New developments in X-ray storage phosphors

We found a significant PSL effect in Eu²⁺-doped fluorozirconate glasses (ZBLAN) which were additionally doped with Br⁻ or Cl⁻ ions. The PSL is attributed to the characteristic emission of Eu²⁺ present in nano-crystallites of BaBr₂ or BaCl₂, which form in the glass upon annealing. The metastable hexagonal form of BaX₂ (X=Br,Cl) is always formed first before it is converted into the stable orthorhombic form. The particle size increases upon annealing and so does the PSL efficiency of the glass ceramic. However, there is a saturation of the PSL efficiency, which is for Br⁻ doping about 9% and for Cl⁻-doping about 80% of the Eu-doped BaFBr standard. The particle size was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM results show a clear tendency for bigger particles for longer annealing at the expense of its number. The particle size for the most efficient phosphor is about 100 nm.     

Optical properties of a high-efficiency glass ceramic X-ray storage phosphor

The turbidity, photoluminescence, and photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL) of fluorozirconate glass containing barium chloride nano- and micro-crystals have been measured for samples prepared by isochronal (70 min) annealing over a temperature range of 220–283°C, and correlated with the microstructure as determined by X-ray diffraction measurements. Crystallization of hexagonal phase barium chloride commences at around 220°C, but until 275°C the material retains excellent transparency although it displays negligible PSL. Between 275°C and 277°C, the hexagonal phase converts to the orthorhombic phase, the transparency abruptly decreases, and the PSL rises to a value of around 13% of that found for the commercial storage phosphor BaFBr:Eu. For a slightly higher temperature of 280°C, new phases appear which correspond to the onset of bulk crystallization, and at 283°C the relative PSL rises to 33%, while the transparency falls further. The trade-off between optical transparency and PSL over this narrow temperature window for X-ray imaging plate applications is briefly discussed.     

Photoluminescence and photostimulated luminescence in the X-ray storage phosphor BaBr2 doped with cerium

In orthorhombic BaBr₂ : Ce³⁺ two kinds of luminescence bands at room temperature have been attributed to charge-compensated Ce³⁺ centres. One type was associated with potassium (or some other monovalent cation) on a neighbouring Ba site and another one associated with an unidentified defect. A third kind of emission, observed only as low temperature photoluminescence (PL), is ascribed to isolated Ce³⁺ ions. The charge-compensated Ce³⁺ complexes are active both in PL and photostimulated luminescence (PSL) following X-ray irradiation. The PSL is nearly as efficient as in the case of the commercially used X-ray storage phosphor BaFBr:Eu²⁺. The X-ray induced electrons are trapped in F-type centres whose band position is characteristic for the nearby Ce complex. As shown by the fingerprint character of the PSL itself, the hole partner in the recombination is also associated or identical with the same Ce complex.     

Photostimulated luminescence in BaX 2 :Eu 2+ (X=Br,Cl) X-ray storage phosphors

The photostimulated luminescence (PSL) effect in BaX 2 :Eu 2+ (X=Br, Cl) is comparable to that observed in BaFBr:Eu 2+ which is used in commercial X-ray storage phosphor screens. After X-irradiation the PSL stimulation spectra of BaX 2 :Eu 2+ (X=Br, Cl) single crystals are identical to the F centre absorption spectra, i.e. the F centres are the PSL-active electron trap centres. The nature of the hole centres is still unknown. The PSL response time of about 0.70 v s is within experimental error of 0.02 v s identical to the Eu 2+ radiative lifetime, whereas in BaCl 2 :Eu 2+ the PSL response time is 0.60 v s, and thus longer than the Eu 2+ radiative lifetime of 0.47 v s.     

Magnetic circularly polarized X-ray excited optical luminescence (MCP-XEOL)

Abstract

We present recent experimental results of magnetically induced circular polarization of X-ray excited optical luminescence of paramagnetic rare-earth ions. X-ray excitation offers not only the valuable advantage of a high quantum yield but also eliminates the contamination of the luminescence signal with scattered excitation light. These combined advantages allowed us to record MCP-XEOL spectra from a thin layer of powdered samples whereas all previous MCPL experiments were inherently restricted to single crystalline samples or homogeneous liquid solutions.     

