A vibrational spectroscopic study of the phosphate mineral churchite (REE)(PO4)⋅2H2O

Vibrational spectroscopy has been used to study the rare earth mineral churchite of formula (REE)(PO4)-⋅2H2O. The mineral contains a range of rare earth metals including yttrium depending on the locality. The Raman spectra of churchite-(REE) are characterized by an intense sharp band at 984 cm-1 assigned to the v1 (PO¾-) symmetric stretching mode. A lower intensity band observed at around 1067 cm-1 is attributed to the v3 (PO¾-) antisymmetric stretching mode. The (PO¾-) bending modes are observed at 497 cm-1 (v2) and 565 cm-1(v4). Raman bands at 649 and 681 cm-1 are assigned to water librational modes. Vibrational spectroscopy enables aspects of the structure of churchite to be ascertained.

Photoluminescence of Sr(2-x)Ln(x)CeO(4+x/2) (Ln = Eu, Sm or Yb) prepared by a wet chemical method

A wet chemical route is developed for the preparation of Sr2CeO4 denoted the carbonate-gel composite technique. This involves the coprecipitation of strontium as fine particles of carbonates within hydrated gels of ceria (CeO2.xH(2)O, 40rare-earths is carried out at the co-precipitation stage. The photoluminescence (PL) observed for Sr2CeO4 originates from the Ce4+-O2- charge-transfer (CT) transition resulting from the interaction of Ce4+ ion with the neighboring oxide ions. The effect of next-nearest-neighbor (NNN) environment on the Ce4+-O2- CT emission is studied by doping with Eu3+, Sm3+ or Yb3+ which in turn, have unique charge-transfer associated energy levels in the excited states in oxides. Efficient energy transfer occurs from Ce4+-O2- CT state to trivalent lanthanide ions (Ln(3+)) if the latter has CT excited states, leading to sensitizer-activator relation, through non-resonance process involving exchange interaction. Yb3+-substituted Sr2CeO4 does not show any line emission because the energy of Yb3+-O2- CT level is higher than that of the Ce4+-O2- CT level. Sr2-xEuxCeO4+x/2 shows white emission at xless than or equal to0.02 because of the dominant intensities of D-5(2)-F-7(0-3) transitions in blue-green region whereas the intensities of D-5(0)-F-7(0-3) transitions in orange-red regions dominate at concentrations xgreater than or equal to0.03 and give red emission. The appearance of all the emissions from D-5(2), D-5(1) and D-5(0) excited states to the F-7(0-3) ground multiplets of Eu3+ is explained on the basis of the shift from the hypersensitive electric-dipole to magnetic-dipole related transitions with the variation in site symmetry with increasing concentration of Eu3+. White emission of Sr2-x SmxCeO4+x/2 at xless than or equal to0.02 is due the co-existence of Ce4+-O2- CT emission and (4)G(4)(5/2)-H-6(J) Sm3+ transitions whereas only the Sm3+ red emission prevails for xgreater than or equal to0.03. The above unique changes in PL emission features are explained in terms of the changes in NNN environments of Ce4+. Quenching of Ce4+-O2- CT emission by other Ln(3+) is due to the ground state crossover arising out of the NNN interactions.

Numerical Study on Flow Field and Temperature Distribution in Growth Process of 200 mm Czochralski Silicon Crystals

The melt flow and temperature distribution in a 200 mm silicon Czochralski furnace with a cusp magnetic field was modeled and simulated by using a finite-volume based FLUTRAPP ( Fluid Flow and Transport Phenomena Program) code. The melt flow in the crucible was focused, which is a result of the competition of buoyancy, the centrifugal forces caused by the rotations of the crucible and crystal, the thermocapillary force on the free surfaces and the Lorentz force induced by the cusp magnetic field. The zonal method for radiative heat transfer was used in the growth chamber, which was confined by the crystal surface, melt surface, crucible, heat shield, and pull chamber. It was found that the cusp magnetic field could strength the dominant counter-rotating swirling flow cell in the crucible and reduce the flow oscillation and the pulling-rate fluctuation. The fluctuation of dopant and oxygen concentration in the growing crystal could thus be smoothed.

Effect of humidity on microstructure and properties of YBCO film prepared by TFA-MOD method

Epitaxial YBCO superconducting films were deposited on the single crystal LaAlO3 (001) substrate by metal organic deposition method. All YBCO films were fired at 820 degrees C in humidity range of 2.6%-19.7% atmosphere. Microstructure of YBCO thin films was analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Superconducting properties of YBCO films were measured by four-probe method. XRD results showed that the second phase (such as BaF2)and a-axis-oriented grains existed in the films prepared at 2.6% humidity condition; a-axis-oriented grains increased in the film prepared at higher than 4.2% humidity condition; almost pure c-axias-oriented grains existed in the films fired at 4.2% humidity condition. Morphologies of the YBCO films showed that all films had a smooth and crack-free surface. YBCO film prepared at 4.2% humidity condition showed J(c) value of 3.3 MA/cm(2) at 77 K in self-field.

