Room temperature photoluminescence from amorphous silicon nanoparticles in SiOx thin films

Amorphous SiO_x thin films with four different oxygen contents (x=1.15, 1.4, 1.5, and 1.7) have been prepared by thermal evaporation of SiO in vacuum and then annealed at 770 or 970 K in argon for various times ?40 min. The influence of annealing conditions and the initial film composition on photoluminescence (PL) from the annealed films has been explored. Intense room temperature PL has been observed from films with x?1.5, visible with a naked eye. It has been shown that PL spectra of most samples consists of two main bands: (i) a ‘green’ band centered at about 2.3 eV, whose position does not change with annealing conditions and (ii) an ‘orange-red’ band whose maximum moves from 2.1 to 1.7 eV with increasing annealing time and temperature and decreasing initial oxygen content. These observations have been explained assuming recombination via defect states in the SiO_x matrix for the first band and emission from amorphous Si nanoparticles for the second one.     

Rare earth ion effects on the pseudo-gap in electron-doped superconductors and possible nodeless d-wave gap

We report angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) studies on electron-doped cuprate superconductor Sm_2-xCe_xCuO₄ (x=0.14 and 0.18). A wide energy range scan shows clear “waterfall” effect at an energy scale close to 500 meV which is consistent with the value found in Nd_2-xCe_xCuO₄ (NCCO) but larger than that from hole-doped superconductors. High resolution results from both dopings show pseudo-gap effects that were observed in NCCO. However, the effects are found to be stronger than that observed in optimally doped NCCO. The overall electronic structure is well understood within a simple model in which a static order is assumed. Both ARPES and optical measurements give the coupling strengths to the Q=(π/2,π/2) (due to the order) to be about 0.1 eV, compatible with each other. The effect is strong enough to push the band near the nodal region below the Fermi energy, resulting in possible nodeless d-wave superconductivity where zero energy quasi-particle excitation is inhibited.     

Origin of photoluminescence in nanocrystalline Si:H films

We have studied the origin of photoluminescence (PL) from hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films produced by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique using SiF₄/SiH₄/H₂ gas mixtures. The nc-Si:H films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, infrared, Raman spectroscopy, optical absorption and stress, and were examined for PL by varying the deposition temperature (T_d) under two different hydrogen flow rate ([H₂]) conditions. The PL exhibited two peaks at around 1.7-1.75 and 2.2-2.3 eV. The peak energy, E_PL, of the 1.7-1.75-eV PL band was found to shift as T_d or [H₂] changes. It was found that the decrease in T_d acts to decrease the average grain size, 〈δ〉, and to increase both the optical band gap, , and the E_PL values. By contrast, the increase in [H₂] decreased the 〈δ〉 value, while increased the values of and E_PL. Thus, as either T_d decreases or [H₂] increases, it is found that a decrease in 〈δ〉 corresponds well with increases in and E_PL. As a consequence, it was suggested that an increase in E_PL of the 1.7-1.75-eV PL band can be connected with an increase in , through a decrease in 〈δ〉. However, the PL process cannot be connected with the transition between both the bands, related to formation of nanocrystals. Based on these results, it was proposed that the use of both low T_d and high [H₂] conditions would allow to grow nc-Si:H films with small grains.     

Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy of zinc tungstate powders

ZnWO₄ powders, synthesized using co-precipitation technique and annealed in air at different temperatures in the range of 80-, were studied by Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. ZnWO₄ single crystal was used for comparison. The interpretation of the observed variations of the Raman spectra and intrinsic photoluminescence band upon annealing is suggested.     

Interference of resonance luminescence of exciton polaritons in CuGaS2 crystals

The nonmodulated and wavelength-modulated reflection spectra of CuGaS₂ crystals for the polarization EIIc of 10 K are studied. The states n = 1, 2 and 3 of the excitons Γ₄ (A-excitons) and n = 1, n = 2 of B- and C-excitons are found. The nonmodulated absorption spectra for the polarization E⊥c at 10 K have been studied. The states n = 1, 2 and 3 of Γ₅ excitons are found. The main parameters of the A (Γ₄, Γ₅) and B, C exciton series at the energies of the longitudinal and transverse excitons Γ₄ for the states n = 1 and n = 2, the effective masses of electrons and holes are determined. The photoluminescence peaks were observed at n = 3 and n = 4 of the excitons Γ₅ in the luminescence spectra excited by the line 4880 Å of Ar⁺ laser. In the luminescence spectra the interference is found.     