Exploring nanomagnetism with soft X-ray microscopy

Magnetic soft X-ray microscopy images magnetism in nanoscale systems with a spatial resolution down to 15 nm provided by state-of-the-art Fresnel zone plate optics. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (X-MCD) is used as the element-specific magnetic contrast mechanism similar to photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), however, with volume sensitivity and the ability to record the images in varying applied magnetic fields which allows study of magnetization reversal processes at fundamental length scales. Utilizing a stroboscopic pump-probe scheme one can investigate fast spin dynamics with a time resolution down to 70 ps which gives access to precessional and relaxation phenomena as well as spin torque driven domain wall dynamics in nanoscale systems. Current developments in zone plate optics aim for a spatial resolution towards 10 nm and at next generation X-ray sources a time resolution in the fs regime can be envisioned.     

Studying nanomagnets and magnetic heterostructures with X-ray PEEM at the Swiss Light Source

Polarization dependent X-ray absorption spectroscopy and microscopy enables the element selective investigation of magnetic systems at the nanoscale. At the Swiss Light Source a photoemission electron microscope is used for the study of a broad variety of systems. Here, a review of recent activities is presented with a focus on instrumental and analytical developments. A new procedure for the 3 dimensional determination of the magnetization vector has been developed, and is demonstrated for GdFeCo microstructures displaying in-plane and out-of-plane domains, and sub-20 nm Fe nanoparticles. The recent progress for measurements in applied magnetic fields is presented and a new set-up for time-resolved measurements employing femtosecond laser pulses is described.     

Crystal-Size Dependence of Replenishment Effect in BaFBr:Eu

Excitation spectra of photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL) in BaFBr:Eu and BaFBr:Eu ? Na crystals were studied. Replenishment of PSL at liquid helium temperature was investigated in crystals of various sizes including a commercially available X-ray storage phosphor plate (Image Plate). Although a weak replenishment effect was observed in the fine powder crystals, no replenishment effects were observed in Image Plate, while it showed strong PSL at liquid helium temperature. Results indicate that there are two types of PSL centers, one consists of spatially correlated electrons and holes and the other consists of electrons and holes trapped at isolated centers. Lack of the replenishment effect in Image Plate indicates that trapped electrons are stabilized by the surface and need thermal activation to recombine with holes which are possibly trapped at doped Eu^2?.     

Red-shift in the photostimulation of the X-ray storage phosphor RbBr:Ga+

Abstract

By means of magnetic circular dichroism of the optical absorption and photostimulated luminescence (PSL) the X-ray induced formation of F_A and F centres in RbBr:(Ga⁺, Li⁺) was investigated. It turnes out that RbBr:Ga⁺ co-doped with 1% Li⁺ in the melt reveals the largest red-shift of the PSL excitation bands to 790 nm, whereby the F_A to F ratio increases up to about 10% with decreasing X-ray dose. This is more than statistically expected (6%). High X-ray doses destroy F_A centres. However, up to 15% of the simultaneously generated F centres could be converted into the F_A species by appropriate bleaching with 633 nm light into the F centre absorption band.     

ODEPR of indium colour centres in the X- irradiated storage phosphor KBr:In

Abstract

The results of measurements of the magnetic circular dichroism of the optical absorption (MCDA) and optically detected electron paramagnetic resonance (ODEPR) of X-irradiated KBr:In crystals are presented. The MCDA bands and ODEPR parameters of In°(1) centers and In²⁺ centres have been measured. The mechanism of the energy storage in KBr:In crystals is found not to be simply the formation of correlated F centre-In²⁺ centre pairs as was assumed previously. Considerable similarities to the storage phosphor BaFBr:Eu²⁺ were found for the photostimulated emission and read-out properties.     

Soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism of Cr-doped GaN

Soft X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) have been measured for the Ga_0.97Cr_0.03N film grown by NH₃-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Temperature dependence of the XMCD intensity was well described by the Curie–Weiss law. Although the sample showed ferromagnetic behavior at least up to room temperature, the ferromagnetic component could not be detected by the XMCD measurement.     

Magnetism at spinel thin film interfaces probed through soft X-ray spectroscopy techniques

Magnetic order and coupling at the interfaces of highly spin polarized Fe₃O₄ heterostructures have been determined by surface sensitive and element specific soft X-ray spectroscopy and spectro-microscopy techniques. At ambient temperature, the interface between paramagnetic CoCr₂O₄ or MnCr₂O₄ and ferrimagnetic Fe₃O₄ isostructural bilayers exhibits long range magnetic order of Co, Mn and Cr cations which cannot be explained in terms of the formation of interfacial MnFe₂O₄ or CoFe₂O₄. Instead, the ferrimagnetism is induced by the adjacent Fe₃O₄ layer and is the result of the stabilization of a spinel phase not achievable in bulk form. Magnetism at the interface region is observable up to 500 K, far beyond the chromite bulk Curie temperature of 50-95 K.     

