Gain characteristics of 980 nm-pumped Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript>–Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript>–Pr<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-co-doped fiber

We present a numerical model of Er³⁺–Tm³⁺–Pr³⁺-co-doped fiber amplifier pumped with 980 nm laser for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The rate and power propagation equations are solved numerically to analyze the effects of the pump power and active ion concentrations on the gains at 1310, 1470, 1530, 1600, 1650 nm windows. The results show that with pump power of 200 mW and when Pr³⁺, Tm³⁺, Er³⁺ concentrations are around 2.0×10²⁴, 3.0×10²⁴, 1.5×10²⁴ (ions/m³), respectively, the signals at 1470, 1530, 1600 nm may be nearly equally amplified with gain of 11–12.0 dB in the active fiber with length of 11.0 m, and the signals at 1310, 1470 and 1600 nm windows may be nearly equally amplified with gain of 12.0 dB in the active gain medium with length of 15.0 m. With pump power of 300 mW, the signals at 1470, 1530, 1600 nm may be nearly equally amplified with a gain of 16.0 dB in the active medium with a length of 15.0 m.     

Visualization of 2-μm radiation by BiF<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Ho<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and BiF<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Ho<Superscript>3+</Superscript>/Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript> ceramics

A series of ceramic samples of the compositions BiF₃:1%Ho³⁺, BiF₃:4%Ho³⁺, BiF₃:1%Ho³⁺ + 1%Yb³⁺, and BiF₃:1%Ho³⁺ + 3%Yb³⁺ is synthesized and the conversion of Tm:YLF laser radiation (λ = 1908 nm) is studied. The luminescence spectra exhibit bands in the regions of 490, 545, and 650 nm. The kinetic measurements of the afterglow of the green and red bands show that the population of the ⁵S₂ and ⁵F₄ states in the BiF₃:1%Ho³⁺ samples occurs due to successive absorption of excitation photons, while the ⁵F₅ level of Ho³⁺ is populated due to the ion–ion interaction. Codoping with Yb³⁺ leads to a decrease in the visualization threshold power density to 2 W/cm².     

Photoluminescence of sol–gel-derived Y<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript> thin-film phosphors with Mg<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and Al<Superscript>3+</Superscript> co-doping

Red-light-emitting Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ thin-film phosphors were synthesized using a sol–gel process. The effect of Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ co-dopants on the Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ thin-film phosphor photoluminescence (PL) property was investigated. At a certain concentration, both Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ co-dopants were found to further enhance the PL emission intensity of Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ thin-film phosphors. The optimum PL emission intensity was observed in Y₂O₃:12%Eu³⁺, 7%Mg²⁺ and Y₂O₃:12%Eu³⁺, 2%Al³⁺ phosphor films. From our results, the enhancement of the emission intensity by the Mg²⁺ and Al³⁺ co-dopants is explained in terms of the creation of defect states near the Y(4d+5s) conduction band, which overlap with the Eu³⁺ charge-transfer state (CTS). The overlapping leads to CTS broadening and consequently induces higher absorption and hence an increase of the emission intensity. From X-ray diffraction results, we have found that there is no additional phase formed in the co-doped phosphor films. PACS 68.55.Ln; 78.55.-m; 81.20.Fw     

Lead−barium fluoroborate glass ceramics doped with Nd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> or Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript>

Lead?barium fluoroborate glasses in the PbF₂–BaF₂–B₂O₃, PbF₂–BaO–B₂O₃, and PbO_– BaF₂–B₂O₃ systems doped with rare-earth ions (Nd³⁺ or Er³⁺) are synthesized and studied. It is shown that, based on these glasses, it is possible to produce transparent glass ceramics with fluoride crystalline phases, including ceramics with one crystalline phase of the fluorite structure. The spectral and luminescent properties of the doped glasses, glass ceramics, and polycrystalline complex fluorides containing Pb, Ba, and rare ions are studied.     

Visible upconversion and infrared luminescence investigations of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> powders doped with Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript>, Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Zn<Superscript>2+</Superscript> ions

Alumina (Al₂O₃) powders doped with Er³⁺, Yb³⁺ and Zn²⁺ ions have been prepared by a low-temperature combustion synthesis technique. The phase purity and crystalline structure of the combustion products are confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction. An efficient frequency upconversion in the visible region and the emission in the infrared (IR) region respectively corresponding to the ²H_11/2, ⁴S_3/2→⁴I_15/2, ⁴F_9/2→⁴I_15/2 and ⁴I_13/2→⁴I_15/2 transitions upon direct excitation with a CW laser lasing at ∼980 nm are discussed. The enhancement observed in the intensity of the upconversion emission bands in the visible region and the emission band in the IR region due to the presence of Yb³⁺ and Zn²⁺ in Er³⁺:Al₂O₃ powders is reported and explained in detail.     

