Radioluminescence of synthetic and natural quartz

The effect of X-ray irradiation and thermal treatments on the radio-luminescence emission spectrum of both a natural pegmatitic quartz and a synthetic one was investigated. All the emission spectra could be deconvolved into the same set of five Gaussian components. Among the identified RL bands, a blue emission at 2.53 eV (480 nm) is enhanced under X-ray irradiation. A strong correlation with the sensitization of the so called “110 °C” TSL peak (in our measurements seen at lower temperature due to the lower heating rate) was proved, suggesting that the recombination centers associated with the 2.53 eV band are produced under X-ray irradiation and are involved in both RL and TSL luminescence mechanisms. When each irradiation was followed by heating up to 500 °C a strong sensitization of the RL band emitting at 3.44 eV and of the 110 °C TSL peak were observed. A perfect correlation between the RL and TSL emissions suggests that the recombination centers involved in the RL and TSL emissions are the same.

► Same emission bands in the radioluminescence, RL, of natural and synthetic quartz. ► The blue RL emission at 2.53 eV (480 nm) is enhanced under X-ray irradiation, both in natural and in synthetic quartz. ► Strong correlation between the sensitivity growth of the 110 °C TSL peak and the RL band emitting at 3.44 eV (360 nm).