Evaluation of trapping parameter of quartz by deconvolution of the glow curves

The glow curves of natural quartz excited with different doses of β-irradiation have been subjected to Computerized Glow Curve Deconvolution (CGCD) in the kinetic formalism. The location of the constituent peaks, which are as many as eleven in the temperature region of 27–575 °C, has been ascertained by resorting to the second order derivative plot of the glow curve. Not only figure of merit (FOM) but χ2-test has also been taken as a criterion for the acceptance of goodness of fit. CGCD analysis reveals that the frequency factor of quartz is in the range of 1.50 ± 0.26 × 1011 sec−1. This analysis lead to the conclusion that the trapping levels of quartz can be approximated by the Urbach’s relation E = 27kTm where Tm is the temperature at the maximum intensity.

► Glow curves of natural and beta-irradiated quartz in the temperature range from room temperature to 573 °Cis analysed.
► Frequency factor of quartz is in the range of 1.50 ± 0.26 × 1011 sec−1.
► Trapping levels of quartz can be approximated by the Urbach’s relation E = 27kTm.