Manifestation of up-conversion in Yb3+/Tm3+ doped Li2O–Y2O3–SiO2 glass system

In this study, we have investigated the principal role of Y₂O₃ on the emission features of Tm³⁺ ion and up-conversion phenomenon in Tm³⁺ and Yb³⁺ co-doped Li₂O–Y₂O₃–SiO₂ glass system. The concentration of Y₂O₃ is varied from 0 to 5 mol% while that of Yb³⁺ and Tm³⁺ is fixed. When the glasses are doped with Tm³⁺ ions, the intense blue and red emissions were observed, whereas Yb³⁺ doped glasses exhibited NIR emission at about 980 nm. When the glasses are co-doped with Tm³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions and excited at 900 nm, the blue and red emission lines were observed to be reinforced and strengthened with increase in the concentration of Y₂O₃. The IR emission band detected at about 1.8 μm due to ³F₄ → ³H₆ transition of Tm³⁺ ions is also observed to be strengthened due to co-doping. The reasons for enhancement in the intensity of various emission bands due to co-doping have been identified and discussed with the help of rate equations for various emission transitions.     

Infrared transmission of chalcohalide glasses in the Ge–Se–Te–I system

Infrared (IR) transmission spectra in the range from 4000 to 400 cm^?1 have been measured at ambient temperature for the prepared, (Ge₂₂Se₁₄Te₆₄)_100?xI_x, glasses where x = 0, 4, 6, 8 and 10 at.%. The effects of both iodine content and the annealing of glasses at different temperatures on the transmittance and observed absorption peaks have been evaluated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs were performed to insure the effect of annealing on the obtained IR transmission spectra.     

Comparative Study of the Nernst–Ettingshausen Coefficient in the Normal Phase in the Y1 – xPrxBa2Cu3Oy and Y0.85 – xPrxCa0.15Ba2Cu3Oy Systems

Physics of the Solid State - The results of the comparative study of the modification of the temperature dependences of the Nernst–Ettingshausen coefficient Q in the normal phase of two...     

Effect of TiO2 addition on the crystallization of quenched glasses in the SiO2–Al2O3–ZrO2 system

The glass formation in the SiO₂-rich region of the ternary oxide system Al₂O₃–ZrO₂–SiO₂ with MgO, CaO, and TiO₂ as melting aids was analyzed. The crystallization of glasses with different content of TiO₂ and phase evolution with the temperature was studied by X-ray diffraction, infrared, laser Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The use of TiO₂ favored formation and crystallization of the glasses due to the decrease of the viscosity of melts and acting as a nucleating agent. The crystalline phase of t-ZrO₂ was developed at temperatures as low as 880°C whereas in as prepared specimens without TiO₂ its presence was not detected. For the specimens with TiO₂, t-ZrO₂ and mullite were the principal phases at 1000°C. TiO₂ addition did not change the crystallization sequence but decreased the formation temperature of the crystalline phases. Most of Ti⁴⁺ ions entered into t-ZrO₂ and only a small portion in mullite, but the surplus was detected in ZrTiO₄.     

Solvent effect on the optimization of 1.54 μm emission in Er-doped Y2O3–Al2O3–SiO2 powders synthesized by a modified Pechini method

In order to find a new Er-doped host for near infrared (NIR) optical amplifiers, a study on the optimization of the erbium emission ions in the Y₂O₃–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ system was performed. (100 ? x) Y₃Al₅O₁₂ ? (x) SiO₂ powders (x varies from 0 to 70, in mol%) with a fixed Er₂O₃ concentration of 1.0 mol% were synthesized by a modified Pechini method and heat-treated at 900 and 1000 °C. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra at 1540 nm of the ⁴I_13/2 → ⁴I_15/2 transition of Er³⁺ ions and the up-conversion spectra at visible region (²H_11/2 + ⁴S_3/2 + ⁴F_9/2 → ⁴I_15/2) upon 980 nm excitation were evaluated. Different techniques, such as thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were considered to evaluate crystallization and phase-evolution of the powders as a function of the silica content (x) and annealing temperature. The analyses were based on the comparison between two different solvents used in the preparation of the polymeric resins: ethanol and water. The optimal conditions for ethanol are quite different than the conditions for water used as solvent, confirming that the PL properties at the NIR region are highly sensitive to the changes in the host stoichiometry and processing conditions. The highest emission intensity at 1540 nm was observed for x = 30 for ethanol and x = 70 for water, treated at 900 and 1000 °C, respectively. This result could be attributed to the combination of low symmetry and good dispersion of the Er³⁺ions in these hosts.     

