A new set of expressions, to evaluate the thermal activation energy, E, of a thermoluminescent peak following a general order of kinetics, are given by Mazumadar et al. [1]. The work is an extension of the peak shape method suggested by Christodoulides [2], The involved temperatures are now the ones at which the intensity of the peak is, respectively, 1/2, 2/3 and 4/5 of the maximum. The Authors claim that the selection of these points is based on the fact that the upper half of the peak, in general, is expected to be free from interference from satellite peaks.

Taking into consideration the intensity at any temperature, T, for a peak obeying a general-order kinetics, given by

(1)

and the condition for the maximum intensity given by

(2)

Putting T ₀ =0 in it, as well as ?= E/kT and ? _M= E/kT _M , we have

(3)

where

(4)

Equation (1) then becomes

(5)

with

(6)

The intensity at the maximum is then given by

(7)

In both expressions the integrals are expressed in terms of the second-exponential integral, i.e., E ₂ ( ?)= ?J.

Finally, one can write

(8)

where

(9)

Putting now I/I _M =x and ?= ? _x , one gets

(10)

and then

(11)

The procedure is now very similar to the one already used in Christodoulides method.

Indicating for