The pressure and temperature of the shock waves generated by a picosecond laser pulse in the layered semiconductor gallium selenide were determined by shock-induced changes of the photoluminescence spectra. The peak pressure was measured to be about 13 kbar, while the temperature remained the same during the measured time range. Our results are consistent with the pressure measurements made with a piezoelectric transducer.

• Received 14 August 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.31.942