Physical characterization of K-doped 0.9PMN-0.1PT synthesized by an association of the columbite route and the polymeric precursor method

The solid solution 0.9PbMg 1/3Nb 2/3O 3-0.1PbTiO 3 is one of the most widely investigated relaxor ceramic, because of its high dielectric constant and low sintering temperatures. PMN-PT powders containing single perovskite phase were prepared by using a Timodified columbite precursor obtained by the polymeric precursor method. Such precursor reacts directly with stoichiometric amount of PbO to obtain pyrochlore-free PMN-PT powders. The structural effects of K additive included in the columbite precursor and 0.9PMN-0.1PT powders were also studied. The phase formation at each processing step was verified by XRD analysis, being these results used for the structural refinement by the Rietveld method. It was verified the addition of K in the columbite precursor promotes a slight increasing in the powder crystallinity. There was not a decrease in the amount of perovskite phase PMN-PT for 1mol% of K, and the particle and grain size were reduced, making this additive a powerful tool for grain size control.

Cutting characteristics of dental diamond burs made with CVD technology

The aim of this study was to determine the cutting ability of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond burs coupled to an ultrasonic dental unit handpiece for minimally invasive cavity preparation. One standard cavity was prepared on the mesial and distal surfaces of 40 extracted human third molars either with cylindrical or with spherical CVD burs. The cutting ability was compared regarding type of substrate (enamel and dentin) and direction of handpiece motion. The morphological characteristics, width and depth of the cavities were analyzed and measured using scanning electron micrographs. Statistical analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis test (p < 0.05) revealed that the width and depth of the cavities were significantly greater when they were prepared on dentin. Wider cavities were prepared when the cylindrical CVD bur was used, and deeper cavities resulted from preparation with the spherical CVD bur. The direction of handpiece motion did not influence the size of the cavities, and the CVD burs produced precise and conservative cutting.

Compositional influence on spectroscopic properties of Yb3+ doped tellurite glasses

Spectroscopic properties of ytterbium-doped tellurile glasses with different compositions are reported. Results of linear refractive index, absorption and emission spectra, and fluorescence lifetimes are presented. The studied samples present high refractive index (∼2.0) and large transmission window (380-6000nm). Absorption and emission cross-sections are calculated as well as the minimum pump laser intensity. The results are compared with the values of other laser materials, in order to investigate applications as laser media in the infrared region.

Optical properties and energy-transfer frequency upconversion of Yb 3+-sensitized Ho3+- And Tb3+-doped lead-cadmium-germanate glass and glass ceramic

In this report we investigate the optical properties and energy-transfer upconversion luminescence of Ho3+- and Tb3+/Yb 3+-codoped PbGeO3-PbF2-CdF2 glass-ceramic under infrared excitation. In Ho3+/Yb 3+-codoped sample, green(545 nm), red(652 nm), and near-infrared(754 nm) upconversion luminescence corresponding to the 4S 2(5F4) → 5I8, 5F5 → 5I8, and 4S2(5F4) → 5I 7, respectively, was readly observed. Blue(490 nm) signals assigned to the 5F2,3 → 5I8 transition was also detected. In the Tb3+/Yb3+ system, bright UV-visible emission around 384, 415, 438, 473-490, 545, 587, and 623 nm, identified as due to the 5D3(5G6) → 7FJ(J=6,5,4) and 5D4→ 7FJ(J=6,5,4,3) transitions, was measured. The comparison of the upconversion process in glass ceramic and its glassy precursor revealed that the former samples present much higher upconversion efficiencies. The dependence of the upconversion emission upon pump power, and doping contents was also examined. The results indicate that successive energy-transfer between ytterbium and holmium ions and cooperative energy-transfer between ytterbium and terbium ions followed by excited-state absorption are the dominant upconversion excitation mechanisms herein involved. The viability of using the samples for three-dimensional solid-state color displays is also discussed.

