Natural luminescence and anomalous fading in K-feldspar

This study investigated the relationship between the natural luminescence intensity, the amplitude of anomalous fading and the apparent IRSL age of a suite of feldspar single grains. Correlating natural luminescence with fading may simplify the identification of weakly to non-fading feldspars grains in sediments. In our single grain experiments, the mean fading corrected IRSL age obtained from a small population of bright grains is close to the expected depositional age of the sediment investigated. It is proposed that in dating programs, more attention should be given to bright feldspar grains as they are the most stable grains in the population.     

Monitoring anomalous fading of TL of feldspars by using far-red emission as a gauge

TL dating of feldspars of volcanic origin is thwarted by anomalous fading of its emission in the usual spectral range from UV to red, though in the far-red range it has been shown to be stable. A new method of evaluation of this anomalous fading is proposed. The comparison is no longer made directly between total TL emissions after different storage times. Instead, TL is first measured in two spectral ranges simultaneously, the ‘blue’ one, usually monitored for fading, and the far-red one. Secondly, at every temperature the ratio of ‘blue’ to far-red, named B_ir, is computed. Thirdly, to monitor anomalous fading, these ratios are compared between different TLs. When fading shows, values of B_ir are observed to decrease during storage, according to the logarithmic law, down to very low values. A temperature dependance of anomalous fading is firmly established.     

Apparent anomalous fading of thermoluminescence associated with competition with radiationless transitions

Anomalous fading of thermoluminescence (TL) is the effect of a fading which is significantly faster than what is warranted by the trapping parameters which are evaluated from the features of the TL peak in question. A previous work suggested that in certain cases, apparent anomalous fading may be a normal fading in disguise. The idea was that, at least in some cases, radiationless transitions into competing recombination centers may yield a very narrow peak which, while using either the curve fit technique or the different peak shape method will result in very high values of effective activation energy E and frequency factor s which, in turn, will yield an apparent life-time orders of magnitude higher than the real one. The question has been raised whether this anomaly is observable only when the peak shape methods are utilized and in particular, can the same effect occur when the broadly used initial-rise method is applied. It is demonstrated in this work that under similar circumstances of competition, very high effective values of E and s are evaluated which result in very high life-times when the activation energy is evaluated by the initial-rise method. Thus, the explanation of apparent anomalous fading as being a normal decay in disguise, is extended to cases in which the initial-rise method is utilized for the parameter evaluation.     

The relationship between thermal activation energy,infrared stimulated luminescence and anomalous fading of K-feldspars

A strong dependence of thermal activation energy (TAE) on infrared (IR) stimulation time for the infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) signal was observed for K-feldspar grains extracted from several sediments and granites from China. A TAE value as low as ～0.1 eV was observed at the beginning of IR stimulation and increased to ～0.45 eV after 90 s. For a trap depth of ～2 eV below the conduction band for the IRSL traps, the TAE value of ～0.45 eV is consistent with the energy gap between the excited states (～0.5 eV below the conduction band) and conduction band. This phenomenon is explained as the result of the coexistence of thermally assisted recombination via conduction band or band-tail states hopping and athermal tunnelling recombination of electrons from the excited states under IR stimulation, leading to the observation of a higher anomalous fading rate in the initial part of the IRSL decay curve.     

An aes study of a copper-iron sulphide mineral

Synthetic bornite, Cu₅FeS⁴ has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy. Sputtercleaned bornite shows a sulphur spectrum with three peaks at 138, 147 and 149 eV. These Auger transitions are different from those observed when sulphur is adsorbed on metal surfaces, where the peaks are at 139, 149 and 154 eV. The adsorption of oxygen on the surface of bornite at room temperature results in the formation of a layer of iron oxide and, in addition, the sulphur spectrum loses its fine structure and shows only a single peak at 148 eV. Under the influence of both the ion sputter beam and the electron beam, the surface composition of bornite shows large and rapid changes which are due mainly to movement of mobile Cu⁺ ions through the lattice, this movement being caused by surface charging effects.     

