Simultaneous three-photon-excited violet upconversion luminescence of Ce3+: Lu2Si2O7 single crystals by femtosecond laser irradiation

We found that Ce3+:Lu2Si2O7 single crystals could be excited at 800 nm by using a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The emission spectra of Ce3+:Lu2Si2O7 crystals were the same for one-photon excitation at 267 nm as for excitation at 800 nm. The emission intensity of Ce3+: Lu2Si2O7 crystals was found to depend on the cube of the laser power at 800 nm, consistent with simultaneous absorption of three 800 nm photons. The measured value of the three-photon absorption cross section is sigma'(3) = 2.44 x 10(-77) cm(6) s(2). (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

Three-photon-excited upconversion luminescence of Ce3+: YAP crystal by femtosecond laser irradiation

Infrared to ultraviolet and visible upconversion luminescence was demonstrated in trivalent cerium doped YAlO3 crystal (Ce3+: YAP) under focused infrared femtosecond laser irradiation. The fluorescence spectra show that the upconverted luminescence comes from the 5d-4f transitions of trivalent cerium ions. The dependence of luminescence intensity of trivalent cerium on infrared pumping power reveals that the conversion of infrared radiation is dominated by three-photon excitation process. It is suggested that the simultaneous absorption of three infrared photons pumps the Ce3+ ion into upper 5d level, which quickly nonradiatively relax to lowest 5d level. Thereafter, the ions radiatively return to the ground states, leading to the characteristic emission of Ce3+. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.

红外飞秒激光诱导Ce^3＋掺杂闪烁晶体的上转换发光研究

本文研究了红外飞秒激光照射下Ce^3＋ 掺杂的YAP和LSO两种闪烁晶体的上转换发光现象.实验发现在飞秒激光泵浦下,这两种晶体的荧光均来自于Ce^3＋离子的5d-4f跃迁.荧光强度与泵浦光功率之间的依赖关系揭示了Ce^3＋：YAP和Ce^3＋：LSO晶体的上转换过程皆由三光子吸收过程所主导.分析表明,Ce^3＋：YAP和Ce^3＋：LSO晶体中的三光子吸收是三光子同时吸收.

根瘤菌、铵态氮、光照强度对大豆固氮和光合作用影响的研究

生物固氮和植物光合作用作为全球生态系统的两个基本生物学过程, 在碳氮循环、自然生态系统的维持和演替，以及农业生产中起了重要作用。尽管过去关于共生固氮与光合作用的研究取得了巨大成就，但是，很少将两者直接联系起来。本研究通过比较低光效和高光效大豆接种高效固氮根瘤菌后固氮与光合作用的差异，比较接种根瘤菌和施用铵态氮肥对大豆光合生理的影响或光照强度对大豆光合固氮的影响，以及C4基因转化C3 豆科植物—苜蓿的研究，试图将两者偶联起来。研究获得以下结果： 1．用nifA和dct工程根瘤菌接种低光效和高光效大豆后，与出发菌株比，均提高了大豆的固氮和光合作用。两者相比，nifA工程菌对低光效大豆黑农37号发挥了比较好的作用，大豆的光合作用参数，固氮活性和植物株高、株重等产量参数比dct工程菌好;dct工程菌接种高光效大豆黑农40号后，尽管固氮酶活性与nifA工程菌相比没有明显差异，但是大豆光合作用和产量参数有了比较明显的提高。 2．光照培养条件下，对大豆进行了接种根瘤菌（108细菌/ mL）、低氮（5 mmol/L (NH4)2SO4）和高氮（30 mmol/L (NH4)2SO4）处理。测定的大豆生长状况和光合作用系列参数结果表明：低氮处理的最好，接种根瘤菌的次之，高氮处理的最差。由此说明单纯接种根瘤菌满足不了大豆发育过程中的氮营养要求，其光合作用和生长受到不利影响。但是，高氮处理也并没有提高大豆的光合作用，其生长发育甚至受到抑制。该结果为生产实践中合理施肥提供了光合生理方面的参考。 3．接根瘤菌和不接根瘤菌的大豆在正常光强（150μmol photons m-2s-1）下生长三周后进行遮光（15μmol photons m-2s-1，7天）和复光（正常光强，7天）处理，大豆的光合作用有下降和回复。测定的一系列光合参数、叶绿素荧光参数，以及植物的生长生理参数结果表明：接根瘤菌大豆与不接根瘤菌的大豆对遮光的响应有不同。正常光照下，接种根瘤菌能促进大豆生长与光合作用;遮光处理后，根瘤菌对大豆的促进作用不显著。 4．获得了不同苜蓿品种的愈伤组织及其诱导的再生植株。并作了用小米、甘蔗的PEPC基因转化苜蓿的研究。由于在实验过程中，考虑转基因植物的安全性，着重于用甘露糖筛选转化体系的研究工作，忽略了用抗生素筛选转化体。用PCR法从苜蓿中扩增出甘露糖异构酶基因（pmi），表明苜蓿体内含有自己的甘露糖异构酶基因，使得甘露糖筛选没有成功。

