The luminescent properties of epitaxial Cu₂O thin films were studied in 10–300 K temperature range and compared with the luminescent properties of Cu₂O single crystals. Cu₂O thin films were deposited epitaxially via the electrodeposition method on either Cu or Ag substrates at different processing parameters, which determined the epitaxial orientation relationships. Cu₂O (100) and (111) single crystal samples were cut from a crystal rod grown using the floating zone method. Luminescence spectra of thin films contain the same emission bands as single crystals around 720, 810 and 910 nm, characterizing ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{2+}$, ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathrm{Cu}}$ defects, correspondingly. Additional emission bands, whose origin is under discussion, are observed around 650–680 nm, while the exciton features are negligibly small. The relative mutual contribution of the emission bands varies depending on the thin film sample. The existence of the domains of crystallites with different orientations determines the polarization of luminescence. The PL of both Cu₂O thin films and single crystals is characterized by negative thermal quenching in the low-temperature region; the reason of this phenomenon is discussed.

Luminescence processes are studied for aluminum nitride, AlN, ceramics after exposure to ionizing radiation and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) using the methods of photoluminescence (PL), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL). The luminescence processes are explained in terms of radiation-induced charge transfer and radiative recombination of the donor-acceptor pairs, based on oxygen-related defects of the AlN crystalline lattice. The comparative effects of the two types of radiation, the efficiency of TL and OSL and the optimal sintering procedure of the ceramics are discussed for an AlN ceramic proposed for potential application in dosimetry.