Hyperfine Interactions in Pb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>F<Stack><Subscript>8</Subscript><Superscript>−</Superscript></Stack>F<Stack><Subscript>a</Subscript><Superscript>−</Superscript></Stack> clusters in fluorite crystals

The parameters of hyperfine interactions in Pb³⁺F ₈ ^? F _a ^? tetragonal clusters of MeF₂ crystals (Me=Ca, Sr, Ba) are interpreted. The contributions of the spin polarization to the parameters of the proper hyperfine interaction and additional (ligand) hyperfine interactions are calculated in the approximation of weak binding between a charge-compensating ion F _a ^? and a cubic fragment in the tetragonal cluster. It is demonstrated that correct inclusion of the contributions from the spin polarization to the ligand isotropic hyperfine interaction for the F _a ^? ion leads to anomalously large parameters of this interaction for MeF₂ crystals. These results are in agreement with experimental data.     

Enhancing up conversion luminescence effect of β-NaYF<Subscript>4</Subscript>: Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript> by Li<Superscript>+</Superscript> ion doped approach

Up-conversion (UC) is a photoluminescence process which converts few low energy photons to a higher energy photon. This process has more potential usages in many different fields like bioimaging, solar spectrum tuning, and security encoding. Nowadays, researches about UC mostly focusing on biomedical signory and synthesis of nanoparticles. The synthesis of NaYF₄ nanoparticles executed under series of pH value condition results in different morphology and photoluminescence effect. Samples in low pH value created better consequent and quality than the specimen which had higher pH value. In addition, we observed NaYF₄ samples of doping Li⁺, realizing that the action of distorting in the local symmetry around rare-earth ions is caused by Li⁺ doping. The NaYF₄ microparticles which doped higher concentration of Li⁺ has strong fluorescence properties and intensities compared with their corresponding group of Li⁺-free, the blue emission 479 nm luminescence intensities and 454 nm luminescence intensities in NaYF₄:Yb³⁺, Tm³⁺ microparticles doped 20 mol% Li⁺ are enhanced 3 and 8 times, separately. And violet emission luminescence intensities around 345 and 360 nm are about 10 and 7 times, respectively. The result indicated that the improved UC luminescence of NaYF₄:Yb³⁺. Tm³⁺ microparticles with Li⁺ doping have potentially applications.     

Mössbauer study of copper ferrite diluted by Ga<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Al<Superscript>3+</Superscript> ions

Mössbauer spectra of the CuGa _x Al_2x Fe_{2 ? 3x} O₄ system (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) have been studied at a temperature of 295 K. The results obtained are compared with Mössbauer data for the CuGa _x Al _x Fe_2?2x O₄ system. It is established that the hyperfine magnetic fields H _B (for octahedral sites) and H _A (for tetrahedral sites) for ferrites in both systems with ferrimagnetic ordering decrease linearly depending on the total number of nonmagnetic ions in octahedral and tetrahedral sites of the two systems.     

Anti-Stokes Luminescence in LiYF<Subscript>4</Subscript>:Ho<Superscript>3+</Superscript>, Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript> Ceramics Excited at 1.93 μm

Conversion of IR radiation of a Tm:YAP laser with a wavelength of 1930 nm into visible light by ceramics of composition LiY_(1–x–y) Ho _x Yb _y , where х = 1–5 mol % and y = 0–15 mol %, is demonstrated. It is shown that the threshold power density of IR light visualization decreases with increasing concentration of Ho³⁺ ions, while additional doping of ceramic samples with Yb³⁺ ions changes the anti-Stokes luminescence spectrum. The threshold power density of visualization of the Tm:YAP laser radiation decreases with increasing concentration of holmium ions and is I_thr ≈ 0.8 W cm^–2 in the samples of composition LiYF₄:5%Ho³⁺–15%Yb³⁺.     

