Maximum intensity temperature (T_M) of a general order Tl glow peak: independence from dose variations

It is accepted in the literature, especially in the kinetic analysis of thermoluminescence glow curves, that only for glow peaks obeying first-order kinetics, the temperature of maximum luminous intensity (TM) is independent of the dose. On the contrary, if the glow peak follows general order kinetics, the temperature of maximum intensity (T_M) varies with the dose administered to the material. In the present work, we theoretically demonstrate that the latter statement is incorrect and that, regardless of the kinetics obeyed by the glow peak, the temperature of maximum intensity (T_M) is independent of the dose. This is a consequence of the independence of the effective frequency factor s". To experimentally verify this assertion, thermoluminescence glow curves of aquamarine recorded at a heating rate of 1 °C/s after being irradiated with beta doses ranging from 2 to 100 Gy, and glow curves of pure alumina recorded at a heating rate of 5 °C/s after being irradiated with X-rays ranging from 1 to 10 Gy, have been analyzed. The results are consistent with those predicted by the method developed by Maya et al. (author)