A scanner for determining an intensity profile of luminescence light from a luminescent material moving past said scanner along a path in a first direction, said luminescent material emitting said luminescence light within a second wavelength range upon illumination with an excitation light within a first wavelength range, comprising: a power source; a light source connected to the power source and operable to illuminate with said excitation light the luminescent material within an illumination area, when powered by the power source; a light sensor operable to measure an intensity of said luminescence light received from the luminescent material being within a detection zone of said scanner, and deliver a corresponding luminescence intensity signal; and a control unit connected to the light sensor and operable to determine an intensity profile of said received luminescence light, from luminescence intensity signals delivered by the light sensor, said illumination area being at a first location along said path; said detection zone being at a subsequent second location along said path and extending along a portion of said path; said light sensor being operable to collect luminescence light from the luminescent material during its motion along the path in the first direction across the detection zone, and measure an intensity of said collected luminescence light within said second wavelength range, and deliver a corresponding luminescence intensity signal, a responsivity of said light sensor within said second wavelength range being substantially uniform over said detection zone; and said control unit being operable to control said power source, light source and light sensor, and determine said intensity profile from the luminescence intensity signal delivered by said light sensor upon reception of luminescence light emitted by said luminescent material moving across said detection zone in the first direction, in response to illumination with said excitation light within said illumination area. a power source; a light source connected to the power source and operable to illuminate with said excitation light the luminescent material within an illumination area, when powered by the power source; a light sensor operable to measure an intensity of said luminescence light received from the luminescent material being within a detection zone of said scanner, and deliver a corresponding luminescence intensity signal; and a control unit connected to the light sensor and operable to determine an intensity profile of said received luminescence light, from luminescence intensity signals delivered by the light sensor, said illumination area being at a first location along said path; said detection zone being at a subsequent second location along said path and extending along a portion of said path; said light sensor being operable to collect luminescence light from the luminescent material during its motion along the path in the first direction across the detection zone, and measure an intensity of said collected luminescence light within said second wavelength range, and deliver a corresponding luminescence intensity signal, a responsivity of said light sensor within said second wavelength range being substantially uniform over said detection zone; and said control unit being operable to control said power source, light source and light sensor, and determine said intensity profile from the luminescence intensity signal delivered by said light sensor upon reception of luminescence light emitted by said luminescent material moving across said detection zone in the first direction, in response to illumination with said excitation light within said illumination area.