Transitions of microstructure and photoluminescence properties of the Ge/ZnO multilayer films in certain annealing temperature region

The Ge/ZnO multilayer films have been prepared by rf magnetron sputtering. The effects of annealing on the microstructure and photoluminescence properties of the multilayers have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry. The investigation of structural properties indicates that Zn₂GeO₄ has been formed with (2 2 0) texture and Zn deficiency from Ge/ZnO multilayer films in the process of annealing. However, lower Zn/Ge ratio can be improved by annealing. The annealed multilayers show three main emission bands at 532, 700, and 761 nm, which originate from the transition between oxygen vacancy () and Zn vacancies (V_Zn), the radiative recombination of quantum-confined excitons (QCE) in Ge nanocrystals, and the optical transition in the GeO color centers, respectively. Finally, the fabrication of thin film Zn₂GeO₄ from Ge/ZnO multilayer films by annealing at low temperature provides another approach to prepare the green-emitting oxide phosphor film:Zn₂GeO₄:Mn.     

Mott-type hopping conduction in the ordered and disordered phases of LiCoO2

The temperature dependence of dc resistance was observed in the range of for layered-rock-salt (hexagonal structure, ordered distribution between Li and Co) and modified-spinel (cubic, random distribution) phases of LiCoO₂. The results suggest Mott-type hopping conduction arising from the localized Co-3d electrons in the valence band. The densities of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy (E_F) estimated from the slope of the resistance curves were 2.0×10²⁰ and 5.5×10¹⁹ cm⁻³ eV⁻¹ for the ordered and disordered phases, respectively. The relatively low DOS at E_F in the disordered phase suggests that E_F approaches the edge of the valence band as a result of the narrowing of Co-t_2g bands due to the higher lattice symmetry in the disordered phase.     

L to M shell transitions and model comparisons for radiative opacities of sodium fluoride plasma

The radiative opacities of hot dense sodium fluoride (NaF) plasma have been studied in the case of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). The spectrally resolved opacity in the case of and is taken as an example to illustrate the absorption structures of the NaF plasma. The transitions from L to M shells of sodium and fluoride are the main contributions for the plasma absorptions. The isodense opacities of NaF plasma are studied at a density of and temperatures of 20-60 eV. Detailed comparisons among the results of the detailed term accounting (DTA), detailed configuraion accounting (DCA), unresolved transition array (UTA) and average atom (AA) model codes, which have been developed independently in China in the past few years, are performed for both the spectral resolved and mean opacities. Good agreements are found at a temperature of 40 eV and a density of , but discrepancies appear at a temperature of 50 eV and a density of .     

Dielectric relaxation in single crystal NH4H2PO4 in the high-temperature regime

The dispersion curves of the dielectric response in single crystal NH₄H₂PO₄ were obtained in the radio frequency range and below the high-temperature transition at T_p−160 °C. The results reveal dielectric relaxation at low frequency, which is about 10⁵ Hz at 70 °C, and it shifts to higher frequencies (∼3×10⁶ Hz) as the temperature increases. The relaxation frequency was determined from the peak obtained in the imaginary part of the permittivity as well as from the derivative of the real part of the permittivity. The activation energy E_a=0.55 eV, obtained from the relaxation frequency is very close to that derived from the dc conductivity. We suggest that this dielectric relaxation could be due to the proton jump and phosphate reorientation that cause distortion and change the local lattice polarizability inducing dipoles like      

Low energy oxygen implantation induced improved crystallinity and optical properties of surface modified ZnO single crystals

We report on the low energy oxygen implantation induced improvement in crystallinity and optical properties of surface modified ZnO single crystals. Undoped ZnO (0 0 0 1) single crystal wafers are implanted with 100 keV oxygen ions at a dose of 5 × 10¹³ and 5 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻² and subsequently annealed at 500 and 600 °C in oxygen ambient. The as-implanted and annealed ZnO wafers are studied by Rutherford back scattering spectrometry (RBS), channeling, Raman, photoluminescence (PL), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Channeling studies show a relatively high χ_min (>20%) in the virgin ZnO wafer. After implantation and two-step annealing, RBS studies show improved crystallinity. Raman line width analysis for the mode indicates reduction in strain in the annealed samples as compared to the virgin ZnO wafer. As-implanted samples show drastic quenching of the near band-edge (NBE) PL band due to defects created by the implantation. However, after two-step annealing, the low-dose implanted sample show a five-fold increase in intensity ratio of NBE band (376 nm) to defect related broad band (∼530 nm) at room temperature. Implantation induced changes in the composition and improved crystallinity in the near surface region is accounted for the major improvement in the PL emission.     

