Luminescence | Overview *

The article delivers a brief history of the observation and investigation of luminescent phenomena, their inclusion in contemporary literature, classification and analytical utility. Contributions from noteworthy scientific pioneers are also summarized. The principles of molecular photoluminescence are presented with reference to excited state multiplicity and lifetimes, internal conversion, intersystem crossing, fluorescence, phosphorescence and quantum yield. Structural and environmental influences on photoluminescence are succinctly examined together with the relationship between emission intensity and analyte concentration. Monitoring of corrected excitation and emission spectra is discussed with reference to Stokes shift and Rayleigh scattering. The rudiments of chemiluminescence and bioluminescence are considered from an analytical science viewpoint.