Energy transfer and frequency upconversion involving triads of Pr3+ ions in (Pr3+, Gd3+) doped fluoroindate glass

Blue and ultraviolet luminescence in (Pr3+, Gd3+) doped fluoroindate glass is studied for excitation in the red region (≈590 nm). Frequency upconversion (UC) is observed due to energy transfer (ET) among three Pr3+ ions initially excited to the D21 state corresponding to the ET process D21 + D21 + D21 → S01 + H53 + H53. Additionally, UC luminescence from states P 72 6 and I 72 6 of Gd3+ is observed for an excitation wavelength resonant with transitions of the Pr3+ ions. The characterization of the luminescence signals allowed to determine ET rate among the Pr3+ ions and provides evidence of interconfigurational ET between Gd3+ and Pr3+ ions. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Preparation of lanthanum doped Bi4Ti3O12 ceramics by the polymeric precursor method

Lanthanum-modified bismuth titanate, Bi4 - xLaxTi3O12 (BLT) ceramics, with x ranging from 0 to 0.75 were prepared by the polymeric precursor method. Orthorhombicity of the system is decreased with the increase of lanthanum content in the bismuth titanate (BIT) crystal lattice. No secondary phases were evident after lanthanum addition. Increasing lanthanum content causes a structural distortion in the bismuth titanate lattice. The shape of the grains is strongly influenced by the lanthanum added to the system. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic resonance study of the crystallization behavior of InF3-based glasses doped with Cu2+, Mn2+ and Gd3+

The crystallization of fluoroindate glasses doped with Gd3+, Mn2+ and Cu2+ heat treated at different temperatures, ranging from the glass transition temperature (Tg) to the crystallization temperature (Tc), are investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The EPR spectra indicate that the Cu2+ ions in the glass are located in axially distorted octahedral sites. In the crystallized glass, the g-values agreed with those reported for Ba2ZnF6, which correspond to Cu2+ in a tetragonal compressed F- octahedron and to Cu2+ on interstitial sites with a square-planar F- co-ordination. The EPR spectra of the Mn2+ doped glasses exhibit a sextet structure due to the Mn2+ hyperfine interaction. These spectra suggest a highly ordered environment for the Mn2+ ions (close to octahedral symmetry) in the glass. The EPR spectra of the recrystallized sample exhibit resonances at the same position, suggesting that the Mn2+ ions are located in sites of highly symmetric crystalline field. The increase of the line intensity of the sextet and the decrease of the background line in the thermal treated samples suggest that the Mn2+ ions move to the highly ordered sites which contribute to the sextet structure. The EPR spectra of the Gd3+ doped glasses exhibit the typical U-spectrum of a s-state ion in a low symmetry site in disordered systems. The EPR of the crystallized glasses, in contrast, have shown a strong resonance in g ≈ 2.0, suggesting Gd3+ ions in environment close to cubic symmetry. The 19F NMR spin-lattice relaxation rates were also strongly influenced by the crystallization process that takes over in samples annealed above Tc. For the glass samples (doped or undoped) the 19F magnetization recoveries were found to be adjusted by an exponential function and the spin-lattice relaxation was characterized by a single relaxation time. In contrast, for the samples treated above Tc, the 19F magnetization-recovery becomes non-exponential. A remarkable feature of our results is that the changes in the Cu2+, Mn2+, Gd3+ EPR spectra and NMR relaxation, are always observed for the samples annealed above Tc. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects in the population inversion of3H4 level in Tm, Tm-Tb and Tm-Eu doped germanate glasses for amplifiers applications

The population inversion of the Tm3+ in GLKZ glass involved in the 1470 nm emission (3H4 → 3F 4) as a function of Tb (or Eu) concentration was calculated by computational simulation for a CW laser pumping at 792 nm. These calculations were performed using the experimental Tm→Tb an Tm→Eu transfer rates and the spectroscopic parameters of the Tm (0.1 mol %) system. The result shows that 0.2 mol % (Tb3+) and 0.4 mol % of Eu3+ ions propitiate best population inversion of Tm3+ (0.1 mol %) maximizing the amplification coefficient of germanate (GLKZ) glass when operating as laser intensity amplification at 1470 nm. Besides the effective deactivation of the 3F4 level, the presence of Tb3+ or Eu 3+ ions introduce a depopulation of the 3H4 emitting level by means of a cross relaxation process with Tm3+ ions. In spite of this, the whole effect is verified to be benefic for using Tm-doped GLKZ glass codoped with Tb3+ or Eu3+ as a suitable material for confectioning optical amplifiers that operates in the S-band for telecommunication.

