Kinetic Analysis of the New Sensitization Effect in the TL of Silica Optical Fibres

The kinetic parameters of the thermoluminescence induced by X‐irradiation in Ge‐silica optical fibres doped with Nd, are investigated. Initially the emission spectrum consists mainly of a band near 400 nm. The combined effect of irradiation and heating generates a new band, near 520 nm. The kinetic analysis shows that besides the broad distribution of activation energies which is typical of the amorphous silica, several monocnergetic traps are active as well. The shallower trap can be linked to the well known “110 °C peak” of quartz. It is suggested that the recombination of electrons with O 2− hole centres produce the 400 nm emission while the 520 nm band is associated with a Nd³⁺ hole centre. Ge⁴⁺ is assumed to be the dominant electron trap.