Molecular-dynamics investigation on polarization retention of barium titanate nanofilm arising from ordered oxygen vacancy

Molecular-dynamics simulations have been carried out to investigate the electric hysteresis of barium titanate nanofilm containing oxygen vacancy ordering array parallel to the {101} crystal plane. The results obtained show a significant weakening of polarization retention from non-zero value to zero as the size of the array was reduced to a critical level, which was attributed to the formation and motion of head-to-head domain wall structure under external field loading process. By comparing with materials containing isolated oxygen vacancies, it was found that the zero retention was due to the oxygen vacancy ordering array rather than to the concentration of oxygen vacancy. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2010

Preparation of polyimide-BaTiO3 hybrid films by a dispersion process and their microstructure

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) powders with particle sizes of 30 similar to 50 nm were prepared from barium stearate, titanium alkoxides and stearic acid by stearic acid-gel method. Dispersing the agglomerate of BaTiO3 nanoparticles into poly(amic acid) solution followed by curing led to the formation of polyimide hybrid films. The hybrid films were transparent and well distributed with BaTiO3 nanoparticles when the BaTiO3 content was less than 1 wt%. Highly loaded hybrid film containing 30 wit % BaTiO3 was tough, had a smooth surface and possessed much higher dielectric and piezoelectric constants than the parent polyimide.

Barium-Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Yarns As Low-Work-Function Thermionic Cathodes

Barium-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube yarns were fabricated by drawing and twisting multiwalled carbon nanotube forests through a solution containing barium nitrate. After heat activation under vacuum, the functionalized yarns were enriched in barium oxide due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of the nanotubes. The cathodes exhibited good thermionic properties, with a work function as low as 1.73-2.06 eV and thermionic current density that exceeded 185 mA/cm(2) in a field of 850 V/5 mm at 1317 K. The barium-functionalized yarns had high tensile strength of up to 420 MPa and retained strength of similar to 250 MPa after a 2 h activation process. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Noninterferometric measurement of lead zirconate titanate inverse piezoelectric extension

A noncontacting and noninterferometric depth discrimination technique, which is based on differential confocal microscopy, was used to measure the inverse piezoelectric extension of a piezoelectric ceramic lead zirconate titanate actuator. The response characteristics of the actuator with respect to the applied voltage, including displacement, linearity, and hysteresis, were obtained with nanometer measurement accuracy. Errors of the measurement have been analyzed. (C) 2001 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Infrared luminescence properties of bismuth-doped barium silicate glasses

Infrared (IR) luminescence covering 1.1 to similar to 1.6 mu m wavelength region was observed from bismuth-doped barium silicate glasses, excited by a laser diode at 808 nm wavelength region, at room temperature. The peak of the IR luminescence appears at 1325 nm. A full width half-maximum (FWHM) and the lifetime of the fluorescence is more than 200 nm and 400 mu s, respectively. The fluorescence intensity increases with Al2O3 content, but decreases with BaO content. We suggest that the IR luminescence should be ascribed to the low valence state of bismuth Bi2+ or Bi+, and Al3+ ions play an indirect dispersing role for the infrared luminescent centers.

Infrared-to-visible upconversion fluorescence of Er3+-doped novel lithium-barium-lead-bismuth glass

Er3+-doped lithium-barium-lead-bismuth glass for developing upconversion lasers has been fabricated and characterized. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Omega(t) (t = 2, 4, 6), calculated based on the experimental absorption spectrum and Judd-Ofelt theory, were found to be Omega(2) = 3.05 x 10(-20) cm(2), Omega(4) = 0.95 x 10(-20) cm(2), and Omega(6) = 0.39 x 10(-20) cm(2). Under 975 nm excitation, intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 nm, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were observed at room temperature. The upconversion mechanisms are discussed based on the energy matching and quadratic dependence on excitation power, and the dominant mechanisms are excited state absorption and energy transfer upconversion for the green and red emissions. The long-lived I-4(11/2) level is supposed to serve as the intermediate state responsible for the intense upconversion processes. The intense upconversion luminescence of Er3+-doped lithium-barium-lead-bismuth glass may be a potentially useful material for developing upconversion optical devices. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intense frequency upconversion fluorescence of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped novel potassium-barium-strontium-lead-bismuth glasses

