The luminescence of Sm in alkaline earth borophosphates

The temperature-dependent luminescence of Sm²⁺ ions in MBPO₅ was studied. At low temperature, Sm²⁺ in this series shows 4f⁶→4f⁶ luminescence with only a single emission line observed for the transition, revealing that only one crystallographic cationic site is available for Sm²⁺ in all the hosts. With increasing temperature, the emission intensity of the transition increases whereas that of the transitions decreases. The transitions of Sm²⁺ were observed in BaBPO₅ and its intensity increases with increasing temperature. At , a broad band of the 4f⁵5d→4f⁶ luminescent transition of Sm²⁺ in SrBPO₅ and BaBPO₅ with maximum at appears due to the thermal population. The lifetime of the transition was recorded at different temperatures, showing a single exponential decay for Sm²⁺ in SrBPO₅ and BaBPO₅ but a non-single-exponential decay in CaBPO₅.     

Direct nanosecond Nd→Ce nonradiative energy transfer in cerium trifluoride laser crystals

Using third harmonics of LiF:F₂⁺ tunable color center laser excitation and selective fluorescence detection the temperature and concentration dependencies of fluorescence decay curves of the high-lying manifold of the Nd³⁺ ion were measured in CeF₃ crystals. As a result the temperature dependence of energy transfer kinetics from the manifold of the Nd³⁺ donor ions to the manifold of the acceptor Ce³⁺ ions in the ordered practically 100% filled crystal lattice was determined for 13-. Based on the temperature dependence the mechanisms and the channels of the Nd→Ce nonradiative energy transfer have been recognized. The net growth of the resonance Nd→Ce energy transfer rate in the temperature range from 25 to is found to be almost 3 orders of magnitude from 9.0×10⁴ to .In a crystal a significant contribution of the Nd→Nd resonance energy transfer to the manifold quenching is found for 20- and its channel and mechanism are suggested.Discussion of the possibility of subpicosecond and picosecond nonradiative energy transfer in rare-earth doped laser crystals is provided.     

Optical transitions of Dy in tellurite glass: observation of upconversion

Dy³⁺ doped tellurite glasses were prepared and its optical absorption, fluorescence and upconversion have been studied. The absorption data has been used to calculate the Judd-Ofelt parameters, oscillator strengths along with transition probability, branching ratio, etc. The lifetime of the level is found to be 0.66 ms for 1.0 mol% of Dy³⁺ doped in tellurite glass. NIR to visible upconversion has been observed at room temperature. The increase in upconversion luminescence at lower temperature indicates that upconversion is not due to a thermally activated process. The quantum efficiency of the transition is found to be ∼0.17 and the upconversion efficiency is ∼0.022. The strong dependence of the upconversion efficiency on the Dy³⁺ concentration reveals that the upconversion is due to energy transfer interaction.     

Judd-Ofelt parameters of Er in transparent TeO2-based nanocrystallized glasses

Transparent Er³⁺-doped bulk nanocrystallized (size of nanocrystals: ∼40 nm) glasses of 15K₂O·15Nb₂O₅·70TeO₂·0.5Er₂O₃ and 10BaO·10Gd₂O₃·80TeO₂·0.5Er₂O₃ are prepared, and the Judd-Ofelt parameters, (t=2, 4, 6), of Er³⁺ are evaluated from optical absorption spectra. The change in the molar polarizability due to the nanocrystallization is small in both samples, but a clear decrease in the mean atomic volume due to the nanocrystallization, i.e. more close atom packing, is observed. In both systems, a large decrease is observed in the parameter due to the nanocrystallization, indicating that the degree of the site symmetry of Er³⁺ ions in nanocrystallized glasses is much higher than that in the precursor glasses. The decrease in the and parameters due to the crystallization is small, suggesting that the covalency of Er³⁺-O bonds in nanocrystals is not so different from that in the precursor glasses.     

Electrolytic coloration and spectral properties of OH-doped KBr polycrystals

OH⁻-doped KBr polycrystals were colored electrolytically by using a pointed cathode and a flat anode. Characteristic O⁻, OH⁻, U, Cu⁺ and absorption peaks were observed in resolved absorption spectrum of uncolored polycrystals. Herein the position of the absorption peak at room temperature was determined by using a Mollwo-Ivey plot. Characteristic V₂, V₃, Cu⁺, , I₂ and F spectral bands were observed in Kubelka-Munk functions of colored polycrystals. Current-time curve for electrolytic coloration of an OH⁻-doped KBr polycrystal and its relationship with electrolytic coloration process were given. Formation and conversion of color centers were explained.     