Upconversion and fluorescence spectral studies of Er3+/Yb3+-codoped Bi(2)Q(3)-GeO2-Ga(2)Q(3)-Na2O glasses

The absorption spectra and upconversion fluorescence spectra of Er3+/-Yb3+-codoped natrium-gallium-germanium-bismuth glasses are measured and investigated. The intense green (533 and 549 nm) and red (672 nm) emission bands were simultaneously observed at room temperature. The quadratic dependence of the green and red emission on excitation power indicates that the two-photon absorption processes occur. The influence of Ga2C3 on upconversion intensity is investigated. The intensity of green emissions increases slowly with increasing Ga2O3 content, while the intensity of red emission increases significantly. The possible upconversion mechanisms for these glasses have also been discussed. The maximum phonon energy of the glasses determined based on the infrared (IR) spectral analysis is as low as 740 cm(-1). The studies indicate that Bi2O3-GeO2-Ga2O3-Na2O glasses may be potential materials for developing upconversion optical devices (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

铒离子浓度对掺Er^3＋碲酸盐玻璃的Judd-Ofelt理论参数的影响

制备了四种不同铒离子掺杂浓度的碲酸盐玻璃，通过测定吸收光谱计算了吸收谱线的振子强度，根据Judd-Ofelt理论计算了不同浓度下Er^3＋离子发光光谱的强度参数Ω（i=2，4，6），计算了自发辐射电偶和磁偶跃迁概率、辐射寿命、荧光分支比等参数，讨论了Er^3＋离子浓度变化对以上这些参数的影响。测试了Er^3＋：^4I13／2→^4I15／2跃迁对应的荧光光谱和Er^3＋：^4I13／2能级荧光寿命。最后应用McCumber理论计算了玻璃中Er^3＋：^4I13／2→^4I15／2跃迁对应的受激发射截面大小

Influence of heat treatment on spectroscopic properties of Er3+ in multicomponent ZrF4-ZnF2-AlF3-YF3-MF2 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) based glass

Er3+ doped multicomponent fluoride based glass was prepared. These precursor fluoride glass samples were then heated using different schedules. Crystalline phase particles were successfully precipitated in the multicomponent fluoride glass samples after heat treatment. The influence of heat treatment on the spectroscopic properties of Er3+ in multicomponent fluoride based glass samples were discussed. Small changes of the Judd-Ofelt parameters Omega(i) (i = 2,4,6) were found in multicomponent fluoride glass samples before and after heat treatment compared to oxyfluoride telluride glass. Preparation conditions used to produce transparent multicomponent fluoride glass ceramics doped with rare-earth ions are discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Upconversion emission in Er3+ doped novel bismuthate glass

Novel Er3+-doped bismuth lead strontiam glass was fabricated and characterized, and the absorption spectrum and upconversion spectrum of the glass were studied. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Omega(t)(t = 2, 4, 6) were found to be Omega(2) = 3.27 x 10(-20) cm(2), Omega(4) = 1.15 x 10(-20) cm(2), and Omega(6) = 0.38 x 10(-20) cm(2). The oscillator strength, the spontaneous transition probabilities, the fluorescence branching ratios, and excited state lifetimes were also measured and calculated. The upconversion emission intensity varies with the power of infrared excitation intensity. A plot of log I-up vs log I-IR yields a straight line with slope 1.86, 1.88 and 1.85, corresponding to 525, 546, and 657 nm emission bands, respectively, which indicates that a two-photon process for the red and green emission.

Upconversion luminescence of Ce3+ doped BK7 glass by femtosecond laser irradiation

Near-infrared to visible upconversion luminescence was observed in a multicomponent silicate (BK7) glass containing Ce3+ ions under focused infrared femtosecond laser irradiation. The emission spectra show that the upconversion luminescence comes from the 4f-5d transition of the Ce3+ ions. The relationship between the intensity of the Ce3+ emission and the pump power reveals that a three-photon absorption predominates in the conversion process from the near-infrared into the blue luminescence. The analysis of the upconversion mechanism suggests that the upconversion luminescence may come from a three-photon simultaneous absorption that leads to a population of the 5d level in which the characteristic luminescence occurs.

Valence state change and refractive index change induced by femtosecond laser irradiation in Sm3+ doped fluoroaluminate glass

We report femtosecond laser induced valence state and refractive index change in transparent Sin(3+)-doped fluoroaluminate glass. The effect of annealing on the induced changes was studied and the thermal stability of these changes was discussed. The results show that the femtosecond laser induced valence state change is more stable than the induced refractive index change. The observed phenomenon could be applied to design the thermally erasable or stable storage medium. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.