Modeling the Pre-Dose Effect in Thermoluminescence

Abstract

The increase of sensitivity of quartz by ß or ? irradiation, followed by high temperature activation has been studied. The model previously suggested, including a reservoir through which holes get into the recombination centre, thus increasing the sensitivity to a given test dose, is now given a concrete mathematical form. Sets of simultaneous differential equations for the different stages of irradiation and heating are numerically solved sequentially so as to simulate the physical processes taking place. The dependence of the sensitivity on the excitation dose is followed, in particular at the high doses where the sensitivity approaches saturation. The assumption of exponential approach to saturation is tested, showing that, indeed, even in this complicated situation the exponential approximation is valid.