On the dependence of the coercive field of BaTiO3 single crystals on their thickness

The paper gives the results of measuring the coercive field of single-domain single crystals of BaTiO₃, the thickness of which was lowered by successive etching. The initial decrease in the thicknessd is accompanied by a sudden increase in the coercive fieldE _c (E _c /d –1·5 × × 10⁵ V/cm²); after etching off layers larger than 10^–3 ÷ 2×10^–3cm the coercive field grows much more slowly (E _c /d –7×10³ V/cm²). The high initial growth ofE _c is interpreted by means of Schottky exhaustion layers with non-zero gradient of the electric potential.In conclusion, the authors would like to thank H. Arend, P. Coufová and J. Jarý for providing high-quality single crystals and for much valuable advice during the work and V. Dvoák and K. Pátek for remarks on this paper.     

The thickness dependence of the permittivity of barium titanate single crystals

A thickness dependence of the permittivity ofc-domain barium titanate single crystals was found. The experimental results were explained by means of a model of a dielectric with surface layers. The thickness of the layer and the permittivity of the surface layer and bulk of the crystal were determined.

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iO₃

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Dynamic properties of iron borate single crystals in the high-rate range of magnetization reversal

A third portion is found in the curve of pulsed magnetization reversal of iron borate single crystals with an extremely small switching coefficient S _w3≈(3–5)×10⁻³ Oe μs. This portion is attributed to switching off the possible channels of energy losses by magnetoelastic vibrations. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 45, No. 4, 2003, pp. 641–642. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2003 by Kolotov, Matyunin, Pogozhev.     

Pockels effect in yttrium aluminum borate single crystals

Experimental measurements of linear electro-optical coefficients are reported for YAl₃(BO₃)₄ (YAB) single crystals for the two principal tensor components xyz and yyy at the wavelength of a CW semiconducting GaAlAs laser emitting at 1040 nm. We have found the values of the Pockels coefficients to be equal to 0.21 ± 0.06 and 0.56 ± 0.08 pm/V for 123 and 222 Pockels components, respectively. Additional measurements performed for the thin-cut samples with the thickness varying within the 100–500 μm have confirmed the values of the corresponding parameters. We have eliminated a contribution of the piezooptical coefficients as well as for other disturbing factors. We have established that the crystals with a different number of defects do not show any differences, which indicate the principal role of the borate clusters on the observed effects. The temperature changes are very low (due to a low ionic contribution), and do not exceed 5–6%, which indicates the low contribution of the electron-phonon to the Pockels effect. Because the YAB crystals possess a very large photothermal damage (more than 15 GW/cm²) and are only slightly temperature dependent. Hence, they may be proposed as promising materials for high-power laser electro-optic modulators.     

Luminescence of yttrium aluminum borate single crystals doped with manganese

The optical absorption and luminescence spectra of single crystals of yttrium aluminum borate YAl₃(BO₃)₄ doped with manganese ions are measured. It is established that the optical absorption spectra of yttrium aluminum borate single crystals doped with manganese ions are determined primarily by the contribution from the Mn⁴⁺ ions. The luminescence spectra of the YAl₃(BO₃)₄ single crystals doped with manganese exhibit narrow lines attributed to the Mn⁴⁺ ions and an extended multiband structure which is associated primarily with the contribution from the Mn²⁺ ions.     

On the interpretation of the thickness dependence of the coercive field of BaTiO3 single crystals

It is shown in the paper that the thickness dependence of the coercive field of unetched and of successively etched BaTiO₃ single crystals can be explained by the presence of a ferroelectric surface layer with decreased permittivity. In contrast to the Merz model [1], which considered a homogeneous layer, the authors assume that the permittivity inside the layer gradually decreases in the direction to the surface. By using experimental results it has been found for the constant, characterizing (according to [1]) the thickness dependence of the coercive field of unetched crystals, that=1.6 V, which is in satisfactory agreement with experiment.The authors thank V. Dvoák C.Sc, J. Fousek C.Sc, and Z. Málek C.Sc. for stimulating discussions.     

The dependence of surface tension of solid nanoscale films on their thickness

This paper presents a theoretical method to calculate the surface energy dependence on thickness of nanofilms based on the Landau theory. For the first time, it is shown that the surface energy of thin films having free surfaces is greater than the surface energy of macroscopic objects. For nano-objects having free surfaces, it is stated that their interior order parameter is always less than that of macroscopic solids of the same composition. It is obtained that the surface energy of thin films increases with decrease in their thickness passing its maximum meaning. A further decrease in the solid film thickness leads to a monotonic decrease in the surface energy.     

Photonic liquid crystals: Optical properties and their dependence on light polarization and temperature

Optical properties of cholesteric photonic crystals and their dependences on light polarization and temperature have been studied. The transmission spectra associated with diffraction depend on the direction of linear polarization of a light wave. The temperature dependence of the photonic band gap is determined. The experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions.     

