Luminescence is any emission of light not ascribable directly to incandescence. One recent example was the initial use of
shrimpoluminescence to playfully describe shrimp-induced sonoluminescence.
Candoluminescence Candoluminescence is light given off by certain materials at high temperatures (usually when exposed to a flame) that has an intensity at some wavelengths which can be higher than the blackbody emission expected from incandescence at the same temperature. • •
Cathodoluminescence Cathodoluminescence is luminescence produced by the bombardment of a metal or a phosphor by electrons. •
Chemiluminescence Chemiluminescence is luminescence resulting from a chemical reaction (e.g.,
lyoluminescence). • • •
Bioluminescence Bioluminescence is light emitted by living organisms due to chemiluminescence. Thousands of species exhibit bioluminescence, so only some of the best-known examples are listed here, illustrating the range from microorganisms to relatively large creatures. • • • • • • • • • • • •
Crystalloluminescence Crystalloluminescence is luminescence during the process of
crystallization, specifically during
nucleation. •
Potassium sulfate Cryoluminescence Cryoluminescence is luminescence when an object is cooled or observable only at low temperatures. To more clearly distinguish it from phosphorescence, fluorescence is more specifically defined as being due to an
"allowed" transition generally from an excited
singlet state to a ground singlet state. For brevity, the countless types of fluorescent materials that require energy from an external source (e.g., as used in
high-visibility clothing) are not listed here. • • (e.g.,
compact fluorescent lamp) •
Phosphor-based
Phosphorescence Phosphorescence has traditionally been defined essentially as fluorescence except with greater duration of emission following exposure to electromagnetic radiation. •
Ice •
Pressure-sensitive tape •
Quartz Photoluminescence Photoluminescence is light resulting from absorption of photons. The phenomenon is similar to radioluminescence, with overlapping meaning for high-energy electromagnetic radiation (e.g.,
gamma rays,
X-rays); photoluminescent materials exhibit fluorescence, delayed fluorescence, and/or phosphorescence. • (some can also or instead exhibit radioluminescence) • •
Pyroluminescence Pyroluminescence (
flame luminescence) is light emitted by a gas or vapor excited by high temperature, as in a flame. At very high temperatures the collisions of atoms can cause
ionization (and recombination), in which case luminescence and incandescence become indistinguishable. •
Radioluminescence and scintillation Radioluminescence, also termed
scintillation, is luminescence arising from excitation by high-energy particles or radiation. The phenomenon is similar to photoluminescence, with overlapping meaning for high-energy electromagnetic radiation (e.g., gamma rays, X-rays); scintillators exhibit fluorescence, delayed fluorescence, and/or phosphorescence. • • • • •
Sonoluminescence Sonoluminescence is luminescence induced by sound waves, such as light emission resulting from imploding bubbles in a liquid. • •
Thermoluminescence Thermoluminescence is luminescence resulting from an increase in temperature that releases trapped energy from a chemical reaction or previously absorbed radiation. • • •
Other kinds of luminescence Not all terms for different kinds of luminescence end in
luminescence, or even
orescence. Some additional types of luminescence (e.g.,
Bremsstrahlung,
cyclotron radiation,
synchrotron radiation) involve acceleration of
charged particles, including but not limited to electrons; notably, this can occur in a vacuum free of atoms.
Cherenkov radiation is created when a charged particle moves faster than light in a given medium (not a vacuum), similar to a sonic boom. • • (via
synchrotron light source) ==Combined incandescence and luminescence==