Sintering of cobalt and strontium doped lanthanum chromite obtained by combustion synthesis

Lanthanum chromite (LaCrO3) is one of the most adequate materials for use as interconnector in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) applications, due to its intrinsic properties, namely its good electrical conductivity and resistance to environment conditions in fuel cell operations. Due to difficulties in sintering, additives are usually added to help in the densification process. In this work, the influence of added cobalt and strontium, in the sintering of LaCrO3 obtained by combustion synthesis was studied. The starting materials were respectively nitrates of chromium, lanthanum, cobalt and strontium, and urea was used as fuel. The results show that by increasing the strontium and cobalt concentrations it is possible to reduce the temperature of sintering. Using both additives, the sintering processes took place in lesser times than normally used for this material, as well as greater values of density were attained.

Effect of Boron powder purity on superconducting properties of bulk MgB2

In order to study the influence of the amorphous Boron powder on the superconducting properties, MgB2 bulk samples were prepared using 96% and 99% pure commercial Boron powder as well as 92% commercial Boron powder after purification process. The results showed that the original 96% and the purified 92% powders have larger particle size compared to the pure 99% Boron powder, which leads to reduce magnetic critical current densities. In order to get higher performance MgB2, the purified low grade Boron powder need further control of their microstructure such as smaller particle size to enhance flux pinning from the grain boundaries which represent effective pinning centers. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Critical parameter determination of sonic flow controller diamond microtubes and micronozzles

In this article, the authors measure throughput of sonic diamond microtubes and micronozzles that can work as passive gas flow controllers and flow meters under choking conditions. The behavior of the outlet pressure through the microdevices using an experimental setup with constant volume and constant temperature was determined in order to obtain the critical throughput, the critical mass flow rate, and the discharge coefficients of the diamond sonic microdevices. © 2007 American Vacuum Society.

Optical excitation of charge carriers from intra-bandgap states in Ce-doped SnO2 thin films

Optical excitation of Ce3+-doped SnO2 thin films, obtained by the sol-gel-dip-coating technique, is carried out and the effects on electrical transport are evaluated. Samples are doped with O. lat% of Ce, just above the saturation limit. The excitation is done with an intensity-controlled halogen-tungsten lamp through an interference filter, yielding an excitation wavelength of 513nm, 9 nm wide (width at half intensity peak). Irradiation at low temperature (25K) yields a conductivity increase much lower than above bandgap light. Such a behavior assures the ionization of intra-bandgap defect levels, since the filter does not allow excitation of electron-hole pairs, what would happen only in the UV range (below about 350nm). The decay of intra-bandgap excited levels in the range 250-320 K is recorded, leading to a temperature dependent behavior related to a thermally excited capture cross section for the dominating defect level. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Biological response to wollastonite doped α-tricalcium phosphate implants in hard and soft tissues in rats

The biological response following subcutaneous and bone implantation of β-wollastonite(β-W)-doped α-tricalcium phosphate bioceramics in rats was evaluated. Tested materials were: tricalcium phosphate (TCP), consisting of a mixture of α- and β-polymorphs; TCP doped with 5 wt. % of β-W (TCP5W), composed of α-TCP as only crystalline phase; and TCP doped with 15 wt. % of β-W (TCP 15), containing crystalline α-TCP and β-W. Cylinders of 2×1 mm were implanted in tibiae and backs of adult male Rattus norvegicus, Holtzman rats. After 7, 30 and 120 days, animals were sacrificed and the tissue blocks containing the implants were excised, fixed and processed for histological examination. TCP, TCP5W and TCP15W implants were biocompatible but neither bioactive nor biodegradable in rat subcutaneous tissue. They were not osteoinductive in connective tissue either. However, in rat bone tissue β-W-doped α-TCP implants (TCP5W and TCP 15W) were bioactive, biodegradable and osteoconductive. The rates of biodegradation and new bone formation observed for TCP5W and TCP15W implants in rat bone tissue were greater than for non-doped TCP.