Acquisition of a Luminescence Micro-Spectrometer

9302158 Tanner This luminescence microspectrometer will be capable of making measurements of either photoluminescence (PL) or electroluminescence (EL) spectra on microscopic size areas of luminescent materials. The instrument is built around a high- quality optical microscope combined with two monochromators, light sources, and detectors. One monochromator measures the spectrum of light emitted from the sample under study-as small a micrometer in size-can be over the 240-800 nm range. The sample is illuminated by means of the second monochromator, with the illumination wavelength independently adjustable over the same 240-800 nm range. Thus, the instrument may be used for photoluminescence spectroscopy by fixing the illumination wavelength, for electroluminescence spectroscopy by blocking the illuminator and connecting the EL sample to a voltage source, and for transmittance and reflectance studies by scanning the monochromators together or bypassing one of them. The equipment will be used in several research projects in condensed-matter physics, high-energy physics, and polymer chemistry. In particular, it will enhance substantially two projects for the study of luminescent properties of polymers. One project is developing radiation-hard scintillators for use in particle detectors. The luminescence micro-spectrometer will be used to characterize the emission of light from fibers of dye-doped polymers, to monitor spatially-distributed radiation-induced damage, to follow recovery of damage, and to investigate aggregation and mobility of the dopant materials. A second project studies the electroluminescence and photoluminescence in conjugated polymers. These materials have applications in EL display devices. The spectrometer requested here will be used for measuring the PL and EL spectra of these materials, including characterizing the effect of polymer orientation on the spectra. Thus, this instrument will contribute to advancing state-of-the- art knowledge in the development of particle detectors and light-emitting devices. ***