Optical power limiting and transmitting properties of cadmium iodide single crystals: Temperature dependence

Optical limiting properties of the single crystals of cadmium iodide are investigated using ns laser pulses. It is found that the transmissions in the crystals increase with increasing temperature. However, they limit the transmissions at high input powers. The limiting power is found to be higher at higher temperature. From the measured transmission data, the photon absorption coefficients are estimated. The temperature dependence of the coefficients shows a decrease in magnitude with increasing temperature. This might be due to the temperature-dependent bandgap shift of the material. The results demonstrate that the cadmium iodide single crystals are promising materials for applications in optical power limiting devices.     

Orientation dependence of relativistic-positron annihilation in single crystals

An effect of the orientation dependence of the cross section for the single-photon annihilation of relativistic positrons with atomic electrons in a crystal is predicted. It is shown that the probability for the single-photon annihilation of a channeled positron in a crystal may be either suppressed in a crystal in relation to a homogeneous medium or, on the contrary, enhanced. The reason is that, depending on their incidence angle, the positrons may be either in the vicinity of ion planes of the crystal, where the electron density is higher, or far away from them, where the electron density is lower.     

TL and OSL studies on lithium borate single crystals doped with Cu and Ag

Lithium borate (LBO) single crystals doped with Cu and Ag (0.25 mol% each) (Li₂B₄O₇:Cu,Ag) are grown by the Czochralski method. The thermoluminescence readout on Li₂B₄O₇:Cu,Ag crystals showed three glow peaks at～375, 441 and 516 K for the heating rate of 1  K/s. The thermoluminescence sensitivity of the grown Li₂B₄O₇:Cu,Ag single crystals is found to be 5 times TLD-100 and a linear dose response in the range 1 mGy to 1 kGy. The glow curve deconvolution reveals nearly first order kinetics for all the three peaks with trap depths 0.77, 1.25 and 1.34 eV respectively and corresponding frequency factors 1.6×10⁹, 1.3×10¹³ and 6.8×10¹¹ s^?1. The continuous wave optically stimulated luminescence (CW-OSL) measurements were performed on the LBO:Cu,Ag single crystals using blue light stimulation. The traps responsible for the three thermoluminescence peaks in Li₂B₄O₇:Cu,Ag are found to be OSL sensitive. The qualitative correlation between TL peaks and CW-OSL response is established. The photoluminescence studies show that in case of co-doping of Ag in LBO:Cu the emission at 370 nm in Cu states dominates over the transitions in Ag states implying doping of Ag plays a role as sensitizer when co-doped with Cu and increases overall emission.     

Optical properties of InBr single crystals

Single crystals of orthorhombic InBr were grown by the sublimation technique. Two of the three principal refractive indices were determined by measuring interference due to multiple reflection. The absorption curve near the band edge was measured at 295,80 and 10°K for different polarisation vectors of the incident light. At low temperatures large exciton absorptions could be seen which enabled us to determine accurate values of the band gap energy.     

Surface properties of GaTe single crystals

Surface properties of gallium telluride were studied. It was found that the surface after vacuum cleavage is partly reconstructed from monoclinic to hexagonal. Peculiarities of the surface topology are also discussed.     

Growth of tetragonal CdP2 single crystals and the properties of barriers on their basis

Large (50 mm long, 20 mm in diameter) CdP₂ single crystals with tetragonal symmetry are grown by vapor-phase crystallization for the first time. The unit cell parameters of the single crystals are determined, and it is shown that they have the stoichiometric composition of cadmium diphosphide. Photosensitive In(Cu)/CdP₂ structures are fabricated, and their photosensitivity spectra are investigated. It is found that these structures exhibit broadband photosensitivity. The mechanism of photoelectric conversion and the type of interband transitions are discussed. From indirect and direct interband transitions, the bandgap values that are responsible for edge absorption are determined. It is concluded that CdP₂ single crystals are feasible for broadband optical converters.     

Electrical properties of molybdenite single crystals

Molybdenite crystals used in the present work were grown by direct vapour transport or sublimation method. The electrical resistivities and I-V characteristics were measured at different temperatures in the symmetry plane. The room temperature resistance of a specimen annealed for different periods has also been measured. These results are described and discussed.     

Luminescent properties of LiCl-Cu single crystals

The absorption, photoluminescence, x-ray luminescence, and thermoluminescence spectra, and the photoluminescence excitation spectra of LiCl-Cu single crystals with different activator concentration were investigated at temperatures of 79–450°K. The absorption spectrum at room temperature has two bands with maxima at 237 and 259 nm. The absorption coefficient of the 237 nm band is proportional to the copper concentration in the crystal (C_Cu ≤ 7·10^?4 mole %). The photoluminescence and x-ray luminescence spectrum at room temperature consists of one emission band at 324 nm, which conforms with the Mollwo-Ivey rule in the homologous series RbCl → KCl → NaCl → LiCl. The copper ions create trapping levels for electrons and holes at different depths in the forbidden band of the LiCl crystal. The correlation between the thermoluminescence peaks and the recombination-luminescence excitation bands (infrared stimulation) is investigated.