A unique combined and multi-disciplinary wavelength multiplexed spectrometer is described. It is furnished with high-sensitivity imaging plate detectors, the power to which can be gated to provide time-resolved data. The system is capable of collecting spectrally resolved luminescence data following X-ray excitation [radioluminescence (RL) or X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL)], electron irradiation [cathodoluminescence (CL)] and visible light from light emitting diodes (LEDs) [photoluminescence (PL)]. Time-resolved PL and CL data can be collected to provide lifetime estimates with half-lives from microsecond timeframes. There are temperature stages for the high and low temperature experiments providing temperature control from 20 to 673 K. Combining irradiation, time resolved (TR) and TR-PL allows spectrallyresolved thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The design of two detectors with matched gratings gives optimum sensitivity for the system. Examples which show the advantages and multi-use of the spectrometer are listed. Potential future experiments involving lifetime analysis as a function of irradiation, dose and temperature plus pump-probe experiments are discussed. KEYWORDS cathodoluminescence, luminescence instrumentation, luminescence lifetime, photoluminescence, radioluminescence, thermoluminescence, time-resolved spectroscopy, X-ray excited optical luminescence 1 | INTRODUCTION Luminescence offers one of the most sensitive routes to understand the distortions and imperfections in insulating and semiconductingsolids. The method benefits from the fact that emission spectra, temperature dependence and excited state lifetimes all differ, providing not only characterization of different types of defect, but also evidence for distortions and clustering in the local environment of those structures. Additionally, luminescence can be excited by a wide range of energetic methods, from site selective photon excitation [photoluminescence (PL) [1] ], surface techniques with low energy electrons [cathodoluminescence (CL) [2] ] to bulk ionization methods using X-rays [either termed radioluminescence (RL) or X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) [3] ] or particle irradiation [ionoluminescence (IL) or ion beam luminescence (IBL) [4] ]. Furthermore, one can selectively release charge from particular defect sites after irradiation as a function of temperature, thus providing the site specific information encoded in thermoluminescence (TL). [5,6] Modern optical detectors with high sensitivity and very low background noise levels mean that responses from impurity or defect sites can be detected well below parts per million (ppm) concentrations.Luminescence spectroscopies are therefore a particularly valuable family of techniques to characterize defect structures in materials, even at low concentrations. Because of the applicability of luminescence across disciplines, the relevant literature is spread across many sciences including condensed matter physics, radiation dosimetry, chem...