Preparation of Nd:Y3Al5O12 nanocrystals by low temperature glycol route

Y₃Al₅O₁₂, yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) single crystals are extensively used as host materials for solid‐state lasers. The materials in nano sizes are of immense importance due to their fascinating physical and chemical properties. Nanocrystals of Nd doped YAG were synthesized by low temperature glycol route. This method consists of a mixing of nitrates in an aqueous media at reasonably low temperatures. The Nd doping concentration was optimized and kept at 2 mol%. The prepared material was annealed at different temperatures. Single phase Nd:YAG nanocrystals were obtained at 850 °C. The prepared nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM techniques for the crystalline phase, crystalline size and structure. The crystalline sizes were obtained in the range of ∼20–30 nm. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth imperfections in oriented grown KDP crystals by X‐ray topographic analysis

Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals were restrained to grow in two dimensions only, using a specially designed platform. This enables us to grow the blanks of frequency conversion elements that satisfy type‐II phase matching direction out of a type‐II phase‐matched seed crystal. Synchrotron radiation topography was used to study the growth mechanism of these profiling grown KDP crystals. It is found that both dislocation growth mechanism and layer growth mechanism were involved in the growing process. Inclusions, growth striations and dislocations were the main defects that influenced the crystalline quality of these crystals. High‐resolution X‐ray diffraction was employed to study the lattice integrality of the crystal.     

Investigation on the regeneration of Z‐cut KDP crystals

The regeneration of Z‐cut KDP crystals is explored by analyzing the growth of thin surface layers formed. The structural defects and crystalline perfection of the thin surface layers are evaluated by white‐beam synchrotron radiation topography and high‐resolution X‐Ray diffraction respectively. It shows that the thin surface layers have the same crystal structure as KDP crystal. There are large numbers of defects in thin surface layers and the crystalline quality is very poor. The growth velocity of thin surface layers is firstly accurately measured by a newly‐designed in‐situ crystal growth observation setup. It is found that the growth velocity of the thin surface layers strongly depends on the flow rate of the growth solution. The hindering effect of pyrophosphate (K₄P₂O₇) on the growth of the thin surface layers is discussed. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Recharging processes of Cr ions in Mg2SiO4 and Y3Al5O12 crystals under influence of annealing and γ ‐ irradiation

Recharging processes of chromium ions were investigated for Mg₂SiO₄:Mg, Cr single crystals using annealing in O₂ and in air and γ‐irradiation, as compare to YAG :Ca, Cr single crystals. The formation of tetravalent Cr ions in the Mg₂SiO₄ :Mg, Cr is related not only to the initial Cr content in the melt, oxygen partial pressure and O₂‐ vacancy existing in the crystal, but also to the external field such as γ‐irradiation. The additional absorption after γ‐irradiation shows the decrease in intensity of the absorption of Cr³⁺ and Cr⁴⁺ ions in some part of the spectrum and increase in the other giving evidence on recharging effects between Cr³⁺ and Cr⁴⁺. There arises also color centers observed between 380 nm and 570 nm that may participate in energy transfer of any excitation to Cr⁴⁺ giving rise to Cr⁴⁺ emission. Opposite to forsterite crystal, absorption spectrum of YAG:Ca, Cr crystal after γ‐irradiation reveals only increase in the absorption of the Cr bands. The observed behavior of the absorption spectrum of YAG:Ca, Cr crystal under influence of γ‐irradiation suggests that γ‐irradiation ionizes only Cr ions. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Real Structure of LiB3O5 (LBO) Crystals Grown in Li2O‐B2O3‐MoO3 System

The liquidus surface structure and field of LiB₃O₅ (LBO) primary crystallization have been revealed in Li₂O‐B₂O₃ ‐MoO₃ ternary system. The optimization of charge composition and growth conditions results in large volume optical quality LBO single crystals yielding. Crystallographic properties and real defect structure of grown LBO single crystals have been investigated by X‐ray powder diffraction method and X‐ray reflection topography. The volume of the crystals is partly free of any structural imperfections.     

X‐ray Topographic Characterization of L‐Arginine Phosphate Monohydrate Crystals

L‐arginine phosphate monohydrate (LAP) organic crystals were investigated by X‐ray Lang topography. Selected topographs of nearly perfect seeded grown and self‐nucleated crystals show that typical defects inside are grown‐in and post‐growth dislocations, growth sector boundaries, and microbes, while their features are presented and discussed. No structural defects associated to the presence of step bunching on the (100) surface of the crystal have been observed by X‐ray topography.     