The evaluation of the branching ratios of the decays φ(1020)→2π<Superscript>+</Superscript>2π<Superscript>−</Superscript>π<Superscript>0</Superscript>, π<Superscript>+</Superscript>π<Superscript>−</Superscript>3π<Superscript>0</Superscript>

Combining the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule in the decay φ→ρπ→π⁺π^?π⁰ with the ρ→4π decay amplitudes, we calculate the φ→2π⁺2π^?π⁰ and φ→π⁺π^?3π⁰ ones. The partial widths of the above φ decays are evaluated, and the excitation curves in e⁺e^? annihilation are obtained, assuming reasonable particular relations among the parameters characterizing the anomalous terms of the HLS Lagrangian. The evaluated branching ratios B_φ→π⁺_π^?_3π⁰ ≈ 2 × 10^?7 and B_φ→2π⁺_2π^?_π⁰ ≈ 7 × 10^?7 are such that, with the luminosity L=500 pb^?1 attained at DAΦNE φ factory, one may already possess about 1685 events of the decays φ→5π.     

Potential energy of <Superscript>∞</Superscript>H<Stack><Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>-</Superscript></Stack>(<Superscript>2</Superscript>∑<Stack><Subscript>u</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> in the bound-state region

An accurate calculation of the lowest negative electronic state of H ₂ ^- (fixed nuclei) is reported using the CCSD(T) method and doubly augmented cc-pv5z basis set. Comparison has been made with the reference data by Senekowitsch et al. [Chem. Phys. Lett. 111 (1984) 211]. Owing to larger size of the basisset and inclusion of triple excitations, no vertical shift in this work is necessary to reproduce the asymptotics of H + H ^-. In addition, the effect of basis-set truncation is estimated, based on the complete-basis-set extrapolation method. The contribution of correlated electron-proton motion to the electron-energy curve for H₂ ^– dynamics is pointed out.Dedicated to Prof. Jií Horáek on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Cooperative downconversion and near-infrared luminescence of Tb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>–Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript> codoped lanthanum borogermanate glasses

In the present paper, we investigate the near-infrared (NIR) luminescence of Tb³⁺–Yb³⁺ codoped lanthanum borogermanate (LBG) glasses under visible and ultraviolet light excitation. The results indicate that NIR quantum cutting occurs through cooperative energy transfer from Tb³⁺ to Yb³⁺ ions when only 4f ⁸ levels of Tb³⁺ ions are excited in the wavelength region of 300–490 nm. The highest quantum efficiency under the excitation ⁵ D ₄ level of Tb³⁺ at 484 nm is 146%. Ultraviolet excitation that populates the charge transfer band (CTB) of Yb³⁺ near 270 nm does not result in quantum cutting as the fast nonradiative decay from CTB to ² F _5/2 level dominates. These materials are expected to be used as a converting layer for silicon solar cells to enhance their efficiency by splitting each high-energy photon into two NIR photons.     

Ionoluminescence of Eu<Superscript>2+</Superscript>–Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript> clusters in NaF: Eu single crystals

The radiation-impurity modification of NaF: Eu crystals results in the formation of optically active planar heterostructures with a complex set of luminescence centers, including, in particular, clusters of the Eu²⁺–Eu³⁺ type. The luminescence spectra of Eu²⁺–Eu³⁺ centers exhibit bands at wavelengths of 409 and 442 nm, which are associated with Eu²⁺ ions in nonequivalent crystallographic positions, and a band at a wavelength of 610 nm, which is attributed to Eu³⁺ ions. The luminescence spectra of irradiated NaF: Eu samples contain a broad band with a maximum at 506 nm due to the presence of F₂ + F ₊ ³ color centers in the crystal.     

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of amorphous nickel hydroxide codoped with Fe<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and CO<Stack><Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>2−</Superscript></Stack>

Amorphous nickel hydroxide codoped with Fe³⁺ and CO₃²⁻ was synthesized by micro-emulsion precipitation method combined with rapid freezing technique. The microstructure and composition of the sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction and IR analysis. The electrochemical performance of the sample was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and charge–discharge tests. The results showed that the Fe³⁺ and CO₃²⁻ codoping enhances the amorphous feature of the prepared nickel hydroxide. Moreover, the Fe³⁺ and CO₃²⁻ codoping could increase the specific capacity and improve the electrochemical reversibility of the amorphous nickel hydroxide electrode.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">J</Emphasis><Superscript>π</Superscript>0<Superscript>−</Superscript> levels in <Superscript>156</Superscript>Gd and <Superscript>158</Superscript>Gd

The 0^? states in the ¹⁵⁶Gd nucleus at E = 1952.38 keV and in the ¹⁵⁸Gd nucleus at E = 2269.16 keV are established on the basis of an analysis of available data on even-even deformed nuclei. From data on the deexcitation of the levels and on the probability of their population by beta transitions, it is found that these states have a two-particle proton structure. A comparison of our data with information about the 0^? levels in the ¹⁷⁰Yb and ¹⁷⁶Hf nuclei makes it possible to conclude that J^π0^? two-particle states exist at an excitation energy of about 2 MeV and higher.     

