Intense upconversion and infrared emissions in Er3+;Yb3+ codoped Lu2 Si O5 and (Lu0.5 Gd0.5)2 Si O5 crystals

High optical quality Lu2SiO5 (LSO) and (Lu0.5Gd0.5)(2)SiO5 (LGSO) laser crystals codoped with Er3+ and Yb3+ have been fabricated by the Czochralski method. Intense upconversion (UC) and infrared emission (1543 nm) are observed under excitation of 975 nm. The luminescence processes are explained and the emission efficiencies are quantitatively obtained by measuring the UC efficiency and calculating the emission cross section. The temperature-dependent optical properties of the crystals are also investigated. Our study indicates that Er3+-Yb3+ : LSO and Er3+-Yb3+: LGSO crystals are promising gain media for developing the solid-state 1.5 mu m optical amplifiers and tunable UC lasers. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 thin films deposited by electron beam evaporation: Structural, morphological characterization and laser induced damage threshold

Four kinds of Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) thin films with different Y2O3 content have been prepared on BK7 substrates by electron-beam evaporation method. Structural properties and surface morphology of thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra and scanning probe microscope. Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) was determined. It was found that crystalline phase and microstructure of YSZ thin films was dependent on Y2O3 molar content. YSZ thin films changed from monoclinic phase to high temperature phase (tetragonal and cubic) with the increase of Y2O3 content. The LIDT of stabilized thin film is more than that of unstabilized thin films. The reason is that ZrO2 material undergoes phase transition during the course of e-beam evaporation resulting in more numbers of defects compared to that of YSZ thin films. These defects act as absorptive center and the original breakdown points. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

La secuencia del Neolítico en La Rioja Alavesa desde su origen hasta las primeras edades del metal

Homenaje a Ignacio Barandiarán Maestu / coord. por Javier Fernández Eraso, Juan Santos Yanguas

Influence of annealing temperature on structure, optical loss and laser-induced damage threshold of TiO2 thin films

TiO2 thin films are prepared on fused silica with conventional electron beam evaporation deposition. After annealed at different temperatures for 4h, the spectra and XRD patterns of the TiO2 thin film are obtained. Weak absorption of coatings is measured by the surface thermal lensing technique, and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) is determined. It is found that with the increasing annealing temperature, the transmittance of TiO2 films decreases. Especially when coatings are annealed at high temperature over 1173K, the optical loss is very serious. Weak absorption detection indicates that the absorption of coatings decreases firstly and then increases, and the absorption and defects play major roles in the LIDT of TiO2 thin films.

Lethal Interpersonal Violence in the Middle Pleistocene

Evidence of interpersonal violence has been documented previously in Pleistocene members of the genus Homo, but only very rarely has this been posited as the possible manner of death. Here we report the earliest evidence of lethal interpersonal violence in the hominin fossil record. Cranium 17 recovered from the Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site shows two clear perimortem depression fractures on the frontal bone, interpreted as being produced by two episodes of localized blunt force trauma. The type of injuries, their location, the strong similarity of the fractures in shape and size, and the different orientations and implied trajectories of the two fractures suggest they were produced with the same object in face-to-face interpersonal conflict. Given that either of the two traumatic events was likely lethal, the presence of multiple blows implies an intention to kill. This finding shows that the lethal interpersonal violence is an ancient human behavior and has important implications for the accumulation of bodies at the site, supporting an anthropic origin.

Modern dinoflagellate cysts found in surface sediments of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Modern dinoflagellate cysts in surface sediments collected on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, are described, along with other palynomorphs such as microforaminiferal linings, tintinnid loricae, copepod eggs and acritarchs including Domasiella-like micro-remains and Halodinium spp. The dinoflagellate cyst assemblages mainly consisted of Spiniferites cf. scabratus (gonyaulacoid) followed by Brigantedinium spp. and Selenopemphix quanta (peridinioids). No gymnodinioid cysts were found. No remarkable differences in cyst composition and densities were recognized between stations. The cyst assemblages were characterized by low species diversity and low cyst concentrations in comparison with the Pacific coast of Guatemala and Peru. CDF Contribution Number 1019.