The lateral distribution of the CL (cathodoluminescent) emission of electron beam deposited SrS:Cu,Ag thin films was studied using SEM-CL (CL in a scanning electron microscope) spectroscopy. Both CL spectra and CL images at different wavelengths were acquired at room temperature and at low temperature (80 K). Using this technique together with a deconvolution of the CL spectra, the contributions of Cu and Ag activators to the overall emission could be separated. Differences in emission spectra between samples, annealed under different conditions, could be interpreted from the different distribution of activators. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.