Structural and optical properties of GdAlO3:RE3+ (RE = Eu or Tb) prepared by the Pechini method for application as X-ray phosphors

In this work, GdAlO3:RE3+ (RE = Eu or Tb) was successfully prepared by the Pechini method at lower temperatures when compared to others methods as solid-state synthesis and sol-gel process. In accordance to the XRD data, the fully crystalline single-phase GdAlO3 could be obtained at 900 degrees C. The differential thermal analysis (DTA) shows a crystallization peak at 850 degrees C. The samples are composed by monocrystalline particles (50-120 nm) exhibiting the formation of aggregates among them, which indicates the beginning of the sinterization process. This feature indicates a strong tendency to the formation of aggregates, which is a suitable ability for the close-packing of particles, and hence a potential application in X-ray intensifying screens. Luminescence measurements indicate Gd3+ -> RE3+ energy transfer. The Eu3+ emission spectra exhibit all the characteristics D-5(0) -> F-7(j) transitions and the observed profile suggests that RE3+ ions occupy at least one site without center of symmetry. For terbium-doped samples, the D-5(3) -> F-7(j) (blue emission) and D-5(4) -> F-7(j) (green emission) transitions were observed and the ratio between them may depend on the Tb3+ content due to cross-relaxation processes. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peak Separation by Derivative Spectroscopy Applied to FTIR Analysis of Hydrolized Silica

Reliable spectral analysis is only achieved if the spectrum is thoroughly investigated in regard to all hidden and overlapped peaks. This paper describes the steps undertaken to find and separate such peaks in the range of 3000 to 4000 cm(-1) in the case of three different infrared absorption spectra of the glass surface of hydrolyzed silica optical fibers. Peak finding was done by the analysis of the second and fourth derivatives of the digital data, coupled with the available knowledge of infrared spectroscopy of silica-water interaction in the investigated range. Peak separation was accomplished by curve fitting with four different models. The model with the best fit was described by a sum of pure Gaussian peaks. Shoulder limit and detection limit maps were used to validate the revealed spectral features.

Hq(4) symmetry: the linear q-harmonic oscillator based on generalized irreps of the q-deformed Heisenberg algebra

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

STM probing of local oscillations of the Fano-Kondo effect: a Doniach-Sunjic approach for the Kondo peak

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Approximate analytical states of a polynomial potential: an example of symmetry restoration

An approximate analytical expression for the first two eigenvalues of the Schrodinger equation for the potential V(x) = Ax(4) + Bx(2) is achieved by using the Symanzik scaling symmetry. A kind of symmetry restoration when one of the potential parameters changes conveniently is observed. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

The symmetry group of Z(q)(n) in the Lee space and the Z(qn)-linear codes

The Z(4)-linearity is a construction technique of good binary codes. Motivated by this property, we address the problem of extending the Z(4)-linearity to Z(q)n-linearity. In this direction, we consider the n-dimensional Lee space of order q, that is, (Z(q)(n), d(L)), as one of the most interesting spaces for coding applications. We establish the symmetry group of Z(q)(n) for any n and q by determining its isometries. We also show that there is no cyclic subgroup of order q(n) in Gamma(Z(q)(n)) acting transitively in Z(q)(n). Therefore, there exists no Z(q)n-linear code with respect to the cyclic subgroup.

Investigation of phase transition in ferroelectric Pb0.70Sr0.30TiO3 thin films

We have carried out dielectric and Raman spectroscopy studies at the 298-623 K temperature range in polycrystalline Pb0.70Sr0.30TiO3 thin films grown by a soft chemical method. The diffuse phase-transition behavior of the thin films was observed by means of the dielectric constant versus temperature curves, which show a broad peak. Such behavior was confirmed later by Raman spectroscopy measurements up to 823 K, indicating that a diffuselike phase transition takes place at around 548-573 K. The damping factor of the E(1TO) soft mode was calculated using the damped simple harmonic oscillator model. on the other hand, Raman modes persist above the tetragonal to cubic phase transition temperature although all optical modes should be Raman inactive. The origin of these modes was interpreted in terms of a breakdown of the microscopic local cubic symmetry by chemical disorder. The lack of a well-defined transition temperature and the presence of broad bands at some temperature interval above the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase-transition temperature suggested a diffuse nature of the phase transition. This result corroborates the dielectric constant versus temperature data, which showed a broad ferroelectric phase transition in this thin film. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

