Synthesis and characterization of rare-earth doped SrBi2Nb2O9 phase in lithium borate based nanocrystallized glasses

Glass composites comprising of un-doped and samarium-doped SrBi₂Nb₂O₉ nanocrystallites are fabricated in the glass system 16.66SrO-16.66[(1−x)Bi₂O₃-xSm₂O₃]-16.66Nb₂O₅-50Li₂B₄O₇ (0?x?0.5, in mol%) via the melt quenching technique. The glassy nature of the as-quenched samples is established by differential thermal analyses. Transmission electron microscopic studies reveal the presence of about 15 nm sized spherical crystallites of the fluorite-like SrBi_1.9Sm_0.1Nb₂O₉ phase in the samples heat treated at 530 °C. The formation of layered perovskite-type un-doped and samarium-doped SrBi₂Nb₂O₉ nanocrystallites with an orthorhombic structure through the intermediate fluorite phase is confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction and micro-Raman spectroscopic studies. The influence of samarium doping on the lattice parameters, lattice distortions, and the Raman peak positions of SrBi₂Nb₂O₉ perovskite phase is clarified. The dielectric constants of the perovskite SrBi₂Nb₂O₉ and SrBi_1.9Sm_0.1Nb₂O₉ nanocrystals are relatively larger than those of the corresponding fluorite-like phase and the precursor glass.     

Growth and spectroscopic properties of Nd-doped Sr3Y2 (BO3)4 crystal

A new crystal of Nd³⁺:Sr₃Y₂ (BO₃)₄ with a dimension of Φ 15×30 mm³ was grown by the Czochralski method. The grown crystal was characterized using X-ray diffraction. The absorption and emission spectra of Nd³⁺:Sr₃Y₂ (BO₃)₄ were investigated. The absorption transition at 807 nm has an FWHM of 16 nm. The absorption and emission cross sections are 6.32×10⁻²⁰ cm² at 807 nm and 1.07×10⁻¹⁹ cm² at 1065 nm, respectively. The luminescence lifetime τ_f is 51.7 μs at room temperature.     

Growth and spectroscopic characterization of Nd:Sr6GdSc(BO3)6 crystal

A crystal of Nd³⁺:Sr₆GdSc(BO₃)₆ with the dimension of φ20×30 mm³ was grown by Czochralski method. The grown crystal was characterized by X-ray diffraction and DSC analysis. The DSC analysis showed that the crystal congruently melt at 1306.7°C. The absorption and emission spectra of Nd³⁺:Sr₆GdSc(BO₃)₆ were investigated. The absorption band at 806 nm has a FWHM of 13 nm. The absorption and emission cross-sections are 2.33×10⁻²⁰ cm² at 806 nm and 1.58×10⁻¹⁹ cm² at 1062 nm, respectively. The luminescence lifetime τ_f is 75 μs at room temperature.     

Preparation of the cubic-type La2O3 phase by thermal decomposition of LaI3

Cubic lanthanum oxide was prepared by the oxidation of lanthanum iodide at 700 °C in air atmosphere. The oxide was characterized by X-ray fluorescence analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. The cubic La₂O₃ is most likely a single lanthanum oxide phase containing periodate hydrate and hydroxycarbonate species. The cubic lanthanum oxide is found to be chemically stable even if they are dispersed in water because of the presence of hydroxycarbonate and periodate hydrate species which inhibit the bulk hydroxylation.     

Eu3+在Ba2TiSi2O8中的发光

The barium titano-silicate phosphors doped with Eu³⁺ were synthesized by high temperature solid state reaction. The structures of as-synthesized samples were characterized by powder XRD. The maximum peaks of emission spectra of Ba₂TiSi₂O₈ and Ba₂TiSi₂O₈∶Eu³⁺ were respectively located at 450 and 618 nm, coming from the transitions of charge-transfer bands of Ti⁴⁺-O^2- and forced electric-dipole transition ⁵D₀-⁷F₂ of Eu³⁺. The luminous mechanisms of Ba₂TiSi₂O₈ and Ba₂TiSi₂O₈∶Eu³⁺ were suggested. The effects of concentration of Eu³⁺ on the luminous performance of Ba₂TiSi₂O₈∶Eu³⁺ were also studied and the results showed that the optimum concentration of Eu³⁺ was 0.12 mol per mole of matrix.     