Er3+/Yb3+-codoped potassium-barium-strontium-lead-bismuth glasses for developing potential upconversion lasers have been fabricated and characterized. Based on the results of energy transfer efficiency, the optimal Yb3+/Er3+ concentration ratio is found to be 5:1. Intense green and red emissions centered at 525, 546, and 657 run, corresponding to the transitions H-2(11/2) -> I-4(15/2), S-4(3/2) -> I-4(15/2), and F-4(9/2) -> I-4(15/2), respectively, were observed. The quadratic dependence of the 525, 546, and 657 nm emissions on excitation power indicates that a two-photon absorption process occurs under 975 nm excitation. The long-lived I-4(11/2) level is supposed to serve as the intermediate state responsible for the upconversion processes. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel lithium-barium-lead-bismuth glasses

New lithium-barium-lead-bismuth glasses with low OH- concentration have been obtained. The role of the different components in the glass formation has been explored from the thermal, density, and refractive index measurements. The T-g, T-x, and T-x-T-g values of these glasses are in the range of 358-400, 453-575, and 87-197 degreesC, respectively. The densities (p) and refractive indices of these glasses are mainly affected by Bi2O3 and PbO contents. A wide transmitting window from visible to infrared (IR) regions for some compositions of these glasses has been observed, which makes them appealing candidates for different optical applications such as upconverting phosphors, new laser materials, optical waveguides, and crystal-free fibre drawing. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growth of beta barium borate (beta-BaB2O4) thin films on alpha barium borate (alpha-BaB2O4) substrates

Crystalline beta-BBO thin films have been successfully prepared on (001)-oriented Sr2+-doped alpha-BBO substrates using liquid phase epitaxy and pulsed laser deposition techniques. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction and X-ray rocking curve (XRC). The present results manifest that the beta-BBO thin films grown on Sr2+-doped alpha-BBO substrates have larger degree of orientation f-value and smaller XRC FWHM than the ones grown on other reported substrates. Compared with other substrates, alpha-BBO has the same UV cutoff and the similar structure to beta-BBO. These results reveal that alpha-BBO single crystal may be a promising substrate proper to the growth of beta-BBO films. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infrared broadband emission of bismuth-doped barium-aluminum-borate glasses

We report near infrared broadband emission of bismuth-doped barium-aluminum-borate glasses. The broadband emission covers 1.3 mum window in optical telecommunication systems. And it possesses wide full width at half maximum (FWHM) of similar to 200nm and long lifetime as long as 350 mus. The luminescent properties are quite sensitive to glass compositions and excitation wavelengths. Based on energy matching conditions, we suggest that the infrared emission may be ascribed to P-3(1) --> P-3(0) transition of Bi+. The broad infrared emission characteristics of this material indicate that it might be a promising candidate for broadband optical fiber amplifiers and tunable lasers. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.

Preparation of crystalline beta barium borate thin films on Sr2+-doped alpha barium borate substrates by liquid phase epitaxy

Thin films of beta barium borate have been prepared by liquid phase epitaxy on Si2+-doped alpha-BaB2O4 (alpha-BBO, the high temperature phase of barium berate) (001) and (110) substrates. The results of X-ray diffraction indicate that the films show highly (001) preferred orientation on (001)-oriented substrates while the films grown on (110) substrates are textured with (140) orientation. The crystallinity of these films was found to depend on growth temperature, rotation rate, dip time and orientation of substrate. Growth conditions were optimized to grow films with (001) orientation on (001) substrates reproducibly. The films show second harmonic generation of 400 nm light upon irradiation with 800 nm Ti: Sapphire femtosecond laser light. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of crystal formation in titanate glass irradiated by 800 nm femtosecond laser pulse

The structure of the titanate glass is destroyed during irradiation by the femtosecond laser pulses, and (TiO6)(8-) and (TiO4)(4-) anion units are exsolved from the network of the titanate glass. These anion units are rearranged to form some crystals such as anatase and Ba2TiO4 crystals. By Raman spectroscopy, it is found that these crystals have a strong dependence on the intensity of the femtosecond laser pulses. The relation between the generation of these crystals and space distribution of the femtosecond laser power intensity is qualitatively explained. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.