Absence of relaxor-like ferroelectric phase transition in (Pb,Sr)TiO3 thin films

We have performed dielectric and micro-Raman spectroscopy measurements in the 298 - 673 K temperature range in polycrystalline Pb0.50Sr0.50TiO3 thin films prepared by a soft chemical method. The phase transition have been investigated by dielectric measurements at various frequencies during the heating cycle. It was found that the temperature corresponding to the peak value of the dielectric constant is frequency-independent, indicating a non-relaxor ferroelectric behavior. However, the dielectric constant versus temperature curves associated with the ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition showed a broad maximum peak at around 433 K. The observed behavior is explained in terms of a diffuse phase transition. The obtained Raman spectra indicate the presence of a local symmetry disorder, due to a higher strontium concentration in the host lattice. The monitoring of some modes, conducted in the Pb0.50Sr0.50TiO3 thin films, showed that the ferroelectric tetragonal phase undergoes a transition to the paraelectric cubic phase at around 423 K. However, the Raman activity did not disappear, as would be expected from a transition to the cubic paraelectric phase. The strong Raman spectrum observed for this cubic phase is indicative that a diffuse-type phase transition is taking place. This behavior is attributed to distortions of the perovskite structure, allowing the persistence of low-symmetry phase features in cubic phase high above the transition temperature. This result is in contrast to the forbidden first-order Raman spectrum, which would be expected from a cubic paraelectric phase, such as the one observed at high temperature in pure PbTiO3 perovskite.

D-n-forced symmetry breaking of O(2)-equivariant problems

We use singularity theory to classify forced symmetry-breaking bifurcation problemsf(z, lambda, mu) = f(1)(z, lambda) + muf(2)(z, lambda, mu) = 0,where f(1) is O(2)-equivariant and f(2) is D-n-equivariant with the orthogonal group actions on z is an element of R-2. Forced symmetry breaking occurs when the symmetry of the equation changes when parameters are varied. We explicitly apply our results to the branching of subharmonic solutions in a model periodic perturbation of an autonomous equation and sketch further applications.

Synthesis and photoluminescence study of La1.8Eu0.2O3 coating on nanometric alpha-Al2O3

In this work the La1.8Eu0.2O3 coating on nanometric alpha-alumina, alpha-Al2O3@La1.8Eu0.2O3, was prepared for the first time by a soft chemical method. The powder was heat-treated at 100, 400, 800 and 1200 degrees C for 2 h. X-ray powder diffraction patterns (XRD), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), emission and excitation spectra, as well as Eu3+, lifetime were used to characterize the material and to follow the changes in structure as the heating temperature increases. The Eu3+ luminescence data revealed the characteristic transitions D-5(0) --> F-7(J) (J = 0, 1 and 3) of Eu3+ at around 580, 591 and 613 nm, respectively, when the powders were excited by 393 nm. The red color of the samples changed to yellow when the powder was annealed at 1200 degrees C. The decrease in the (D-5(0) --> F-7(2))/(D-5(0) --> F-7(1)) ratio from around 5.0 for samples heated at lower temperatures to 3.1 for samples annealed at 1200 degrees C is consistent with a higher symmetry of the Eu3+ at higher temperature. The excitation spectra of the samples also confirms this change by the presence of a more intense and broad band at around 317 nm, instead of the presence of the characteristic peak at 393 mn, which corresponds to the F-7(0) --> L-5(6) transition of the Eu3+. The lifetimes of the D-5(0) --> F-7(2) transition of Eu3+ for the samples heat-treated at 100, 400, 800 and 1200 degrees C was evaluated as 0.57, 0.72, 0.43 and 0.31 ms, respectively. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All fights reserved.

Density-dependent coupling constants and charge symmetry breaking

The effect of the medium in the coupling constants implicate in a charge symmetry breaking on nuclear interactions. The amount of energy due to this modification can explain the Nolen-Schiffer anomaly.