Photoinduced absorption (PA) of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) was studied by excitation spectra analysis. The nonlinear PA response taken at different excitation photon energies was found to follow the corresponding absorption coefficient for intrinsic andp‐doped samples in the 80–300 K temperature range. Significant contribution of the electronic PA in the observed response was demonstrated. Thermal effects are discussed. A simple model of trapping during the pump with consequent recombination from the localized state was found to be in good agreement with experimental observations. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.