Czochralski growth and crystal structure of cerium-doped Lu2Si2O7 scintillator

Cerium-doped lutetium pyrosilicate crystal, Ce:Lu2Si2O7 (Ce:LPS), was grown by the Czochralski method. The segregation coefficient of Ce3+ ion was studied by the ICP-AES method. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the structure of Ce:LPS crystal was monoclinic symmetry with space group of C2/m. Perfect cleavage planes (110) and imperfect cleavage planes (001) were observed by optical microscope. The reasons why it is difficult to grow crack-free crystals were studied. After optimized growth parameters, a Ce:LPS crystal with dimension of Phi 25 x 30 mm was grown, which is colorless, high optical quality, cracking-free and no inclusions. The transmittance of Ce:LPS crystal from 380 to 800 nm is over 82% and there is no observable absorption. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO films grown on c-plane sapphire and (100)gamma-LiAlO2 by pulse laser deposition

ZnO thin films were grown on single-crystal gamma-LiAlO2 (LAO) and sapphire (0001) substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO films were investigated. The results show that LAO is more suitable for fabricating ZnO films than sapphire substrate and the highest-quality ZnO film was attained on LAO at the substrate temperature of 550 degrees C. However, when the substrate temperature rises to 700 degrees C, lithium would diffuse from the substrate (LAO) into ZnO film which makes ZnO film on LAO becomes polycrystalline without preferred orientation, the stress in ZnO film increases dominantly and the resistivity of the film decreases exponentially. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of annealing and gamma irradiation on undoped and Eu3+-doped Y2SiO5 single crystals

The absorption spectra of the undoped Y2SiO5 and Eu3+-doped Y2SiO5 crystals grown by the Czochralski technique were compared before and after annealing and, similarly, the unannealed and annealed crystals after gamma-ray irradiation. The absorption bands of Eu2+ ions with peaks at 300 and 390 nm were observed in the as-grown Y2SiO5:Eu3+ crystal. These peaks were more intense in H-2-annealed and irradiated Y2SiO5:Eu3+ crystals. The additional absorption peaks at 260 and 320-330 nm which were attributed to F color centers and O- hole centers were observed in irradiated undoped Y2SiO5 and Y2SiO5:Eu3+ crystals, respectively. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectra analysis of a novel Ti-doped LiAlO2 single crystal

LiAlO2 single crystals doped with Ti at concentration 0.2 at.% are grown by the Czochralskl technique with dimensions Phi 42 x 55 mm. Ti ions in the crystal are quadrivalence proven by comparing the absorption and fluorescence spectra of pure LiAlO2 and Ti: LiAlO2. After air and Li-rich atmosphere annealing, the absorption peaks in the range of 600-800nm disappear. We conclude that 682 and 756nm absorption peaks are attributed to the V-Li and V-O absorptions, respectively. The peaks at 716nm and 798nm may stem from the V-Li(+) and F+ absorptions. The colour-centre model can be applied to explain the experimental phenomena. Ti4+-doping produces more lithium vacancies in the LiAlO2 crystal. The intensities of [LiO4] and the associated bonds remain unchanged, which improves the anti-hydrolyzation and thermal stability of LiAlO2 crystals.

Structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnO thin films grown on gamma-LiAlO2 substrate by pulsed laser deposition

ZnO thin films were deposited on the substrates of (100) gamma-LiAlO2 at 400, 550 and 700 degrees C using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) with the fixed oxygen pressure of 20 Pa, respectively. When the substrate temperature is 400 degrees C, the grain size of the film is less than 1 mu m observed by Leitz microscope and measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD). As the substrate temperature increases to 550 degrees C, highly-preferred c-orientation and high-quality ZnO film can be attained. While the substrate temperature rises to 700 degrees C, more defects appears on the surface of film and the ZnO films become polycrystalline again possibly because more Li of the substrate diffused into the ZnO film at high substrate temperature. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO films at room temperature show the blue emission peaks centered at 430 nm. We suggest that the blue emission corresponds to the electron transition from the level of interstitial Zn to the valence band. Meanwhile, the films grown on gamma-LiAlO2 (LAO) exhibit green emission centered at 540 nm, which seemed to be ascribed to excess zinc and/or oxygen vacancy in the ZnO films caused by diffusion of Li. from the substrates into the films during the deposition.

