energy) and s (frequency factor) of charge-trapping defects in the quartz crystal lattice is of paramount importance to assess the thermal stability of associated luminescence signals used for dosimetry and dating. Since methods proposed for constraining thermoluminescence (TL) kinetics usually make use of the signal response to thermal treatments, accurate temperature control is required to obtain valid E and s values. In an attempt to check the extent to which consistent kinetic parameters could be obtained using routine luminescence measurement equipment, we have investigated three methods (isothermal decay, initial rise and the Hoogenstraaten method) in an inter-comparison study involving eight laboratories using Risø and Freiberg Instruments systems. The target signal was the so-called 110 °C TL peak of a sample of Oligocene coastal dune quartz sand from the Fontainebleau sand formation (France). TL glow curves recorded with heating rates in the range 0.02–5.0 K s-1 showed peak positions varying by up to 60 °C between systems at the highest heating rates, as caused by temperature calibration errors and/or thermal lag. Kinetic parameters derived from the complete data set show a large spread, covering the ranges ~0.5–1.2 eV and 105–1018 s-1 for E and s. In most cases, interlaboratory variations exceeded those of replicate measurements within individual laboratories. Signal lifetimes at 20 °C derived from the isothermal decay (~57 min) and initial rise methods (at low heating rates; ~60‒80 min) most closely match the directly measured value (~70 min). Finally, we discuss the consequences of these findings for dosimetry and dating using luminescence signals and possible ways to reduce systematic errors in laboratory measurements of kinetic parameters.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: We acknowledge the support of the Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFor) for financing the project meeting in Bayreuth (BayIntAn_UBT_2016_74). The work of SK was financed by a programme supported by the ANR - n° ANR-10-LABX-52, that of JF by the DFG (project “Modelling quartz luminescence signal dynamics relevant for dating and dosimetry”, SCHM 3051/4-1). GEK and PGV acknowledge support from Swiss National Science Foundation (grant numbers PZ00P2_167960 and PP00P2_170559, respectively), GA and AC would like to acknowledge the Polish National Science Centre grant number 2016/21/B/ST10/01867.
• Keywords: Thermoluminescence, kinetic parameters, trap depth, frequency factor, lifetime, thermal lag, temperature calibration.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Sanderson, Professor David
• Authors: Schmidt, C., Friedrich, J., Adamiec, G., Chruścińska, A., Fasoli, M., Kreutzer, S., Martini, M., Panzeri, L., Polymeris, G. S., Przegietka, K., Valla, P. G., King, G. E., and Sanderson, D. C.W.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Research Group: Environmental Physics
• Journal Name: Radiation Measurements
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1350-4487
• ISSN (Online): 1879-0925
• Published Online: 31 January 2018
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd.
• First Published: First published in Radiation Measurements 110: 14-24
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy