Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements using a boxcar averager

An economical system for time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy has been constructed around a nitrogen laser pumped dye laser. The signal is detected by a photomultiplier in a liquid nitrogen cooled housing constructed for 5 ns response time and analysed by a boxcar detector modified to have low drift. The spectra are corrected for the response using a calibrated lamp. An application to deep level luminescence in amorphous phosphorus is shown.