Mass flows and angular momentum density for px + ipy paired fermions in a harmonic trap

We present a simple two-dimensional model of a p_x + ip_y superfluid in which the mass flow that gives rise to the intrinsic angular momentum is easily calculated by numerical diagonalization of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes operator. We find that, at zero temperature and for constant director l, the mass flow closely follows the Ishikawa-Mermin-Muzikar formula .     

Photoisomerization dynamics study on cis-azobenzene derivative using ultraviolet-to-visible tunable femtosecond pulses

We performed the transient absorption measurement and the first rate equation (RE) analysis for cis isomer of 4-carboxy-2′,6′-dimethylazobenzene to clarify the quantitative difference between the photoisomerization process and the thermal relaxation process from the excited state. The RE analysis enabled us to determine the cis-to-trans photoisomerization rate per each pump pulse to be 3% under the condition of the 430 nm, 150 fs pump pulse with energy of 200 nJ. Moreover, the signal due to the yielded trans molecules appearing in the transient absorption was assigned from the following observed result: the transient absorbance change at the 380 nm probe mostly decreased within 300 fs after the 430 nm pulse pumping and then slowly decreased to zero, while the absorbance change at the 350 nm probe had a positive constant component in the over one picosecond time region. The RE analysis showed that this constant component is due to the yielded trans molecules, and its positive value is due to the fact that the absorption cross-section of the -to- transition in their trans molecules is larger than that of the -to- transition in the original cis molecules.     

On a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio: H2 spectra in the line of sight of high-redshift quasars and in the laboratory

Recently the finding of an indication for a decrease of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ = m_p/m_e by 0.002% in the past 12 billion years was reported in the form of a Letter [E. Reinhold, R. Buning, U. Hollenstein, P. Petitjean, A. Ivanchik, W. Ubachs, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 (2006) 151101]. Here we will further detail the methods that led to that result and put it in perspective. Laser spectroscopy on molecular hydrogen, using a narrow-band and tunable extreme ultraviolet laser system at the Laser Centre Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, results in transition wavelengths of spectral lines in the Lyman and Werner band systems at an accuracy of (4-11) × 10⁻⁸, depending on the wavelength region. This corresponds to an absolute accuracy of 0.000004-0.000010 nm. A database of 233 accurately calibrated H₂ lines is presented here for future reference and comparison with astronomical observations. Recent observations of the same spectroscopic features in cold hydrogen clouds at redshifts z = 2.5947325 and z = 3.0248970 in the line of sight of two quasar light sources (Q 0405−443 and Q 0347−383) resulted in 76 reliably determined transition wavelengths of H₂ lines at accuracies in the range 2 × 10⁻⁷ to 1 × 10⁻⁶. Those observations were performed with the Ultraviolet and Visible Echelle Spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory at Paranal, Chile. A third ingredient in the analysis is the calculation of an improved set of sensitivity coefficients K_i, a parameter associated with each spectral line, representing the dependence of the transition wavelength on a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ. The new model for calculation of the K_i sensitivity coefficients is based on a Dunham representation of ground state and excited state level energies, derived from the most accurate data available in literature for the ground electronic state and the presently determined level energies in the and C¹Π_u states. Moreover, the model includes adiabatic corrections to electronic energies as well as local perturbation effects between B and C levels. The full analysis and a tabulation of the resulting K_i coefficients is given in this paper. A statistical analysis of the data yields an indication for a variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio of Δμ/μ = (2.45 ± 0.59) × 10⁻⁵ for a weighted fit and Δμ/μ = (1.99 ± 0.58) × 10⁻⁵ for an unweighted fit. This result, indicating the decrease of μ, has a statistical significance of 3.5σ. Mass-variations as discussed relate to inertial or kinematic masses, rather than gravitational masses. Separate treatment of the data gives a similar positive result for each of the quasars Q 0405−443 and Q 0347−383. The statistical analysis is further documented and possible systematic shifts underlying the data, with the possibility of mimicking a non-zero Δμ/μ value, are discussed. The observed decrease in μ corresponds to a rate of change of d lnμ/dt = −2 × 10⁻¹⁵ per year, if a linear variation with time is assumed. Experiments for detecting a possible variation of μ in the modern epoch via ultra-precision experiments on H₂ quadrupole transitions are proposed.