Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of the thermoluminescent process

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Abstract
The mechanism of the thermoluminescent process in solids is reexamined on the basis of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, thus justifying the kinetic model of Antonov-Romanovskii and Lushchik. By assuming the phosphor to be held in a cavity full of blackbody radiation and applying the principle of minimum entropy production, the electron distribution in the conduction band is found to be in a steady equilibrium with the ones in trapping and recombination levels. This is just the hypothesis which allows for the spoken of model. The same conclusion is attained when the model is generalized by considering luminescent centers constituted by bipolar ions. Even in this case, the electron distribution in high-lying levels, besides the conduction band, is in a steady equilibrium with the one in low-lying levels, so it leaves unchanged the final law for the thermoluminescent emission rate.