Sensitivity study of anomalous HZZ couplings at a future Higgs factory

We study the sensitivity of constraining the model independent HZZ coupling based on the effective theory up to dimension-6 operators at a future Higgs factory. Using the current conceptual design parameters of the Circular Electron Positron Collider, we give the experimental limits for the model independent operators given by the total Higgsstrahlung cross-section and the angular distribution of Z boson decays. In particular, we give the very small sensitivity limit for the CP violation parameter g, which will be a clear window to test the Standard Model and look for new physics signals     

Dependence of the anomalous fading of the TL and blue-OSL of fluorapatite on the occupancy of the tunnelling recombination sites

The anomalous fading (AF) of thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals in Durango apatite is attributed to tunnelling effects. Electrons from the TL and OSL traps in this material are transferred, via a tunnelling effect, to the recombination sites. The availability of recombination sites for tunnelled electrons is of major importance for the degree of AF rate observed in this material. It is expected that a variation of the number of the electron recombination sites will be reflected in the experimentally measured AF rate. In the present work an investigation of the recombination sites for the tunnelled electrons is attempted by studying the AF effect using a special technique, in which the anomalously faded TL (OSL) is replaced by an equal amount of TL (OSL) induced by a beta dose.     

X-Ray anomalous scattering study of a charge-ordered state in NaV2O5

Charge ordering of V4+ and V5+ in NaV2O5 has been studied by an x-ray diffraction technique using anomalous scattering near a vanadium K-absorption edge to critically enhance a contrast between the two ions. A dramatic energy dependence of the superlattice intensities is observed below T(C) = 35 K. The charge ordering pattern is the fully charged zigzag-type ladder with the unit cell 2ax2bx4c, but not the chain-type originally proposed for the spin-Peierls state. Charge disproportionation suggested in our model as the average valence V(4.5+/-delta(c)/2) is observed below T(C), showing continuous variation of delta(c) as a function of temperature.     

Segments of a commercial Ge-doped optical fiber as a thermoluminescent dosimeter in radiotherapy

Optical fibers have been proposed as dosimeters in both diagnostic and radiotherapy applications. A commercial germanium (Ge)-doped silica fiber with a 50 μm core diameter which showed good thermoluminescence (TL) properties was selected for this study. The radiation sources used were a high dose rate brachytherapy iridium-192, MV photon and MeV electron beams from a linear accelerator. The coating of the fiber was chemically removed and then annealed at 400 °C for 1 h prior to irradiation. After irradiation, the fiber was read on a Harshaw Model 3500 TLD reader. The optical fiber had one well-defined glow peak at 327 ± 2 °C at all the radiotherapy energies. The dose response was linear within the clinical relevant dose for all these energies. Reproducibility was mainly within 4–6% (one standard deviation) for high energy photons and electrons. The fiber was found to be energy independent within the MV photon energy range. At room temperature the fading up until 1 month was around 6% which was within the 6% uncertainty of the sensitivity calibration of the fiber. Re-using the fiber four times did not significantly alter the sensitivity factor. The optical fiber was found to be dose rate as well as angular independent. Central axis depth dose curves of both 10 MV photons and 12 MeV electrons using the fiber showed relatively good agreement to standard depth dose curves in water within 4%. The Ge-doped fiber is a promising TL dosimeter but improvements have to be made to reduce the reproducibility within 3% for high energy photons and electrons.     

On the analysis of complex thermoluminescent spectra

A procedure is proposed for analyzing complex thermoluminescent glow spectra on the ground of the Antonov-Romanoskii and Lushchik kinetic equations. The procedure allows the characterizing of the multiplicity of carrier traps and recombination centres present in thermoluminescent phosphors. A simple example is presented, showing the application to pink quartz thermoluminescent emission.     

