A two layer model has been developed in order to study the dependence of the photothermal radiometric signal on the optoelectronic and thermophysical properties of a two layer semiconducting sample. In the following theoretical analysis, both thermal and electronic contributions have been used in order to interpret the infrared emission of a semiconducting sample under the influence of a pump modulated laser beam. The potential of the above model towards a quantitative analysis of photothermal radiometric experimental data, for the extraction of thermal and electronic parameters of the semiconducting thin film and substrate, has been examined. Experimental evidence of the quality of this model has also been presented. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.