Systematic errors in thermoluminescence

Thermoluminescence measurements potentially are distorted by a variety of systematic errors. Major difficulties are encountered with temperature values as there are inevitable temperature gradients which become more severe at higher heating rates. Distorted temperature scales need not introduce problems in radiation dosimetry but must be corrected for kinetic analyses of the thermoluminescence processes. Additionally one must correct for changes in emission spectra with temperature and separate wavelength dependent glow curve processes. The various problems of such systematic errors are considered as well as their wider consequences in comparing the luminescence with other measurement techniques applied to the same materials.