Temperature dependence of OSL decay curves: Experimental and theoretical aspects

The factors which affect the shape of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) decay curves are examined, both experimentally and theoretically, in an effort to understand and describe the behavior of OSL as a function of temperature. The processes considered include: (1) retrapping by shallow traps; (2) thermally assisted optical stimulation; (3) thermal quenching; and (4) localized donor-acceptor type recombination. Experimental OSL data from natural quartz and feldspars, stimulated with both green and infra-red light, are examined in the light of the theoretical considerations.