A model was proposed for the production of defects by non-ionizing radiation in impurity-doped alkali halides. It was based upon the formation of impurity-trapped excitons by stimulation of the impurity, instead of ionization of the impurity, as previously proposed. The dissociation of trapped excitons into FZ and H centers in the present model was analogous to the formation of F and H centers by ionizing radiation in pure alkali halides. The after-glow emission induced by ultra-violet light at 20K was investigated in Eu-doped KCl, KBr and NaCl. It was concluded that the after-glow emission could be split into 2 components. One of them had a rapid decay, while the other persisted for several minutes and decayed according to t−1/2. The latter component was closely related to the thermoluminescence emissions. It was shown that the decay of the second component could be explained within the framework of the present model if it were assumed that the H centers migrated along lines: suggested to be dislocation lines.

UV Induced Afterglow of KCl:Eu,KBr:Eu and NaCl:Eu at Low Temperature. S.Álvarez-García, T.M.Piters, M.Barboza-Flores: Radiation Measurements, 2001, 33[5], 813-7