Multiwavelength anomalous diffraction and diffraction anomalous fine structure to study composition and strain of semiconductor nanostructures

The aim of this paper is to illustrate the use of Multi-Wavelength Anomalous Diffraction (MAD) and Diffraction Anomalous Fine Structure (DAFS) spectroscopy for the study of structural properties of semiconductor nanostructures. We give a brief introduction on the basic principles of these techniques providing a detailed bibliography. Then we focus on the data reduction and analysis and we give specific examples of their application on three different kinds of semiconductor nanostructures: Ge/Si nanoislands, AlN capped GaN/AlN Quantum Dots and AlGaN/AlN Nanowires. We show that the combination of MAD and DAFS is a very powerful tool to solve the structural problem of these materials of high technological impact. In particular, the effects of composition and strain on diffraction are disentangled and composition can be determined in a reliable way, even at the interface between nanostructure and substrate. We show the great possibilities of this method and give the reader the basic tools to undertake its use.     

Advantages and challenges of high-dose thermoluminescent detectors

The current status of high-dose luminescent detector investigations is discussed. The examples of successful applications of various materials for medium and high-dose luminescent detector creation are presented. High-dose irradiation effect on luminescence of TLD-500 (α-Al₂O₃:C) detectors has been described. The challenges of detector properties restoration after high-dose irradiation are considered.     

Exactly solvable model exhibiting a multicritical point

A hypercubic d-dimensional lattice of spins with nearest neighbor ferromagnetic coupling and next nearest neighbor antiferromagnetic coupling along a single axis is studied in the spherical model limit (n→∞) and is found to exhibit a multicritical point of the uniaxial Lifshitz type. The shape of the λ line is calculated explicitly in the vicinity of the multicritical point, and analytic expressions are given for the shift exponent ψ(d) and its amplitudes A_±(d). The amplitude A_(d) changes sign for d = 3.     

Hamiltonian Derivation of a Detailed Fluctuation Theorem

We analyze the microscopic evolution of a system undergoing a far-from-equilibrium thermodynamic process. Explicitly accounting for the degrees of freedom of participating heat reservoirs, we derive a hybrid result, similar in form to both the fluctuation theorem and a statement of detailed balance. We relate this result to the steady-state fluctuation theorem and to a free energy relation valid far from equilibrium.     

Detailed description of a two-state non-Markov system

A two-state system in which transitions between the states are made randomly, is often used as a model of different phenomena in several fields. Both the probability density for the cumulative dwell-time in one of the states during a fixed observation time T, and the distribution of the number of transitions made during that time are known. We calculate the joint distribution of these two correlated random variables, showing that at long times it approaches a two-dimensional Gaussian form.     

A solvable model exhibiting a glass-like transition

A nonlinear equation of motion of an overdamped oscillator exhibiting a glass-like transition at a critical coupling constant _c is presented and solved exactly. Below _c , in the fluid phase, the oscillator coordinatex(t) decays to zero, while above _c , in the amorphous phase, it decays to a nonzero infinite time limit. Near _c the motion is slowed down by a nonlinear feedback mechanism andx(t) decays exponentially to its long time limit with a relaxation time diverging as (1 – / _c )^–3/2 and (/ _c –1)^–1 for < _c and > _c respectively. At _c x(t) exhibits a power law decay proportional tot ^– with exponent -1/2.     

Proton NMR study of pure liquid crystal exhibiting re-entrant phase transition

Proton NMR experiment was carried out on a pure re-entrant nematic liquid crystal OBBC in nematic (N), smectic A(S_A), and re-entrant nematic (RN) phases. The re-entrant phase transition was detected by measuring the rotation pattern (θ₀-dependence) of the spectra in the external field. The dipolar splitting at θ₀=0 showed smooth temperature-dependence through the phase changes, RN?S_A?N. Orientational order of the molecular core is thus hardly affected by the formation of 1-D density modulation. The temperature-dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate showed that translational self-diffusion is the predominant mechanism of relaxation in RN, but the director fluctuation is quite significant in N.