Sites structure and spectroscopic properties of Yb-doped and Yb, Na-codoped CaF2 laser crystals

For the first time, the effect of Na+ on crystal structure, valence state of Yb ions, spectroscopic properties of YbF3-doped CaF2 system was systematically studied. Na+ can greatly suppress the deoxidization of Yb3+ to Yb2+. Absorption and emission spectra showed codoping Na+ with different Na:Yb ratios can modulate the spectroscopy and photoluminescence properties of Yb3+ ions in CaF2 lattice in a large scope. The emission lifetime and quantum efficiency of Yb3+ in CaF2 were greatly enhanced by the codopant of Na+. The potential laser performances of the new Yb, Na-codoped CaF2 crystals were predicted. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deposition of ZnO thin films on (100) γ-LiAlO2 substrate

Optical properties for ZnO thin films grown on (100) γ-LiAlO2 (LAO) substrate by pulsed laser deposition method were investigated. The c-axis oriented ZnO films were grown on (100) γ-LiAlO2 substrates at the substrate temperature of 550 Celsius degrees. The transmittance of the films was over 85%. Peaks attributed to excitons were shown in absorption spectra, which indicated that thin films had high crystallinity. Photoluminescence spectra with the maximum peak at 540 nm were observed at room temperature, which seemed to be ascribed to oxygen vacancy in the ZnO films caused by diffusion of Li from the substrates into the films during the deposition.

Rare-earth-doped silica microchip laser fabricated by sintering nanoporous glass

We report a new method for fabricating rare-earth-doped silica glasses for laser materials obtained by sintering nanoporous silica glasses impregnated with rare-earth-doped ions. The fabricated materials have no residual pores and show good optical and mechanical properties. Good performance from a Nd3+-doped silica microchip laser operating at 1.064 mum is successfully demonstrated, suggesting that the fabricated silica glasses have potential for use as active materials for high-power solid-state lasers. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.

用PLD法在MgO（100）衬底十生长ZnO薄膜的结构和光学特性

用脉冲激光沉积法在MgO（100）衬底上沉积了ZnO薄膜．衬底温度分别为400℃、550℃和700℃．利用X射线衍射（XRD）和光致发光谱（PL）对薄膜的结构和光学性能进行研究．x射线衍射的结果表明，在400℃和550℃下生长的ZnO薄膜具有高度c一轴择优取向．仉足当衬底温度升高到700℃时，薄膜由单一的择优取向变为有两个较强的择优取向．通过光致发光谱可以发现，在550℃下生长的ZnO薄膜具有强的紫外发射和窄的FWHM，并且紫外发光峰的强度与ZnO薄膜的结晶质量密切相关．

退火处理对ZnO薄膜发光特性的影响

用脉冲激光沉积法(PLD)在MgO(100)、a-Al2O3(0001)和MgAl2O4(111)衬底上沉积了ZnO薄膜，测量了它们的发射光谱，观察到430nm的蓝光发射，并研究了退火、衬底和激发波长对ZnO薄膜这一蓝光发射的影响。指出ZnO薄膜中430nm的蓝光发射是由锌填隙原子缺陷能级到价带顶能级间的跃迁以及电子从氧空位浅施主能级到价带顶能级间的跃迁两种机理共同作用的结果。在MgO衬底上沉积的ZnO薄膜在350nm光激发下蓝光发射峰最强。

Si（111）衬底上ZnO薄膜的磁控溅射法制备及表征

采用磁控溅射法在(111)单晶硅衬底上沉积了ZnO薄膜，并研究了退火温度对ZnO薄膜晶体质量、晶粒度大小、应力和光致发光谱的影响。X射线衍射(XRD)表明薄膜为高度c轴择优取向。不同退火温度下的ZnO薄膜应力有明显变化。应力分布最为均匀的退火温度为500℃。室温下对ZnO薄膜进行了光谱分析，可观测到明显的紫光发射(波长为380nm左右)。实验结果表明，用磁控溅射法在单晶硅衬底上能获得高质量的ZnO薄膜。

水热法ZnO晶体特征研究

ZnO具有优良的综合性能使其成为极有前途的下一代光电材料，水热法是一种重要的生长ZnO晶体的方法。本文对水热法生长的面积约150mm^2的ZnO晶体进行了报道，研究了晶体不同方向的生长速度、形貌特征和光学性能。X射线摇摆曲线表明晶体的质量较好。对于光学性质的分析表明晶体生长时加入H2O2能显著提高晶体的质量。494nm附近的发光带可能与氧空位有关。520nm的发光可能与Na或者Si所形成的杂质能级跃迁有关。

Al2O3衬底上生长ZnO薄膜的结构和光学特性

用脉冲激光沉积法在Al2O3（0001）衬底上沉积了ZnO薄膜。衬底温度分别为300℃、400℃、500℃、600℃和700℃。利用X射线衍射（XRD）和光致发光谱（PL）对薄膜的结构和光学性能进行研究。X射线衍射的结果表明在不同温度下生长的ZnO薄膜均具有高度c轴择优取向，衬底温度400℃时，膜的应力较小质量较高。ZnO薄膜有很强的紫外发光峰，紫外发光峰的强度与衬底温度密切相关，并发现当衬底温度从300℃增到400℃时，紫外发射峰出现6nm的蓝移。