Photo-transferred thermoluminescence from deep traps in quartz

Photo-transferred thermoluminescence (PTTL) measurements were performed on analytical grade quartz with the aim to study the dependence of the PTTL signal on preheat temperature and light-exposure time. The results proved that, in addition to the well-known contribution due to the electron traps related to the 325 °C thermoluminescence peak, a non-negligible role was played by deep thermally disconnected traps. Moreover, the shape of the time-response curve for the PTTL signal of quartz samples preheated at high temperature values suggested that recombination processes of optically stimulated electrons from deep traps involved also a non-radiative recombination centre.