Special Features of Impulse Electronophotoluminescence

We consider special features of luminescence and its excitation on exposure of condensed substances to nanosecond beams of electrons with an energy of 100–300 keV at a peak power density exceeding 3·10⁶ W/cm². This kind of luminescence (iephluminescence) is excited in the absence of dynamic equilibrium between the electrons injected into the substance and leaving it. The depth of a brightly luminescing layer is an order of magnitude larger than the depth of penetration of electrons into the substance. The basic mechanism underlying the excitation of the impurity centers of luminescence in this layer of the substance is the radiative recombination of electron–hole pairs on impurity ions without a change of the ion charge. We show that the iefluminescence encompasses the positive qualities of electro, xray, photo, and cathodoluminescence. The high brightness and informativeness of the spectrum of iephluminescence allows the use of the latter for a fast nondestructive analysis of a substance.