Hydrothermal synthesis of compounds in the fresnoite mineral family (Ba2TiSi2O8)

Crystals of Ba₂TiSi₂O₈, Sr₂TiSi₂O₈, and Ba₂VSi₂O₈, all belonging to the fresnoite family were prepared by the hydrothermal method. Attempts to synthesize other members by substitution at the alkaline earth site, transition metal site, and tetrahedral site were not successful, but did lead to the formation of a variety of other mineral phases as well as the incommensurate structure, Ba₂TiGe₂O₈. Structural studies on this compound and analysis of the other known fresnoite phases were performed to elucidate the nature of the incommensurate structure.     

The Crystal Structure of Sr2TiSi2O8

Sr₂TiSi₂O₈ single crystals were grown by Czochralski pulling and from a high-temperature solution. X-ray diffractometry revealed the modulated crystal structure of Sr₂TiSi₂O₈ to belong to the 5D superspace group P4bm (−α, α, 1/2; α, α, 1/2) with α=0.3. Atomic positions, anisotropic displacement factors and positional modulation parameters for Sr₂TiSi₂O₈ are determined and discussed. The positional modulation is further investigated by electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. In the latter experiments, the 2D modulation appears to be superimposed by some 1D modulation waves. This effect is discussed in terms of growth conditions.     

Enhanced photoluminescence of Ba2GdNbO6: Eu/Dy phosphors by Li doping

The Ba₂GdNbO₆: Eu³⁺/Dy³⁺ and Li⁺-doped Ba₂GdNbO₆: Eu³⁺/Dy³⁺ phosphors were prepared by solid-state reaction process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and photoluminescence (PL) as well as lifetimes, was utilized to characterize the resulting phosphors. Under the excitation of ultraviolet light, the Ba₂GdNbO₆: Eu³⁺/Dy³⁺ and Li⁺-doped Ba₂GdNbO₆: Eu³⁺/Dy³⁺ show the characteristic emissions of Eu³⁺ (⁵D₀-⁷F_1,2,3 transitions dominated by ⁵D₀-⁷F₁ at 593 nm) and Dy³⁺ (⁴F_9/2-⁶H_15/2,_13/2 transitions dominated by ⁴F_9/2-⁶H_15/2 at 494 nm), respectively. The incorporation of Li⁺ ions into the Ba₂GdNbO₆: Eu³⁺/Dy³⁺ phosphors has enhanced the PL intensities depending on the doping concentration of Li⁺, and the highest emission was obtained in Ba₂Gd_0.9NbO₆: 0.10Eu³⁺, 0.01Li⁺ and Ba₂Gd_0.95NbO₆: 0.05Dy³⁺, 0.07Li⁺, respectively. An energy level diagram was proposed to explain the luminescence process in the phosphors.     

UV-VUV-excited photoluminescence of RE-activated CaLaP3O10 (RE=Eu,Tb)

Monazite-type polyphosphate CaLaP₃O₁₀ was synthesized by solid-state reaction at 1000 °C and their photoluminescence of Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ in CaLaP₃O₁₀ under ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) excitation were evaluated for the first time. The emission spectra of CaLaP₃O₁₀:Eu³⁺showed that Eu³⁺ are in a site with inversion symmetry because the magnetic dipole transition ⁵D₀-⁷F₁ was the strongest both upon 254 and 147 nm excitation. Monitored at 621 nm the excitation spectra consisted of host absorption bands, charge transfer band of Eu-O and the intraconfiguration 4f⁶ transition of Eu³⁺. Green phosphor CaLaP₃O₁₀:Tb³⁺exhibited better color purity when excited by 147 nm than that excited by 254 nm. With monitored at 542 nm the host absorption bands of CaLaP₃O₁₀:Tb³⁺ were also observed. Besides the host absorption bands there were strong f-d and weak f-f transitions of Tb³⁺.     

Copper position in type-I Ba8Cu4Si42 clathrate

Local structure of Cu in a type-I Ba₈Cu₄Si₄₂ clathrate has been investigated by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, Cu K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine spectroscopy, X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) and theoretical calculation. It is found that XANES spectra cannot be explained by the substitution of Cu atoms at Si16i, and Si24k positions. Our calculations show that the binding energies of the Si atom in Si16i, Si24k and Si6c positions are 9.000, 9.495 and 8.911 eV, respectively. Both experimental and theoretical results support that Cu atoms in the type-I Ba₈Cu₄Si₄₂ clathrate, as a doped element, prefer to occupy the least-binding Si, i.e., the Si6c sites. No structural change between 112 and 300 K was observed and the (100)-faceted cubic crystal has negligible distortion/ordering according to transmission electron microscopy.     