同步辐射X射线磁二色性在自旋电子学研究中的应用

文章对同步辐射X射线磁圆二色谱和X射线磁线二色谱的独特优点进行了综合分析,并通过一些典型应用实例说明同步辐射磁性测量技术具有元素分辨能力、高灵敏度、纳米量级空间分辨能力和皮秒量级时间分辨能力,并可用于测量铁磁性和反铁磁性,因而在自旋电子学材料和器件研究领域具有广泛的应用前景.     

利用X射线磁性圆二色吸收谱计算3d过渡族磁性原子的轨道和自旋磁矩

在4个方面研究了实验数据的预处理和应用加和定则中的问题.1)外磁场对样品电流法测量的吸收谱强度的影响.发现外磁场H<200×10^-4T时，信号强度正比于H^-β；当H>200×10^-4T时，尽管外磁场继续增加，但信号强度基本保持不变.2)不同方向的电磁铁剩磁会导致吸收谱的分离.这种分离与入射光的偏振态和样品的磁性无关，可以通过乘以一个常数很好地消除这种分离.3)通过XPSPEAK 4.1对实验数据拟合，写出了吸收谱的解析函数.利用解析函数的积分值，建立一种相对“客观"的标准，判断在一定的实验条件下，不同的数值积分方法的准确性.4)以误差函数作为吸收谱的背景函数，建立了一套完整的X射线磁性圆二色的数据处理方法.最后用Bode积分法计算出20nm厚Co膜的轨道和自旋磁矩分别为0.141μ_B和1.314μ_B. 关键词： X射线磁性圆二色 加和定则 台阶函数 吸收谱拟合     

样品电流模式下外磁场引起的X射线吸收谱强度变化

在用样品电流模式的测量过程中发现，磁场强度、磁场与样品表面的夹角以及光斑在样品表面的位置都会对吸收谱强度产生影响；在光斑、磁场和样品的不同几何配置下,测量并分析了表面均匀氧化的铝箔中氧的K边吸收谱，指出外磁场下吸收谱强度随各种条件变化的趋势，并对实验结果给出了合理解释；结果表明所用的模型分析与实验数据符合得很好；所得到的信息对于XMCD实验的设计安排、相应数据的分析以及物理信息的提取具有重要意义.     

Micromagnetic analysis of unusual, V-shaped domain transitions in MnAs nanowires

V-shaped domain transitions in α‐MnAs nanowires were investigated by micromagnetic simulations. These rather unusual domain patterns are commonly observed experimentally by surface-sensitive magnetic imaging techniques. It has been speculated that the accompanying inclined domain walls in MnAs are the result of either an exchange biasing effect between ferromagnetic α‐MnAs wires and antiferromagnetic β‐MnAs wires or possibly due to competing exchange mechanisms in MnAs. Here we present evidence that these domain features are in fact transitions between three-dimensional flux-closure domains of opposite chirality and can therefore rule out the involvement of an antiferromagnetic biasing effect or anisotropic exchange. The formation of the energetically unfavorable V-shaped domain transitions is discussed in the context of the magneto-structural phase transition of the sample.     

X-ray dichroism in biaxial gyrotropic media: Differential absorption and fluorescence excitation spectra

The differential absorption and the differential change in the polarization state of an X-ray beam propagating inside a gyrotropic crystal are described using a Müller matrix, the 16 elements of which are related to the anisotropic components of the multipolar polarizability tensors at the absorbing site. Analytical expressions are given up to third order for X-ray linear and circular dichroism, X-ray optical rotation and X-ray circular polarimetry in transmission. The same formalism is extended to discuss Fluorescence detected dichroism spectra with or without polarization analysis of the fluorescence. Fluorescence detected dichroism is strictly proportional to dichroism measured in the transmission geometry only for uniaxial crystals. In biaxial crystals, the tiny effects of X-ray gyrotropy are swamped by large linear dichroism signals due to the imperfect polarization transfer function of Bragg monochromators. Second order effects should also be taken into consideration. Our general formulation of linear and circular dichroism includes terms of odd parity with respect to the action of the time reversal operator: such terms cannot contribute to natural dichroism but can be activated by a magnetic field. The terms responsible for X-ray magnetic circular dichroism are well known but non-reciprocal X-ray gyrotropy effects are also predicted in magnetic crystals of appropriate symmetry. Received 3 March 1999