Theoretical study of local lattice structure of Mn in perovskite fluorides A2MF4 (A=K, Rb; M=Mg, Zn, Cd) series

A theoretical method for investigating the inter-relation between the molecular structure and electronic structure has been established on the basis of the 252×252 complete energy matrices for a 3d⁵ configuration ion in a tetragonal ligand field. By means of this method, which is independent of the X-ray diffraction, the local structure of the paramagnetic Mn²⁺ ion in perovskite fluorides A₂MF₄ (A=K, Rb; M=Zn, Mg, Cd) are determined directly by analyzing the EPR spectrum of octahedral Mn²⁺ center in A₂MF₄ crystals and the optical absorption spectrum of the (MnF₆)⁴⁻ cluster. It is shown that, comparing with the octahedral cubic structure, the local micro-structure in the vicinity of Mn²⁺ displays an elongated distortion when and a compressed distortion when , and ΔR vs. as well as ΔR vs. in the distortion region is, respectively, approximately linear. Simultaneously, the theoretical zero-field-splitting parameters , and are in good agreement with the experimental values.     

4-benzyl pyridinium dihydrogenmonophosphate C6H5CH2C5H4NHH2PO4 : Single-crystal structure and its conductivity in polycrystalline form

The salt 4-benzyl pyridinium dihydrogenmonophosphate is monoclinic P2₁/c with the following unit cell dimensions: ; ; ; and β=97.328(11). Also, , D_x=1.403, , F(000)=560; ; and R=0.0495 and R_w=0.0964 for 3733 independent reflections. The structure consists of infinite parallel two-dimensional planes built of H₂PO₄⁻ anions and C₆H₅CH₂C₅H₄NH⁺ cations mutually connected by strong O-H ?O and N-H ?O hydrogen bonding. There are no contacts other than the normal Van der Waals interactions between the layers. The conductivity relaxation parameters associated with some H⁺ conduction have been determined from an analysis of the spectrum measured in a wide temperature range.     

Complexes of an argon atom with linear cations: results of coupled cluster calculations

Large-scale coupled cluster calculations have been carried out for complexes between an argon atom and four different linear cations (HCNH⁺, HC₃NH⁺, HCCH⁺, and HC₄H⁺). The two former closed-shell species have hydrogen-bonded linear forms, with nitrogen acting as proton donor, as the energetically most stable isomers. Their dissociation energies (D₀) are predicted to be 1261 and , respectively. For Ar?HCCH⁺, the T-form with symmetry is the absolute energy minimum of the potential energy surface, lying below the fragments at infinite separation. Ar?HC₄H⁺ has a dissociation energy less than half as large and slightly prefers the linear structure. Various spectroscopic properties are predicted for the closed-shell complexes under investigation.     

MRCI studies on the electronic structure of AlN and AlN, and the electron affinity of AlN

Using multireference configuration-interaction methods and double to triple-zeta basis sets with semidiffuse and polarization functions, potential energies and spectroscopic constants for low-lying doublet, and quartet states of AlN⁻ were calculated. has R_e=3.280 bohr and . lies 0.17 eV above the ground state. Using an estimated electron affinity of 2.1 eV for AlN, four states of AlN⁻ are found to be stable, namely , , , and . Comparisons with the isovalent anions BN⁻ (three stable states) and AlP⁻ (seven stable states) are made. Photo-detachment of an electron from the state of AlN⁻ can lead to an accurate determination of the energy difference between the two close-lying lowest states of AlN, and , predicted here to be 0.09 eV apart.     

Enhanced production of ionic photofragments of Si(CH3)2Cl2 following core-to-valence excitation

The state-selective positive-ion and negative-ion dissociation pathways for gaseous and condensed Si(CH₃)₂Cl₂ following the Cl 2p and Si 2p core-level excitations have been characterized using synchrotron radiation. The Si excitation of Si(CH₃)₂Cl₂ induces an enhancement of the Cl⁺ desorption yield in the condensed phase and the and yields in the gaseous-phase. The Cl⁻desorption yields are notably enhanced at the resonance at both Cl 2p and Si 2p edges. The resonant enhancement of Cl⁻ yield occurs through the formation of highly excited states of the adsorbed molecules. These results provide an insight into the comprehensive understanding of the state-selective fragmentation of molecules via core-level excitation.     

Diode laser spectroscopy of CO2 at 790 nm

Absorption lines of ¹²C¹⁶O₂ have been examined by using a tunable diode laser spectrometer in the region around (790 nm). The spectrometer sources are commercially available double heterostructure InGaAlAs tunable diode lasers (TDLs) operating in the “free-running” mode, which allowed the detection of the line positions within . The observed carbon dioxide absorption lines belong to the combination overtone 2ν₂+5ν₃ ro-vibrational band with intensities ranging around .