Crystal growth of zirconium‐doped KTiOPO4 crystals in the K2O‐P2O5‐TiO2‐ZrF4 system

Zirconium‐doped KTiOPO₄ (KTP) crystals were grown using a high temperature flux method in the K₂O‐P₂O₅‐TiO₂‐ZrF₄ system. The dopant content in the single crystals with general composition KTi_1‐xZr_xOPO₄ (where x = 0 – 0.026) strongly depends on zirconium concentration in the homogeneous melts. AES‐ICP method and X‐ray fluorescence analysis were used to determine the composition of the obtained crystals. Phase analyses of the products were performed using the powder XRD. The structures of KTiOPO₄ containing different quantities of Zr were refined on the basis of single crystal XRD data. Applying ZrF₄ precursor for zirconium injection into the flux allowed growing the zirconium‐doped KTP crystals at 930–750°C. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

X‐ray Diffraction Topography at a Synchrotron Radiation Source Applied to the Study of Bonded Silicon on Insulator Material

New possibilities of X‐ray diffraction topography offered by the modern synchrotron radiation sources for the investigation of wafer‐bonded material are demonstrated. They allowed detecting defects and long‐range strain fields at and close to the bonding interface. A quantitative estimation of the deformation of the region near to the bonding interface was possible e.g. by investigating focussing distances and dominant spatial frequencies of contrast patterns (often in the order of 200 μm). In typical wafer bonded material the maximum bonding‐induced inclination of the lattice planes was in the order of 10 arcsec and the approximate amplitude of the deformation in the order of 1.5 nm. The sensitivity of the presented methods to characterize the influence of various process parameters was demonstrated.     

Magnetic properties and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy of nanocrystalline Ho3Al5O12

Nanocrystalline holmium aluminium garnet (Ho₃Al₅O₁₂) has been prepared for the first time by modified Pechini's reaction after sintering the precursor gel at 1223 K. The nanomaterial has been characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The XRD pattern confirms the formation of single‐phase Ho₃Al₅O₁₂; the average size of the nanoparticles has also been determined. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to study the chemical composition and bonding in the as‐prepared samples. The binding energies of core‐level electrons in Ho, Al and O in the title material have been found slightly shifted compared to the values of the respective elements. DC magnetic susceptibility has been measured in the temperature range 2 – 260 K. Low effective magnetic moment of Ho³⁺, μ_eff = 1.35 µ_B and Weiss constant have been derived from the inverse magnetic susceptibility–temperature linear plot. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Re‐Investigation of the Structure of 7Bi2O3 · 2WO3 by Single‐Crystal X‐ray Diffraction

The structure of the oxygen‐deficient compound 7Bi₂O₃ · 2WO₃, a fluorite‐derivative phase considered a candidate for electronic applications because of its high ionic conductivity, is investigated by singlecrystal X‐Ray diffraction employing Ag‐Kα radiation (λ = 0.5608 Å) to minimize the effect of the absorption by the heavy metals. The space‐group type is I4₁, the acentric subgroup of I4₁/a that was previously suggested from powder‐diffraction data and precession‐camera photographs. Lattice parameters are a = 12.513(2), c = 11.231(4) (Z = 2.5). The sample is twinned by syngonic merohedry, class I, with volume ratio of the individuals 0.58/0.42. The ordering of W partly confirms previous models, with one W fully occupying one of the sites on special position. However, the remaining W goes in a site on general position, which shares with Bi, resulting thus more diluted in the structure. The oxygen vacancies are partly ordered in three of the ten anion sites.     