Infrared photoluminescence and Raman spectra in the Y2O3–ZrO2 system

In this work we present laser-excited infrared photoluminescence and Raman spectra of zirconia with different yttria content (2%–9.5% Y ₂O₃) in order to investigate the effect of dopant on their optical properties. All the Raman spectra were taken over the range 100–800 cm^?1, and the Ar⁺ laser-excited luminescence over the range 16,000–19,000 cm^?1 (absolute frequency). The results are discussed on the basis of defects related to anion vacancies and changes in the disorder degree induced mainly by yttria content in the samples.     

Optical properties of glasses in the Li2O–MoO3–P2O5 system

Glasses xLi₂O–(50-x)(MoO₃)₂–50P₂O₅ with x = 10, 20, 30, and 40 mol% were prepared and their optical and electrical properties were investigated. Analysis of the IR spectra revealed that the Li⁺ ions act as a glass modifier that enter the glass network by breaking up other linkages and creating non-bridging oxygens in the network. The optical absorption edge of the glasses was measured for specimens in the form of thin blown films and the optical absorption spectra of those were recorded in the range 200–800 nm. From the optical absorption edges studies, the optical band gap (E _opt) and the Urbach energy (E _e) values have been evaluated by following the available semi-empirical theories. The linear variation of (αhν)^1/2 with hν, is taken as evidence of indirect interband transitions. The E _opt values were found to decrease with increasing Li₂O content by causing increase in the number of non-bridging oxygens in network. The Urbach tail analysis gives the width of localized states between 0.48 and 0.74 eV.     

Influence of different Fe2O3 content on crystallization of MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–TiO2 system glass-ceramics

The crystallization behaviors of MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–TiO₂ system glasses doping with different content Fe₂O₃ were investigated by means of differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. The kinetic parameter of activation energy for crystallization (E) was obtained by the Owaza Johnson–Mehl–Avrami method. The results show that during the heat treatment, the intermediate phase of µ-cordierite initially precipitated from the glass matrix, and with the increasing temperature, it transformed to α-cordierite. The more the Fe₂O₃ content, the lower the crystallization peak temperature (T _p).But the lowering of T _p value did not mean that the value of E decreases correspondingly. The experimental results suggest that only with appropriate content (about 4.2 wt%), Fe₂O₃ can promote the crystallization of this glass effectively.     

On the homogeneity range of β″-alumina in the Na2OMgOAl2O3 system

The Al₂O₃ rich region of the Na₂O:MgOAl₂O₃ system has been investigated by means of X-ray phase analytical methods. The main features of the isothermal sections at 1870 K and 1950 K have been determined. The two sections exhibit the same phase equilibria except in the Na₂Al₂O₄-β″ region where a liquids phase appears at 1950 K. The magnesium stabilized β″-alumina phase with the nominal formula Na_1xxAl₁₁−xO₁₇ exhibits an extended homogeneity range with the magnesium content ranging over x=0.59-0.72. The homogeneity ranges are accompanied by variations in the unit cell dimentions. The composition of β″-alumina appears to correspond to a far lower relative sodium cntent than that indicated by the ideal formula at large magnesium + aluminium contents.     

Ab initio study of Yb on the Ge(111)–(3 × 2) and Si(111)–(3 × 2) surfaces

The surface reconstruction, 3 × 2, induced by Yb adsorption on a Ge (Si)(111) surface has been studied using first principles density-functional calculation within the generalized gradient approximation. The two different possible adsorption sites have been considered: (i) H₃ (this site is directly above a fourth-layer Ge (Si) atom) and (ii) T₄ (directly above a second-layer Ge (Si) atom). We have found that the total energies corresponding to these binding sites are nearly the same, indeed for the Yb/Ge (Si)(111)–(3 × 2) structure the T₄ model is slightly energetic by about 0.01 (0.08) eV/unitcell compared with the H₃ model. In particular for the Ge sublayer, the energy difference is small, and therefore it is possible that the T₄, H₃, or T₄H₃ (half of the adatoms occupy the T₄ adsorption site and the rest of the adatoms are located at the H₃ site) binding sites can coexist with REM/Ge(111)–(3 × 2). In contrast to the proposed model, we have not determined any buckling in the Ge = Ge double bond. The electronic band structures of the surfaces and the corresponding natures of their orbitals have also been calculated. Our results for both substrates are seen to be in agreement with the recent experimental data, especially that of the Yb/Si(111)–(3 × 2) surface.     

H/D Isotope Effect in the Conductivity of CaZr1 – xScxO3 – α in Reducing Atmospheres

Physics of the Solid State - The ionic (proton and deuteron) conductivity of the system CaZr1 – xScxO3 – α (x = 0.03–0.20) is studied...     

