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Concept
Luminescence
Summary
Luminescence is the "spontaneous emission of radiation from an electronically excited species (or from a vibrationally excited species) not in thermal equilibrium with its environment", according to the IUPAC definition. A luminescent object is emitting "cold light", in contrast to "incandescence", where an object only emits light after heating. Generally, the emission of light is due to the movement of electrons between different energy levels within an atom after excitation by external factors. However, the exact mechanism of light emission in "vibrationally excited species" is unknown, as seen in sonoluminescence.
The dials, hands, scales, and signs of aviation and navigational instruments and markings are often coated with luminescent materials in a process known as "luminising".
Radioluminescence, a result of bombardment by ionizing radiation
Electroluminescence, a result of an electric current passed through a substance
Cathodoluminescence, a result of a luminescent material being struck by electrons
Chemiluminescence, the emission of light as a result of a chemical reaction
Bioluminescence, a result of biochemical reactions in a living organism
Electrochemiluminescence, a result of an electrochemical reaction
Lyoluminescence, a result of dissolving a solid (usually heavily irradiated) in a liquid solvent
Candoluminescence, is light emitted by certain materials at elevated temperatures, which differs from the blackbody emission expected at the temperature in question.
Mechanoluminescence, a result of a mechanical action on a solid
Triboluminescence, generated when bonds in a material are broken when that material is scratched, crushed, or rubbed
Fractoluminescence, generated when bonds in certain crystals are broken by fractures
Piezoluminescence, produced by the action of pressure on certain solids
Sonoluminescence, a result of imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound
Crystalloluminescence, produced during crystallization
Thermoluminescence, the re-emission of absorbed energy when a substance is heated
Cryoluminescence, the emission of light when an object is cooled (an example of this is wulfenite)
Photoluminescence, a result of the absorption of photons
Fluorescence, traditionally defined as the emission of light that ends immediately after the source of excitation is removed.
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Phosphorescence
Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. When exposed to light (radiation) of a shorter wavelength, a phosphorescent substance will glow, absorbing the light and reemitting it at a longer wavelength. Unlike fluorescence, a phosphorescent material does not immediately reemit the radiation it absorbs. Instead, a phosphorescent material absorbs some of the radiation energy and reemits it for a much longer time after the radiation source is removed.
Photoluminescence
Photoluminescence (abbreviated as PL) is light emission from any form of matter after the absorption of photons (electromagnetic radiation). It is one of many forms of luminescence (light emission) and is initiated by photoexcitation (i.e. photons that excite electrons to a higher energy level in an atom), hence the prefix photo-. Following excitation, various relaxation processes typically occur in which other photons are re-radiated.
Phosphor
A phosphor is a substance that exhibits the phenomenon of luminescence; it emits light when exposed to some type of radiant energy. The term is used both for fluorescent or phosphorescent substances which glow on exposure to ultraviolet or visible light, and cathodoluminescent substances which glow when struck by an electron beam (cathode rays) in a cathode-ray tube. When a phosphor is exposed to radiation, the orbital electrons in its molecules are excited to a higher energy level; when they return to their former level they emit the energy as light of a certain color.