Overview of Luminescence Signals from Dosimetric Materials

Abstract

This introductory chapter serves as the reader’s guide to the rest of the book. We provide an overview of the luminescence signals studied in this book, namely thermoluminescence (TL), isothermal luminescence (ITL), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and time-resolved (TR) signals. We also provide an overview of four commonly used models for the analysis of these signals: first order kinetics (FOK), general order kinetics (GOK), mixed order kinetics (MOK), and general one trap (GOT) models. These four models are based on delocalized energy transitions involving the conduction/valence bands in solids. In addition to these four delocalized transition models, we also introduce the excited state tunneling model (EST) for luminescence phenomena, which is based on localized transitions. We summarize the analytical equations available for each of these five models, and present a consistent simple nomenclature for the models and analytical equations. A brief description is given of optical absorption (OA) and Electron Spin Resonance signals (ESR), and their connection to signals in luminescence dosimetry. The dose response of luminescence signals is discussed, and an overview is provided for the various models used to analyze experimental dose response curves. The chapter concludes with a general discussion of what types of information researchers can obtain from the analysis of luminescence signals in dosimetric materials.