植物个体的生理生态动力学模型

GCTE（全球变化和陆地生态系统），作为IGBP的核心计划之一，其目的是研究陆地生态系统与全球气候变化及人类社会经济和土地利用改变之间相互作用的耦合机理关系，预测生态系统结构、功能的未来变化。其中，植物个体水平的生理生态学模型研究是GCTE中必不可少的重要环节，它不仅可以揭示植物在个体水平上对全球变化的动态响应机制，而且可通过揭示大尺度响应所隐含的微观生物学机理，为大尺度研究提供重要的生理学参数和规律，在全球变化各尺度研究中发挥着不可替代的作用。本文主要围绕植物个体的生理生态学模型开展了如下研究：在开顶式气室CO2倍增大豆生长实验基础上，建立描述植物主要生理过程的生理生态模型，分析植物个体的光合作用、气孔传导度、蒸腾作用以及水分利用效率在全球场变化下的动态响应机制;在此基础上，建立起以统计性天气模型驱动的植物个体生长发育系统动力学模型，通过敏感度分析探讨植物个体的生理生态特性，如光合、呼吸、绿色及非绿色生物量等，对全球变化，特别是对CO2增加，气温升高及降水改变共同作用的响应机制;针对固氮植物的特点，将前一模型发展成为基于共生固氮和同化过程相互作用机制的植物个体生理生态系统动力学模型，模拟不同CO2浓度、气候变化以及固氮与不固氮条件下植物个体生物量的动态响应，并分析CO2浓度、气候条件和是否具固氮能力在对植物生长发育影响方面的相互作用;以中间锦鸡儿为研究材料进行水分控制实验，观测水分对植物同化物分配等过程的影响;将水分利用效率模型应用到NECT样带的主要植物种，得出各植物种的描述其水分利用效率特性的参数，结合样带上各植被类型的结构特征，得到沿样带各植被类型在植物种类组成方面的水分利用效率参数;应用系统聚类分析、因子分析等多元统计方法对样带上锡林河流域122种植物的化学成分与植物类群和所处生境的关系进行了定量分析。结果表明： 1）CO2倍增情况下，净光合速率提高45%，其中光量子效率显著增加，而CO2传导系数略有下降;气孔传导度、蒸腾速率下降约30%;水分利用效率随CO2浓度增加几乎呈线性增长，倍增后提高近一倍。（当气温，水分适宜，光合有效辐射为1000μmol photons m-2 s-1); 2）在北京地区仅CO2倍增而气候条件维持现状的情况下可导致大豆总生物量峰值提高70%，绿色部分提高56%，其中，全生育期内总净光合量增加，而单位干重的暗呼吸速率下降;由于受同化物分配中物候因素的影响，绿色生物量比总生物量提前10日左右到达其峰值。 3）CO2浓度增加和具固氮能力在模拟范围内对植物生长均产生正效应;而在水分为植物生长限制因子的干旱半干旱地区，降水增加对植物生长产生正效应，气温升高则具负效应; 4）随着C供给条件的好转，具固氮能力对植物生长的影响增强;反之随植物吸收N能力的提高，C供给对植物生长的作用加剧。 5）气温、降水在对植物生长发育影响方面，随着一方条件的好转，另一方对植物生长产生的效应增强; 6）具固氮能力对植物生长的正效应随气候条件的好转而增强，气候变化对植物生长的影响随植物具备了固氮能力而加剧; 7）气候条件越恶劣，如在此半干旱区变得更为干旱，CO2浓度增加对植物生长的正效应越加显著;且随CO2浓度的增加，气候因子的效应逐渐减弱。这主要是因CO2增加提高了植物个体的水分利用效率，从而使得CO2的正效应在水分胁迫下更为明显;同时由于水分利用效率的提高，使得植物个体抵御和适应外界环境变化，特别是由气温、降水改变导致的水分条件变化，的能力得到增强。 8）锦鸡儿水分生理生态实验的初步结果表明，土壤水分状况影响着植物的同化物分配，随着水分胁迫的加剧，同化物分配向根部集中，植物的根冠比增加。 9）沿样带水分递减梯度，植被类型在植物种类组成方面的反映水分利用效率特性的参数kv逐渐增加，从而显示出随着水分条件的不足，植被类型中耐旱品种，尤其是C4种增加;人为活动干扰，主要是对草场等的过度利用而导致的盐渍化、沙化，使得退化了的植被类型中k_v值显著提高，表明原有的植物种逐渐被耐旱、耐盐碱的品种，特别是C4植物所代替;在样带动上，这种由于人为活动干扰所引起的植被类型在植物种类组成方面反映水分利用效率特性的参数kv的变化明显大于因样带水分梯度改变而带来的变化。 10）锡林河流域草原植物化学成分一方面与植物类群有关，受自身历史演化的决定，另一方面更受到所处生境条件的极度大影响和制约。其中，禾本科、豆科植物分别具有明显的化学成分特征;撂荒地群落与自然群落中植物、沙质与非沙质生境中植物化学成分差异较显著;因子分析中认为存在大量元素与微量元素两个公共因子，豆科与禾本科相比，豆科植物因其固氮能力，所含大量元素水平较高，而禾本科植物因细胞壁硅质化，含微量元素稍高;沙质生境因其养分贫瘠，植物的大量与微量元素均较非沙质生境中的低;特别是本区地带性土壤-栗钙土与特异性生境沙带中的疏林沙土相比，疏林沙土上植物大量与微量元素含量较栗钙土区植物明显偏低。

alpha-tocopherol is essential for acquired chill-light tolerance in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp strain PCC 6803

Unlike Escherichia coli, the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 is insensitive to chill (5 degrees C) in the dark but rapidly losses viability when exposed to chill in the light (100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)). Preconditioning at a low temperature (15 degrees C) greatly enhances the chill-light tolerance of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. This phenomenon is called acquired chill-light tolerance (ACLT). Preconditioned wild-type cells maintained a substantially higher level of alpha-tocopherol after exposure to chill-light stress. Mutants unable to synthesize alpha-tocopherol, such as slr1736, slr1737, slr0089, and slr0090 mutants, almost completely lost ACLT. When exposed to chill without light, these mutants showed no or a slight difference from the wild type. When complemented, the slr0089 mutant regained its ACLT. Copper-regulated expression of slr0090 from P-petE controlled the level of et-tocopherol and ACLT. We conclude that alpha-tocopherol is essential for ACLT of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. The role of a-tocopherol in ACLT may be based largely on a nonantioxidant activity that is not possessed by other tocopherols or pathway intermediates.

Identification of a gene, ccr-1 (sll1242), required for chill-light tolerance and growth at 15 degrees C in Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 exposed to chill (5 degrees C)-light (100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)) stress loses its ability to reinitiate growth. From a random insertion mutant library of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a sll1242 mutant showing increased sensitivity to chill plus light was isolated. Mutant reconstruction and complementation with the wild-type gene confirmed the role of sll1242 in maintaining chill-light tolerance. At 15 degrees C, the autotrophic and mixotrophic growth of the mutant were both inhibited, paralleled by decreased photosynthetic activity. The expression of sll1242 was upregulated in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 after transfer from 30 to 15 degrees C at a photosynthetic photon flux density of 30 mu mol photons m(-2) S-1. sll1242, named ccr (cyanobacterial cold resistance gene)- 1, may be required for cold acclimation of cyanobacteria in light.

Effects of solar ultraviolet radiation on photosynthesis of the marine red tide alga Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae)

In order to assess the short- and long-term impacts of UV radiation (LTVR, 280-400 nm) on the red tide alga, Heterosigma akashiwo, we exposed the cells to three different solar radiation treatments (PAB: 280-700 rim, PA: 320-700 nm, R 400-700 nm) under both solar and artificial radiation. A significant decrease in the effective quantum yield () during high irradiance periods (i.e., local noon) was observed, but the cells partially recovered during the evening hours. Exposure to high irradiances for 15, 30, and 60 min under a solar simulator followed by the recovery (8 h) under dark, 9 and 100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1) of PAR, highlighted the importance of the irradiance level during the recovery period. Regardless the radiation treatments, the highest recovery (both in rate and total Y) was found at a PAR irradiance of 9 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1), while the lowest was observed at 100 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1). In all experiments, PAR was responsible for most of the observed inhibition; nevertheless, the cells exposed only to PAR had the highest recovery in any condition, as compared to the other radiation treatments. In long-term experiments (10 days) using semi-continuous cultures, there was a significant increase of UV-absorbing compounds (UVabc) per cell from 1.2 to > 4 x 10(-6) mu g UVabc cell(-1) during the first 3-5 days of exposure to solar radiation. The highest concentration of UVabc was found in samples exposed in the PAB as compared to PA and P treatments. Growth rates (mu) mimic the behavior of UV-absorbing compounds, and during the first 5 days mu increased from < 0.2 to ca. 0.8, and stayed relatively constant at this value during the rest of the experiment. The inhibition of the Y decreased with increasing acclimation of cells. All our data indicates that H. akashiwo is a sensitive species, but was able acclimate relatively fast (3-5 days) synthesizing UV-absorbing compounds and thus reducing any impact either on photosystem 11 or on growth. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Photosynthetic characteristics of the economic brown seaweed Hizikia fusiforme (Sargassaceae, Phaeophyta), with special reference to its "leaf" and receptacle

Photosynthetic responses to irradiance and temperature of "leaves" and receptacles were compared in February ( vegetative stage) and May ( reproductive stage) in the seaweed, Hizikia fusiforme ( Harvey) Okamura (Sargassaceae, Phaeophyta) from Nanao Island, Shantou, China. Irradiance-saturated photosynthesis (P-max) was significantly higher in receptacles than in "leaves" on a fresh weight basis, and that of "leaves" was greater in May than in February at ambient seawater temperatures. The optimum temperature for P-max was 30 degrees C for both "leaves" and receptacles, being 5 - 10 degrees C higher than the ambient seawater temperature. The apparent photosynthetic efficiencies were greater in receptacles than in "leaves" within the tested temperature range of 10 - 40 degrees C. The irradiance for saturating photosynthesis for both "leaves" and receptacles was temperature-dependent, with the highest values ( about 200 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1)) at 30 degrees C.

Culture of the terrestrial cyanobacterium, Nostoc flagelliforme (Cyanophyceae), under aquatic conditions

Both colonies and free-living cells of the terrestrial cyanobacterium, Nostoc flagelliforme (Berk. & Curtis) Bornet & Flahault, were cultured under aquatic conditions to develop the techniques for the cultivation and restoration of this endangered resource. The colonial filaments disintegrated with their sheaths ruptured in about 2 days without any desiccating treatments. Periodic desiccation played an important role in preventing the alga from decomposing, with greater delays to sheath rupture with a higher frequency of exposure to air. The bacterial numbers in the culture treated with seven periods of desiccation per day were about 50% less compared with the cultures without the desiccation treatment. When bacteria in the culture were controlled, the colonial filaments did not disintegrate and maintained the integrity of their sheath for about 20 days even without the desiccation treatments, indicating the importance of desiccation for N. flagelliforme to prevent them from being disintegrated by bacteria. On the other hand, when free-living cells obtained from crushed colonial filaments were cultured in liquid medium, they developed into single filaments with sheaths, within which multiple filaments were formed later on as a colony. Such colonial filaments were developed at 15, 25, and 30degreesC at either 20 or 60 mumol photons.m(-2).s(-1); colonies did not develop at 180 mumol photons.m(-2).s(-1), though this light level resulted in the most rapid growth of the cells. Conditions of 60 mumol photons.m(-2).s(-1) and 25degrees C appeared to result in the best colonial development and faster growth of the sheath-held colonies of N. flagelliforme when cultured indoor under aquatic conditions.

