Natural and β‐induced thermoluminescence in microcline

Natural as well as β‐induced thermoluminescence (TL) of microcline samples is investigated. The natural TL shows an intense peak at about 300 °C while the lab‐induced glow curve seems to consist of a single peak at 170 °C. The kinetic analysis of the two glow‐curves shows that both actually consist of several overlapping peaks, the activation energies of which are: 0.73, 0.87, 1.05, 1.20, 1.32, 1.46, and 1.52 eV. The TL emission spectra are found to consist of a broad blue band which has previously been ascribed to hole luminescence centres. It is suggested that the observed TL involves thermally released electrons which recombine with these hole centres. The kinetic analysis indicates that the natural TL involves tunneling of charge carriers between traps.