Preparation of Y3Al5O12 nanocrystals by low temperature glycol route

Yttrium aluminum garnet, Y₃Al₅O₁₂ (YAG) nanocrystals were synthesized by low temperature glycol method. This is a modified sol–gel method performed at low temperature that consists of a mixture of salts, mostly nitrates in an aqueous media. Single phase nanocrystalline YAG was obtained at 850°C, which is much lower than others such as wet‐chemical techniques. The structural characterization is done by XRD and transmission electron microscopy. The crystallite size range from 20‐50 nm was observed for the materials prepared at 850‐ 950°C. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Solvothermal synthesis and structural characterization of unfilled and Yb‐filled cobalt antimony skutterudite

Unfilled and ytterbium (Yb)‐filled cobalt antimony (CoSb₃) nanoparticles were synthesized via solvothermal route using sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) as a reducing agent. The effect of various amounts of sodium borohydride on the formation of as‐synthesized CoSb₃ nanoparticles with pure phase was investigated. It is found that a sufficient amount of NaBH₄ was required in order to form pure phase CoSb₃. In addition, the effect of annealing time and temperature on the phase transformation of the as‐prepared non‐pure phase CoSb₃ sample was also investigated. It is found that annealing at 500 °C for 5 h would eliminate those non‐CoSb₃ phases and result in pure cubic skutterudite phase CoSb₃. Structural characterization of the as‐prepared unfilled and Yb‐filled nanoparticles was carried out with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which revealed the formation of highly crystalline cubic phase of skutterudite Yb‐filled CoSb₃. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) confirmed the presence of ytterbium in the Yb‐filled CoSb₃ samples.     

Quantitative Determination of Crystalline Na5P3O10 –I (Form‐I) in Commercial Tripolyphosphate using X‐ray Diffraction Patterns

An x‐ray diffraction method (XRD) for quantitative determination of the crystalline Na₅P₃O₁₀‐I (Form‐I) in a mixture of Form‐I/Form‐II was applied for commercial pentasodium tripolyphosphate analysis. The XRD pattern of the Form‐I shows the unique non‐overlapping 2θ peak at a position of ≈ 21.8 deg. and also at ≈ 29.0 deg. (Cu radiation). The area (integral of the intensity) under the peaks is proportional to the amount of the Form‐I in the mixture covering the range up to 100 wt.%. That enables one to obtain a calibration line and to determine the amount of Form‐I in the mixture of Form‐I/Form‐II and also in commercial pentasodium tripolyphosphate. Commercial samples with high Form‐I concentration, in case they are contaminated with sodium pyrophosphate (Na₄P₂O₇), should be diluted with Form‐II to bring the concentration of the Form‐I below 50 wt.% in the analysed sample.     

Observation of individual dislocations in 6H and 4H SiC by means of back‐reflection methods of X‐ray diffraction topography

SiC crystals of high structural perfection were investigated with several methods of X‐ray diffraction topography in Bragg‐case geometry. The methods included section and projection synchrotron white beam topography and monochromatic beam topography. The investigated 6H and 4H samples contained in large regions dislocations of density not exceeding 10³ cm^‐2. Most of them cannot be interpreted as hollow core dislocations (micro‐ or nano‐pipes). The concentration of the latter was lower than 10² cm^‐2. The present investigation confirmed the possibility of revealing dislocations with all used methods. The quality of presently obtained Bragg‐case multi‐crystal and section images of dislocation enabled analysis based on comparison with numerically simulated images. The analysis confirmed the domination of screw‐type dislocations in the investigated crystals. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Electric‐field‐induced internal deformation in piezoelectric BiB3O6 crystals

For the first time electric‐field‐induced atomic displacements (internal strains) in non‐ferroelectric polar BiB₃O₆ single crystal plates (point symmetry 2) were investigated using X‐ray diffraction technique. The intensity variations of selected Bragg reflections were collected for three different orientations of the applied external electric field vector with respect to the crystal lattice and used for calculating the microscopic structural response of BiB₃O₆. Due to the limited number of the reflections providing measurable changes in Bragg intensities we restricted ourselves in analyzing the shift of the B₃O₆ sublattice relative to the Bi one. In addition, we considered the deformation of the Bi‐O, B(1)‐O and B(2)‐O bond lengths and identified the [B(2)O₃] group as the most sensitive structural unit to an external electric perturbation. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Studies on the growth and optical characterization of Tm3+‐doped BaY2F8 single crystals