Correlation between the Fluorine Ion Conductivities of Sr1 – xRxF2 + x (CaF2 Type) and R1 – ySryF3 – y (LaF3 Type) Crystals in the SrF2–RF3 Systems (R = La–Nd)

Physics of the Solid State - The “conductivity logarithm–composition” correlation logσdc(x) = ax + b has been revealed for the strongly nonstoichiometric fluorite...     

Detection of Surface States in Bi2 – xSbxTe3 – ySey Topological Insulators by Magnetotransport Measurements

Physics of the Solid State - In this paper, we studied the effect of the magnetic field and temperature on conductivity of Bi2 ‒ xSbxTe3 – ySey...     

Theoretical investigation of the inversion parameter in Co3 − sAlsO4 (s = 0–3) spinel structures

The structural, energetic, and thermodynamic properties of the Co_3 ? sAl_sO₄ (s = 0, 1, 2, and 3) crystal family are studied using periodic DFT calculations. We provide a quantitative discussion of the cation distribution effect on the cell parameter, the oxygen Wyckoff position, the interatomic distances and the energies of the structures. It is demonstrated that the low cobalt containing CoAl₂O₄ spinel is the most stable structure of the Co_3 ? sAl_sO₄ (s = 0, 1, 2, and 3) crystal family.     

Chemical,magnetic and charge ordering in the system hematite–ilmenite,Fe2O3–FeTiO3

Spin polarized electronic structure calculations of total energies for ordered supercells in the system Fe₂O₃–FeTiO₃ suggest that some layered ordered phases are more stable than an isocompositional mechanical mixture of hematite, Fe₂O₃, and ilmenite, FeTiO₃. This result contradicts established ideas about hematite–ilmenite phase relations because it suggests that there is at least one stable ordered phase with a bulk composition intermediate between hematite and ilmenite. It is not clear if this result is an artifact of the approximations made in generalized gradient spin density functional calculations, or if an intermediate phase, or phases, is in fact stable. The electronic structure of a 30-atom layered supercell was studied by a variety of techniques. The supercell structure is FTFFFT, where F is an Fe layer and T is a Ti layer perpendicular to the hexagonal c axis. The idea was to investigate possible charge ordering on Fe sites, that is a postulate of the ‘lamellar magnetism hypothesis’, but significant Fe²⁺–Fe³⁺ordering is not predicted.     

Transport numbers in the molten system NaF–KF–AlF3–Al2O3

Transport numbers in the molten system NaF–KF–AlF₃ (Al₂O₃, CaF₂) were investigated by the Hittorf method. It was confirmed that in molten cryolite, Na₃AlF₆, 1,010 °C, the current is transported almost exclusively by the Na⁺ cations (t(Na⁺)?=?0.99). When AlF₃ was added to a Na₃AlF₆ melt, the transport number of sodium cations decreased to 0.74 at the composition corresponding to NaAlF₄. In molten K₃AlF₆, the transport number of K⁺ cations equals 0.836 at 1,005 °C. In melts containing both Na⁺ and K⁺, the cations contribute to the charge transport approximately in the ratio of the squares of their ionic radii. When 5 mass % of CaF₂ was added to the molten NaF–KF–AlF₃ system, it remarkably influenced the transport numbers of potassium and fluoride anions.     

Pressure and compositional dependence of electric conductivity in the (Mg1 − xFex)1 − δO (x = 0.01–0.40) solid-solution

(Mg_1 ? xFe_x)_1 ? δO (x = 0.01–0.43) single crystals (~ 8 mm in diameter) were made by a melt-growth method. Electrical conductivity measurements were carried out as functions of temperature and frequency by a complex impedance method under pressure (~ 43 GPa and ~ 673 K and at 0.1 MPa and ~ 1400 K). Our experimental results show a change in charge transport mechanism in the (Mg_1 ? xFe_x)_1 ? δO solid solution at high temperature. The temperature of inflection point of the slope in Arrhenius plots depend greatly on both composition and extrinsic factors of crystals. The low-temperature conduction mechanism in (Mg_1 ? xFe_x)_1 ? δO solid solution is small polaron. Pressure effect of the electric conductivity was observed and the conductivity increased to 0.5 at log scale of S/m with increasing pressure up to 43.4 GPa. The activation energy was decreased linearly with increasing pressure. Chemical composition and homogeneity of specimen rather than pressure greatly influence the electric conductivity. The activation energy of 2.37(4) eV for the (Mg_0.99Fe_0.01)_1 ? δO solid solution might correspond to a migration enthalpy of O ions through thermally formed defects. It is proposed that a possible dominant electrical conduction mechanism in ferropericlase under the lower mantle conditions, at least in the higher temperature region, is super ionic conduction.