Low temperature thermoluminescence of Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles using various heating rate and <i>T</i>_max - <i>T</i>_exc. methods

Abstract

Thermoluminescence (FL) measurements for Gd2O3 nanoparticles were carried out for various heating rates between 0.3 and 0.8 K/s at low temperatures (10-280 K). TL spectrum exhibited two observable and one faint peaks in the temperature region of 10-100 K, and four peaks in the temperature region of 160-280 K. Heating rate analysis was achieved to understand the behaviors of trap levels. It was seen that the peak maximum temperatures and TL intensities of all peaks increase with increasing heating rate. This behavior was ascribed to anomalous heating rate effect. T-max - T(exc )analysis was accomplished for TL, peaks at relatively higher temperature region to reveal the related traps depths. T-max - T-exc plot presented a staircase structure indicating that the TL glow curve is composed of well separated glow peaks. Mean activation energies of trapping centers corresponding to these separated peaks were found as 0.43, 0.50, 0.58 and 0.80 eV.