Ab-initio study of the structural, linear and nonlinear optical properties of CdAl2Se4 defect-chalcopyrite

The complex density functional theory (DFT) calculations of structural, electronic, linear and nonlinear optical properties for the defect chalcopyrite CdAl₂Se₄ compound have been reported using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method as implemented in the WIEN2k code. We employed the Wu and Cohen generalized gradient approximation (GGA-WC), which is based on exchange-correlation energy optimization to calculate the total energy. Also we have used the Engel-Vosko GGA formalism, which optimizes the corresponding potential for band structure, density of states and the spectral features of the linear and nonlinear optical properties. This compound has a wide direct energy band gap of about 2.927 eV with both the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum located at the center of the Brillouin zone. The ground state quantities such as lattice parameters (a, c, x, y and z), bulk modulus B and its pressure derivative B′ are evaluated. We have calculated the frequency-dependent complex ε(ω), its zero-frequency limit ε₁(0), refractive index n(ω), birefringence Δn(ω), the reflectivity R(ω) and electron energy loss function L(ω). Calculations are reported for the frequency-dependent complex second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities. We find opposite signs of the contributions of the 2ω and 1ω inter/intra-band to the imaginary part for the dominant component through the wide optical frequency range.     

Synthesis, band structure, and optical properties of Ba2ZnV2O8

A novel compound Ba₂ZnV₂O₈ has been synthesized in high temperature solution reaction and its crystal structure has been characterized by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. It crystallizes in monoclinic system and belongs to space group P2₁/c with a=7.9050(16), b=16.149(3), , β=90.49(3). It builds up from 1-D branchy chains of [ZnV₂O₈⁴⁻]_∞, and the Ba²⁺ cations are located in the space among these chains. The IR spectrum, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection integral spectrum and fluorescent spectra of this compound have been investigated. The calculated results of energy band structure by the density functional theory method show that the solid-state compound of Ba₂ZnV₂O₈ is an insulator with direct band gap of 3.48 eV. The calculated total and partial density of states indicate that the top valence bands are contributions from the mixings of O-2p, V-3d, and Zn-3d states and low conduction bands mostly originate from unoccupied antibonding states between the V-3d and O-2p states. The V-O bonds are mostly covalence characters and Zn-O bonds are mostly ionic interactions, and the ionic interaction strength is stronger between the Ba-O than between the Zn-O. The refractive index of n_x, n_y, and n_z is estimated to be 1.7453, 1.7469, and 1.7126, respectively, at wavelength of 1060 nm for Ba₂ZnV₂O₈ crystal.     

Synthesis and photoluminescence of Eu-doped Y2Sn2O7 nanocrystals

A facile CTAB-assisted sol-gel route has been successfully established to synthesize Y₂Sn₂O₇ nanocrystals with pyrochlore structure. The route involves first the formation of CTAB-inorganics mesostructures as precursors and then their thermal decomposition to yield the final product. Well-crystallized and phase-pure Y₂Sn₂O₇ particles of ∼40 nm in size can be readily obtained at 600°C, a temperature much lower than that of the conventional solid-state method. Furthermore, photoluminescence characterization of the Y₂Sn₂O₇ nanocrystals doped with 5 mol% Eu³⁺ was carried out and the results show that the as-synthesized material display intense and prevailing emission at 589 nm belonging to the magnetic dipole transition.     

Quantum efficiency of double activated Tb3Al5O12:Ce, Eu

The quantum efficiency and luminescence properties of double activated terbium aluminum garnet samples were investigated in the present study. A mathematical procedure and PL measurement system are developed for express analysis of quantum efficiency of luminescent materials. The energy-level diagram was proposed to explain the luminescence mechanism. Application of TAG:Ce,Eu with improved CIE and CRI in LED device is demonstrated.     

Electronic properties and rare-earth ions photoluminescence behaviors in borosilicate: SrB2Si2O8

Undoped and RE ions doped SrB₂Si₂O₈ were successfully synthesized. After the application of UV and VUV spectroscopy measurements, we made a novel discovery that the emission of SrB₂Si₂O₈:Eu prepared in air can be switched between red and blue by the different excitations. The information is that quite a part of Eu³⁺ was spontaneously reduced to Eu²⁺ in air. The PL properties of Eu²⁺ in VUV and Eu³⁺, Ce³⁺ and Tb³⁺ in UV-VUV region in SrB₂Si₂O₈ were evaluated for the first time. The excitation mechanisms of the O²⁻-Eu³⁺ CT, Ce³⁺f-d and Tb³⁺f-d transitions in UV region as well as the Eu³⁺f-d, O²⁻-Ce³⁺ CT, O²⁻-Tb³⁺ CT transitions and the host lattice absorption in VUV region were established. In addition, first principles calculation within the LDA of the DFT was applied to calculate the electronic structure and linear optical properties of SrB₂Si₂O₈ and the results were compared with the experimental data.     

