Term: luminescence
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03641

Definition:
spontaneous emission of radiation from an electronically or vibrationally excited species not in thermal equilibrium with its environment.

Related Terms:
1) bioluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00659).
2) chemiluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01045).
3) electro-generated chemiluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E01966).
4) fluorescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.F02453).
5) phosphorescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04569).
6) photoluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04623).
7) radioluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05111).
8) sonoluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.S05767).
9) thermoluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06325).
10) triboluminescence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06499).
11) spontaneous emission (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.S05886).

Source: PAC, 1994, 66, 2513. 'Nomenclature for radioanalytical chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 2522 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466122513)

Citation: 'luminescence' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03641

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