Effect of alkali and alkaline earth fluoride introduction on thermal stability and structure of fluorophosphate glasses

The thermal stability and structure of RF-RF2-AIF(3)-Al(PO3)(3) fluorophosphate glasses were investigated. Analyses of infrared absorbance spectra and Raman spectra reveal that with increasing number of alkali and alkaline earth fluoride components, the sum of P-O-P bond and O-P-O bond increases and glass network is strengthened. Consequently, the inhibition to nucleation and crystallization processes is improved, which is proved by the increment of thermal stability factors AT and S determined by differential scanning calorimetry. In addition, it was found that LiF has poor ability to form glass in univalent alkali fluorides and MgF2 has comparative strong ability to form glass in bivalent alkaline earth fluorides. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Stress, absorptance and laser-induced damage threshold properties of 355-nm HR coatings

A number of 355-nm Al2O3/MgF2 high-reflectance (HR) coatings were prepared by electron-beam evaporation. The influences of the number of coating layers and deposition temperature on the 355-nm Al2O3/MgF2 HR coatings were investigated. The stress was measured by viewing the substrate deformation before and after coating deposition using an optical interferometer. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the samples was measured by a 355-nm Nd:YAG laser with a pulse width of 8 ns. Transmittance and reflectance of the samples were measured by a Lambda 900 spectrometer. It was found that absorptance was the main reason to result in a low LIDT of 355-nm Al2O3/MgF2 HR coatings. The stress in Al2O3/MgF2 HR coatings played an unimportant role in the LIDT, although MgF2 is known to have high tensile stress.

Overcoat dependence of laser-induced damage threshold of 355 nm HR coatings

A series of HR coatings, with and without overcoat, were prepared by electron beam evaporation using the same deposition process. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) was measured by a 355 nm Nd:YAG laser with a pulse width of 8 ns. Damage morphologies of samples were observed by Leica-DMRXE Microscope. The stress was measured by viewing the substrate deformation before and after coatings deposition using an optical interferometer. Reflectance of the samples was measured by Lambda 900 Spectrometer. The theoretical results of electric field distributions of the samples were calculate by thin film design software (TFCalc). It was found that SiO2 overcoat had improved the LIDT greatly, while MgF2 overcoat had little effect on the LIDT because of its high stress in the HR coatings. The damage morphologies were different among HR coatings with and without overcoats. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temperature fields of 355 nm HR coatings based on the interface absorption model

Temperature fields of 355 nm high-reflectance (HR) coatings were investigated based on the interface absorption model. It was found that the highest temperature in the HR coatings increased with an increase in the extinction coefficient of the interface A, B, C, Al2O3 and MgF2. The highest temperature of HR coatings that can be reached increased quickly with the increase in the extinction coefficient of interface A in particular. The temperature rises of 355 nm HR coatings at different layers and different deposition temperatures were investigated based on experiments also. The damage mechanism of 355 nm HR coatings was confirmed with temperature fields and the interface absorption model.

355nm增透膜的设计、制备与性能

用热舟蒸发法结合修正挡板技术制备了355 nm LaF3/MgF2增透膜,并对部分样品进行了真空退火。采用Lambda 900光谱仪测试了增透膜的低反光谱和透射光谱,并考察了其光谱稳定性;使用脉冲8 ns的355 nm激光测试了增透膜的激光损伤阈值(LIDT);采用Normarski显微镜对增透膜的表面缺陷密度和破斑形貌进行了观察。实验结果表明,制备得到的增透膜的剩余反射率较低,光谱稳定性好;真空退火对增透膜的激光损伤阈值没有改善;增透膜的破环形貌为散点形式,结合破斑深度测试表明薄膜的破坏源于薄膜和基底界面的缺陷点。JGS1熔石英基底由于有好的表面状况、固有的高激光损伤阈值和以其为基底的增透膜具有更低的表面场强,使得其上的增透膜有更高的抗激光损伤能力。

Shape and Phase-Controlled Synthesis of KMgF3 Colloidal Nanocrystals via Microwave Irradiation

In this paper, we present a facile one-step route to controlled synthesis of colloidal KMgF3 nanocrystals via the thermolysis of metal trifluoroacetate precursors in combined solvents (OA/OM) using microwave irradiation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, and photoluminescence (PL) spectra were employed to characterize the samples. Only through the variation of the OA/OM ratio, can the phase and shape of nanocrystals be readily controlled, resulting in the formation of well-defined near-spherical nanoparticles, and nanoplates of cubic-phased KMgF3, as well as nanorods of tetragonal-phased MgF2, and a possible mechanism has been proposed to elucidate this effect. Furthermore, all these samples in this system can be well dispersed in nonpolar solvents such as cyclohexane to form stable and clear colloidal solutions, due to the successful coating of organic surfactants (OA/OM) on the nanocrystal surface.