Highly efficient photoluminescence of Er2SiO5 films grown by reactive magnetron sputtering method

E2SiO5 thin films were fabricated on Si substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering method with subsequent annealing treatment. The morphology properties of as-deposited films have been studied by scanning electron microscope. The fraction of erbium is estimated to be 23.5 at% based on Rutherford backscattering measurement in as-deposited Er-Si-O film. X-ray diffraction measurement revealed that Er2SiO5 crystalline structure was formed as sample treated at 1100 degrees C for 1 h in O-2 atmosphere. Through proper thermal treatment, the 1.53 mu m Er3+-related emission intensity can be enhanced by a factor of 50 with respect to the sample annealed at 800 degrees C. Analysis of pump-power dependence of Er3+ PL intensity indicated that the upconversion phenomenon could be neglected even under a high photon flux of 10(21) (photons/cm(2)/sec). Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) of Er2SiO5 was studied and showed a weak thermal quenching factor of 2. Highly efficienct photoluminescence of Er2SiO5 films has been demonstrated with Er3+ concentration of 10(22)/cm(3), and it opens a promising way towards future Si-based light source for Si photonics. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of imperfect symmetry on band edge modes of a two-dimensional photonic crystal with square lattice

A theoretical analysis has been performed by means of the plane-wave expansion method to examine the dispersion properties of photons at high symmetry points of an InP based two-dimensional photonic crystal with square lattice. The Q factors are compared qualitatively. The mechanism of surface-emitting is due to the photon manipulation by periodic dielectric materials in terms of Bragg diffraction. A surface-emitting photonic crystal resonator is designed based on the phenomenon of slow light. Photonic crystal slabs with different unit cells are utilized in the simulation. The results indicate that the change of the air holes can affect the polarization property of the modes. So we can find a way to improve the polarization by reducing the symmetry of the structure.

Improved light extraction of GaN-based LEDs with nano-roughened p-GaN surfaces

p-GaN surfaces are nano-roughened by plasma etching to improve the optical performance of GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs). The nano-roughened GaN present a relaxation of stress. The light extraction of the LEDs with nano-roughened surfaces is greatly improved when compared with that of the conventional LEDs without nano-roughening. PL-mapping intensities of the nano-roughened LED epi-wafers for different roughening times present two to ten orders of enhancement. The light output powers are also higher for the nano-roughened LED devices. This improvement is attributed to that nano-roughened surfaces can provide photons multiple chances to escape from the LED surfaces.

Photoluminescence energy and fine structure splitting in single quantum dots by uniaxial stress

We report a photoluminescence (PL) energy red-shift of single quantum dots (QDs) by applying an in-plane compressive uniaxial stress along the [110] direction at a liquid nitrogen temperature. Uniaxial stress has an effect not only on the confinement potential in the growth direction which results in the PL shift, but also on the cylindrical symmetry of QDs which can be reflected by the change of the full width at half maximum of PL peak. This implies that uniaxial stress has an important role in tuning PL energy and fine structure splitting of QDs.

Spin Relaxation of Electrons in Single InAs Quantum Dots

By using polarization-resolved photoluminescence spectra, we study the electron spin relaxation in single InAs quantum dots (QDs) with the configuration of positively charged excitons X+ (one electron, two holes). The spin relaxation rate of the hot electrons increases with the increasing energy of exciting photons. For electrons localized in QDs the spin relaxation is induced by hyperfine interaction with the nuclei. A rapid decrease of polarization degree with increasing temperature suggests that the spin relaxation mechanisms are mainly changed from the hyperfine interaction with nuclei into an electron-hole exchange interaction.