Thermoluminescence for nonlinear heating profiles with application to laser heated emissions

A general formula is found to predict thermoluminescence emission over a wi de range of heating profiles. This is particularly useful for rapid laser h eating which generates very nonlinear temperature-time profiles. Special ca ses of the general formula are considered for power-law and logarithmic tem perature-time curves. The results compare well to previous CO2 laser heated thermoluminescence experiments. The agreement between theory and experimen t extends over several orders of magnitude change in the heating rate. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.