Synthesis and luminescence characteristics of LiMgAlF6:Ln(3+) (Ln = Ce, Eu, Tb)

By solid state reaction, LiMgAlF6 and LiMgAlF6:Ln(3+) are synthetized with the ratio 120/100/110 of LiF/MgF2/AlF3, at 1008 K, in high-purity Ar stream. Their crystal structure which belongs to hexagonal system are determined by X-Ray-Diffraction (XRD). Luminescence characteristics of Ce3+, Eu3+, Tb3+ and sensitization of Ce3+ to Tb3+ in LiMgAlF6 are studied. It is shown that the sensitization of Ce3+ to Tb3+ is efficient and a bright green emission is observed.

Preliminary results from the infrared multilayer filters and materials exposed to the space environment on the NASA LDEF mission

With continually increasing demands for improvements to atmospheric and planetary remote-sensing instrumentation, for both high optical system performance and extended operational lifetimes, an investigation to access the effects of prolonged exposure of the space environment to a series of infrared interference filters and optical materials was promoted on the NASA LDEF mission. The NASA Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was launchd by the Space Shuttle to transport various science and technology experiments both to and from space, providing investigators with the opportunity to study the effects of the space environment on materials and systems used in space-flight applications. Preliminary results to be discussed consist of transmission measurements obtained and processed from an infrared spectrophotometer both before (1983) and after (1990) exposure compared with unexposed control specimens, together with results of detailed microscopic and general visual examinations performed on the experiment. The principle lead telluride (PbTe) and Zinc Sulphide (ZnS) based multilayer filters selected for this preliminary investigation consist of : an 8-12µm low pass edge filter, a 10.6µm 2.5% half bandwidth (HBW) double half-wave narrow bandpass filter, and a 10% HBW triple half-wave wide bandpass filter at 15µm. Optical substrates of MgF2 and KRS-5 (T1BrI) will also be discussed.

Stabilization of fluoroindate glasses by magnesium fluoride and other heavy metal fluorides

Their extended transparency in the IR makes them attractive for use as optical fibers for CO laser power delivery and optical amplification. This paper firstly describes the spectacular stabilizing effect of MgF2 on the binary system InF3-BaF2. The investigation of the InF3-BaF2-MgF2 system led to samples up to 5mm in thickness. Further optimization of this system was achieved by incorporation of limited amounts of other fluorides and resulted in increased resistence to devitrification. The second approach of this work was concerned to the investigation of the pseudo-ternary system InF3-GdF3-GaF3 at constant concentrations of ZnF2-SrF2-BaF2-NaF. Several compositions were studied in this system. The samples presented a better thermal stability when compared to other families of fluoride glasses. Therefore, these glasses seem to be very promising for the fabrication of special optical fibers. Thermal data are reported.

New compositions of fluoroindate glasses with higher chemical resistance

In this paper, glasses in the systems In-Ba-Mg and In-Ba-Zn-Sr-Mg were water leachead at 80ºC showing surface degradation after 72 hours of leaching. The extent of such degradation is determined by the solubility and the concentration of the elemental fluorides that constitute the glasses. The formation of a layer of crystallized phases on the surface of the samples was observed. Small weight losses were registered and the absence of water on the glass matrix after the attack suggested that the use of MgF2 in the systems studied can lead to better results against moisture corrosion when compared to other fluoride glasses such as the fluorozirconates.

Photo-induced transformations in chalcogenide nanocomposite layers

Investigations of photo-induced structural transformations (PST) and related changes of optical parameters in amorphous chalcogenide layers were further developed towards the establishment of their dependence on the compositional modulation of the material at nanoscale-dimensions (similar to3-10 nm) and possible improvement of optical recording parameters as well. Besides the known amorphous-amorphous PST, photo-stimulated interdiffusion and crystallization in multilayer structures were found as a useful method for amplitude-phase optical relief formation. The last two types of PST were influenced by size restrictions and efficiently operated by the composition and by the modulation period of the layered nanocomposite. Experimental evidences were obtained in Se-, AsSe-, Se0.4Te0.6-containing layered or quasi zero-dimensional structures based on As2S3 or SiOx and MgF2 matrix. Comparison was made with As2S3- and GeS2-based multicomponent layers, containing Se, Te and Ga. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stabilization of fluoroindate glasses by magnesium fluoride

This paper describes the stabilizing effect of MgF2 on the binary system InF3-BaF2. A complete investigation of the In-Ba-Mg system led to samples up to 5 mm in thickness. Further optimization of this system was achieved by incorporation of other fluorides, resulting in increased resistance to devitrification. Thermal and optical data are reported.