THREE-POINT AREA METHOD FOR THERMOLUMINESCENCE GLOW CURVE ANALYSIS AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE GLOW PEAK OF K2SRP2O7:PR.

Abstract

A method has been proposed to evaluate the kinetic parameters, viz. activation energy ($E$) and order of kinetics ($b$) from a single or isolated thermoluminescence (TL) glow peak. Along with the area under the entire curve, this method uses a set of three arbitrary data points and calculates the partial area under the curve from each point to the endpoint. In this way, the entire information associated with the curve is used and the method is named as 'Three-Point Area' (TPA) method. We have applied it successfully on a number of theoretically simulated TL curves generated in One Trap One Recombination centre (OTOR) model and General-Order Kinetics (GOK) model under quasi-equilibrium approximations with linear heating scheme. The activation energies are found in good agreement with input values for both the models. For OTOR model, temperature average of order of kinetics is estimated to compare with the present result. Systematic analysis is carried out for estimation of errors inherent in the method in the purview of GOK model. A closer look on the results reveals that any set of three points, preferably chosen from the rising side of the curve, can yield activation energy and order of kinetics. The validity of the method to extract $E$ and $b$ from experimental glow curves is exemplified by considering experimental TL data reported in literature. Finally, a complete study starting from the synthesis of a new phosphor $\mathrm{K_2SrP_2O_7:Pr} $ and analysis of the recorded TL data to estimate $E$ and $b$ employing the TPA method has been reported.