Hydrothermal synthesis,characterization, and luminescence of Ca<Subscript>2</Subscript>B<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript>:RE (RE = Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript>, Tb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>, Dy<Superscript>3+</Superscript>) nanofibers

Ca₂B₂O₅:RE (RE = Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, Dy³⁺) nanofibers were synthesized by the hydrothermal reaction method. The structural refinement was conducted on the base of the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) measurements. The surface properties of the Ca₂B₂O₅:RE (RE = Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, Dy³⁺) nanofibers were investigated by the measurements such as the scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the energy dispersive spectrum (EDS). The nanofiber has a diameter of about 100 nm and a length of several micrometers. The luminescence properties such as photoluminescence excitation (PLE) and emission spectra (PL), decay lifetime, color coordinates, and the absolute internal quantum efficiency (QE) were reported. Ca₂B₂O₅:Eu³⁺ nanofibers show the red luminescence with CIE coordinates of (x = 0.41, y = 0.51) and the luminescence lifetime of 0.63 ms. The luminescence of Ca₂B₂O₅:Tb³⁺ nanofibers is green color (x = 0.29, y = 0.53) with the lifetime of 2.13 ms. However, Dy³⁺-doped Ca₂B₂O₅ nanofibers present a single-phase white-color phosphor with the fluorescence decay of 3.05 ms. Upon near-UV excitation, the absolute quantum efficiency is measured to be 65, 35, and 37 % for Eu³⁺-, Tb³⁺-, Dy³⁺-doped Ca₂B₂O₅ nanofibers, respectively. It is suggested that Ca₂B₂O₅:RE (RE = Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, Dy³⁺) nanofibers could be an efficient phosphor for lighting and display.     

Two photons into π<Superscript>0</Superscript>π<Superscript>0</Superscript>

We perform a theoretical study based on dispersion relations of the reaction γγ → π ⁰ π ⁰ emphasizing the low-energy region. We discuss how the ƒ ⁰(980) signal emerges in γγ → ππ within the dispersive approach and how this fixes to a large extent the phase of the isoscalar S-wave γγ → ππ amplitude above the threshold. This allows us to make sharper predictions for the cross-section at lower energies and our results could then be used to distinguish between different ππ isoscalar S-wave parameterizations with the advent of new precise data on ππ → π ⁰ π ⁰. We compare our dispersive approach with an updated calculation employing the unitary chiral perturbation theory (U _gC PT). We also pay special attention to the role played by the σ-resonance in γγ → ππ and calculate its coupling and width to γγ, for which we obtain Γ(σ → γγ) = (1.68 ± 0.15) keV.     

Asymptotic three-particle approach to the Coulomb breakup process <Superscript>6</Superscript>Li + <Superscript>208</Superscript>Pb → <Superscript>208</Superscript>Pb + α + <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis>

On the basis of the distorted-wave method, experimental data on the triple-differential cross section for the Coulomb breakup reaction ²⁰⁸Pb(⁶Li, αd)²⁰⁸Pb are analyzed by employing a correct expression for the final-state ²⁰⁸Pb–α–d three-particle Coulomb wave function. It is shown that the effect of final-state three-particle Coulomb dynamics can be used to assess the kinematical condition of clean Coulomb breakup processes. New values of the astrophysical S factor for the direct-radiative-capture reaction d(α, γ)⁶Li at ultralow energies in the range of 70 ≤ E _dα ≤ 600 keV were extracted from experimental data. The value of S(0) = 1.60 ± 0.17 MeV nb was obtained.     

Blue upconversion emission from Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript> sensitized by Nd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> in aluminum oxide crystalline ceramic powders

Upconversion (UC) emission in thulium (Tm³⁺) and neodymium (Nd³⁺) co-doped aluminum oxide ceramic powders prepared by combustion synthesis was investigated at room temperature using a continuous wave laser operating at 800 nm. Our sample containing Tm³⁺ (1 wt.%) did not show any UC emission but our sample co-doped with Tm³⁺ and Nd³⁺ in 1:2 wt.% proportion presented blue (∼480 nm) UC intensity more than one order of magnitude larger than our sample co-doped with Tm³⁺ and Nd³⁺ in 1:1 wt.% proportion. X-ray diffraction data showed the presence of α-Al₂O₃ and REAlO₃ (RE=Tm or Nd) crystalline phases in co-doped powders, while the singly doped powder has only α-Al₂O₃ phase. Our results show that the UC emission efficiency of Tm³⁺ and the host crystalline structure can be tailored by manipulating the Nd³⁺ doping concentration.