The BaY₂F₈ crystals doped with different concentrations of Tm³⁺ ions were prepared by the temperature gradient technique (TGT). X‐ray powder diffraction was applied to analyze the phase. The cracking phenomenon along (010) and (100) planes of the crystals grown by temperature gradient technique was studied on the basis of the structure of BaY₂F₈ crystals. The absorption spectra were measured and investigated in the ultraviolet‐visible and near‐infrared ranges at room temperature. Several characteristic absorption bands of Tm³⁺‐doped BaY₂F₈ crystal were observed. The emission and excitation spectra were obtained and investigated at room temperature and 12 K, showing the characteristic emission peaks of Tm³⁺ ions. The temperature dependence of Photoluminescence curve was also investigated in the range of 12–296 K. The luminescence intensity of emission bands decreased with increasing temperature, while the effective bandwidth increased. The up‐conversion spectrum excited at 650 nm was recorded and up‐conversion mechanism was analyzed in detail. The result showed the purple, green and yellow emissions corresponding to ³P₁→³F₃, ¹D₂→³H₅ and ³P₀→¹G₄ transitions, respectively.     

Controllable thermal expansion properties of In2 − xCrxMo3O12

Solid solutions In_{2 − x}Cr_xMo₃O₁₂ have been prepared via the solid state reaction method. The structural and thermal expansion properties have been characterized using X‐ray diffraction. All compounds exhibit monoclinic structure with space group P2₁/a at room temperature, and transform to orthorhombic structure at higher temperature. Compounds In_{2 − x}Cr_xMo₃O₁₂ (x = 0.7, 1.0 and 1.3) possess strong positive thermal expansion in the monoclinic structure, while their thermal expansion coefficients of orthorhombic structure vary from negative to positive with increasing Cr content. It is worthwhile to note that In_1.3Cr_0.7Mo₃O₁₂ and InCrMo₃O₁₂ have near zero thermal expansion properties.     

Addressing difficulties in using XRD intensity for structural study of thin films

The problem of structure investigation of thin films using laboratory XRD diffraction intensities was discussed as a matter of debate. Is the variation in relative intensities of the diffraction patterns due to crystallographic preferred orientation, lattice defects or both? The answer to this question shows a discrepancy in the literatures. The present work is an attempt to propose a possible approach to judge the most probable answer. Thin films of SnO₂ were prepared by spray pyrolysis technique using solution of different SnCl₂ concentrations (molarity); at fixed substrate temperature and deposition time. The theoretically calculated integrated intensities together with the experimentally obtained and calculated XRD data (relative intensities, texture coefficients and profile analysis) were considered together in order to get the proper picture of the structure characteristics of the prepared films. The complete picture can be assembled by integration and correlation of all the crystallographic information that are extracted from the diffraction pattern including not only the observed intensities but also the size/strain analysis and lattice parameters. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth and characterization of 4‐Aminopyridinium‐4‐nitro phenolate single crystals

Organic optical material 4‐Aminopyridinium‐4‐nitro phenolate (4AP4NP) has been synthesized, and single crystals of size 20 x 14 x 6 mm³ have been grown from acetone solvent at room temperature by solvent evaporation technique. The grown crystals have been characterized by X‐ray diffraction to determine the cell parameters, and by FT‐IR technique to confirm the formation of the expected compound. The crystal belongs to monoclinic crystal system with space group P2₁/a.The structural perfection of the grown crystals has been analyzed by high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction (HRXRD) rocking curve measurements. The thermal stability of the compound has been determined by TG‐DTA curves. The transmittance of 4AP4NP has been used to determine the refractive index n; the extinction coefficient K and both the real ε_r and imaginary ε_i components of the dielectric constant as functions of photon energy. The optical band gap of 4AP4NP is 2.4 eV. The dielectric and mechanical behavior of the specimen was also studied. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

(Gd,Lu)3Al5O12∶Tb3+,Eu3+透明陶瓷制备与发光性能

通过简单的化学沉淀法制备了纳米前驱体,结合真空烧结工艺,制备了一系列镥稳定钆铝石榴石{(Gd, Lu)₃Al₅O₁₂∶Tb,Eu}透明陶瓷。将透明陶瓷加工成1 mm厚的圆片,对透明陶瓷样品进行了X射线衍射、光致发光、透过率和衰减时间等表征。高温烧结过后,陶瓷样品仍保持稳定的石榴石相。选定313 nm作为透明陶瓷的激发波长,可获得最强的荧光发射。此外,通过对不同样品进行紫外可见荧光测试,获得了由绿光到红光的可调节发射。在313 nm激发,543 nm和591 nm的监测波长下,透明陶瓷样品均具有Eu³⁺的毫秒级衰减时间。