Polarization of Luminescence

Abstract

A brief review will be given of the methods of studying the polarization of luminescence and of the theory of the effect in relation to determining the electronic structure of centers. Reference will be made to the work on the alkali halides and diamond. Detailed experimental results will be presented and discussed of the fluorescence of the 5032 A center in diamond which is formed by heat treatment after irradiation. In these experiments the polarization has been studied as a function of the energy of both the exciting and of the emitted light. Depolarization occurs if the system is excited above the lowest level in the excited electronic state, or decays to a level above the lowest level in the ground electronic state. A comparison of the results will be given with those expected from centers having various electronic axes.