Photoluminescent imaging of semiconductor samples

An apparatus for photoluminescent imaging of a sample, comprising:

• a sample holder for holding said sample;
• a first light source for emitting a first light beam of a cross-sectional size;
• a first symmetric beam expander for expanding said first light beam;
• beam shaping optics for shaping and focusing said first light beam into a line on a surface of the sample;
• a first camera comprising a linear array of photodetectors for detecting photoluminescent light;
• a first imaging dichroic optical element for directing the first light beam onto an objective and for directing photoluminescent light emitted by the sample to the first camera,
• wherein the beam shaping optics comprise a line generator for increasing the size of the first light beam in a first direction while uniformizing an intensity distribution of said first light beam in said first direction, a collimator for collimating the first light beam along the first direction and for focusing it along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a field lens and the objective.