Détermination de la structure cristalline du ferrite de baryum Ba2Fe6O11

The crystal structure of dibarium triferrite Ba₂Fe₆O₁₁ has been solved by direct methods, using intensity data collected by means of an automated diffractometer (MoKα radiation) and corrected for absorption. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnnm: a = 23.024(10)Å, b = 5.181(3) Å, c = 8.900(4) Å, Z = 4. Program MULTAN was successfully used for locating Ba²⁺ and most of the Fe³⁺ ions. The structure was further refined by conventional Fourier and least-squares methods (full-matrix program) to a final R value of 0.045 for 1448 observed reflections. Fe³⁺ ions occur in both octahedral (FeO mean distance: 2.02 Å) and tetrahedral (FeO mean distance: 1.865 Å) coordination. Two types of Ba²⁺ ions are found, with six and seven neighboring oxygen atoms. The structure consists of sheets of edge-shared FeO₆ octahedra which are connected by means of corner-shared tetrahedra.     

The electronic structure of Ba1−xCaxTiO3 probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

We report O K-, Ca K- and L_3,2-, and Ti L_3,2-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra of Ba_1−xCa_xTiO₃ (x=0, 0.01, 0.08, and 1) and the electronic properties inferred from these XANES spectra. The spectra of O K-, Ca L_3,2- and Ti L_3,2-edges show characteristic spectral features attributable to the t_2g and e_g bands. The Ti and Ca L_3,2-edge spectra contain two sets of L₃ and L₂ features with a L₃-L₂ separation of about 5.5 and 3.4 eV, respectively. We also observe a pre-edge feature in the Ca K-edge spectra and drastically reduced t_2g features in the Ca L_3,2-edge spectra. Our XANES spectra reveal that the Ca 3d bands are low-lying and the Ca 3d t_2g bands are partially occupied.     

Pr0.5Ca0.5Mn0.97Ga0.03O3, a strongly strained system due to the coexistence of two orbital ordered phases at low temperature

Combining low-temperature electron (ED) and synchrotron powder diffraction (SPD) techniques, we have precisely determined the phase-separated crystal structure of Pr_0.5Ca_0.5Mn_0.97Ga_0.03O₃. We demonstrate that the phase separation is associated with the onset of charge/orbital ordering at ∼230 K and that two ordered phases coexist at low temperature. In order to account for the significant anisotropic linewidth broadening observed in the SPD patterns, we had to include a specific strain model in the refinements. One of the phases, the most severely strained, is suggested to result from an imperfect charge ordering.     

First electrochemical growth of Tb16O30 single crystal

Single crystals of Tb₁₆O₃₀ (TbO_1.875) were successfully grown for the first time by DC electrolysis of the Tb³⁺ ion conducting Tb₂(MoO₄)₃ solid electrolyte at 11 V, 900 °C. The Tb₁₆O₃₀ phase is the intermediate phase of fluorite-related rare earth oxides and it is extremely difficult to grow in a single crystal form, because this intermediate phase is usually obtained as one of the mixture of the fluorite related TbO_x phases. Because there are many non-stoichiometric phases in the terbium oxide system, it is impossible to grow a specific intermediate phase in a single crystal form by the conventional methods via melt. Although single crystals of TbO_x have been recently obtained by anodic electrocrystallization from alkaline hydroxide melts containing TbCl₃, the composition has been confirmed to be TbO_x with 1.75<x<1.82. On the contrary, the presently developed DC electrolysis method can be simply applicable at moderate temperatures around 900 °C to artificially grow an intermediate phase of Tb₁₆O₃₀ (x=1.875) in a single crystal form, which was evidenced by the electron diffraction patterns for each particle.     

Microstructural features and domain formation in (Ba,Sr)2TiSi2O8 fresnoites

The formation and co-existence of crystallographically modulated and non-modulated regions in (Ba,Sr)₂TiSi₂O₈ fresnoites is reviewed, particularly the dependence on local composition. It is shown that perturbations of the average fresnoite structure, determined from appreciable single crystals, are in some cases better described as nanometric domain intergrowths where departures from ideal stoichiometry are characteristics of incommensuration, while modulation is absent from volumes that are less perturbed chemically. Evidence for this differentiation is obtained from selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images. The domains are readily distinguished by their unique contrast in bright field electron micrographs. Fourier reconstructions of HRTEM images collected from areas with darker contrast show that modulation can change within relatively small volumes. Nearby areas with lighter contrast were found by SAED to be free of structural disorder and incommensurate reflections.