Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Ceramics International, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Understanding whether thermoluminescence (TL) traps form discrete families or continuous energy distributions remains a central methodological challenge in defect-mediated phosphors. In this work, the TL kinetics of Sm3+-doped YBa3(BO3)3 (YBBO) are investigated with explicit emphasis on constraining trap architecture through complementary kinetic diagnostics. Initial Rise (IR) analysis and Tm–Tstop partial thermal cleaning are employed as primary probes of trap structure, while heating-rate and dose perturbations assess kinetic stability. Computerized glow-curve deconvolution (CGCD) is applied within the constraints imposed by IR/Tm–Tstop analysis rather than as an unconstrained fitting exercise. The step-like evolution of Tm-Tstop together with clustered IR activation energies that group into five trap regions provides strong structural constraints indicating a finite hierarchy of dominant trap families. The invariance of peak positions and activation-energy clusters under variations in Sm3+ concentration, β dose, and heating rate supports a host-defined trap-depth architecture, while TL intensity scaling reflects changes in occupancy and recombination efficiency. The quasi-linear dose response (b ≈ 0.93), together with the high-temperature stability of the dominant trapping centres and invariant peak temperatures, indicates favorable kinetic characteristics consistent with promising dosimetric behaviour. CGCD yields quasi-first-order components whose energies fall within the IR-defined regions, demonstrating cross-method kinetic consistency without invoking independent proof of discreteness. Collectively, the results are most consistently interpreted within a host-controlled quasi-discrete trap hierarchy embedded in the YBBO lattice, while the inherent model dependence and non-uniqueness of TL analysis are explicitly acknowledged. Definitive microscopic identification of trapping centres, and confirmation of the proposed dopant clustering effects, will require complementary spectroscopic investigation.