First-principles study on the electronic structures and absorption spectra for the PbWO4 crystal with lead vacancy

The electronic structures and absorption spectra for the perfect PbWO₄ (PWO) crystal and the crystal containing lead vacancy have been calculated using density functional theory code CASTEP with the lattice structure optimized. The calculated absorption spectra of the PWO crystal containing exhibit seven absorption bands peaking at 1.72 eV (720 nm), 2.16 eV (570 nm), 2.81 eV (440 nm), 3.01 eV (410 nm), 3.36 eV (365 nm), 3.70 eV (335 nm) and 4.0 eV (310 nm), which are very close to the experimental values. It predicts that the 330, 360, 420, 500-750 nm absorption bands are related to the existence of in the PWO crystal.     

High-temperature UV absorption of methyl radicals behind shock waves

The absorption of ultraviolet narrow-line laser radiation by methyl radicals (CH₃) in the electronic system has been studied at high temperatures behind shock waves. Methyl radicals at high temperatures were generated by the shock heating of methyl precursors: azomethane, methyl iodide, and ethane. The spectral shape and intensity of the broadband absorption feature from 211.5 to 220 nm at high temperature (1565 K) has been measured. The absorption coefficient of CH₃ at 216.62 nm, the wavelength of peak absorption at high temperatures in the P+Q band, has been determined from 1200 to 2500 K. Additionally, the absorption coefficients of several interfering UV-absorbing combustion species (, and C₃H₆) have been determined at 216.62 nm.     

Absorption spectra of AsH2 radical in 435-510 nm by cavity ringdown spectroscopy

The absorption spectra of jet-cooled AsH₂ radicals were recorded in the wavelength range of 435-510 nm by cavity ringdown spectroscopy. The AsH₂ radicals were produced by pulsed DC discharge in a molecular beam of a mixture of AsH₃, SF₆, and argon. Seven vibronic bands with fine rotational structures have been identified and assigned as the , , and (n = 1-3) bands of the electronic transition. Based on the previous studies of AsH₂ radical, rotational assignments and rotational term values for each band were obtained, and the molecular parameters including vibrational constants, rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, and spin-rotation interaction constants were also determined.     

Simple optical preprocessing for optical clock recovery using a single fiber Bragg grating filter

We propose a simple optical preprocessing for optical clock recovery using a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) filter. In the proposed scheme, the signal preprocessing is performed by suppressing the carrier component through the FBG filter, and experiment shows that the clock component is larger than about 10 dB compared with other rf components within a distance of from the clock frequency component.     

Assignments and optical properties of X-ray-induced colour centres in blue and orange radiophotoluminescent silver-activated glasses

We have systematically investigated the origin and optical properties of the X-ray-induced colour centres based on the blue and red radiophotoluminescence (RPL) in a silver-activated phosphate glass. The induced-absorption band was decomposed into six Gaussian bands on the basis of its strong analogy with silver-activated sodium chloride. We have ascribed these bands to Ag⁰, Ag²⁺, and other silver ion species by means of optical and thermal measurements such as colour centre formation and dissolution by highly successive femtosecond-pulse irradiation, excited-state lifetime and thermal annealing characteristics. The data confirmed that the blue RPL at 450 nm could be attributed to the 270 and 345 nm bands due to the and Ag⁰ centres, respectively, and that the orange RPL at 560 nm was associated with the 308 nm band due to the Ag²⁺ centres.     

Optical second harmonic generation from Pt nanowires

We have measured optical second harmonic intensity from arrays of Pt nanowires of 20 nm and 9 nm average widths, as a function of the incident and output light polarizations, the azimuthal angle, and the excitation photon energy. The nanowires were fabricated through shadow deposition on self-organized NaCl(1 1 0) faceted templates. The anisotropy of the SH intensity from the Pt nanowires was found to be stronger than that from the Au nanowires reported previously. The effective nonlinear susceptibility element , with the suffix 2 indicating the direction , was observed for Pt nanowires, although it was not observed for Au nanowires. This difference is suggested to be due to the weaker suppression of the incident fundamental fields by the depolarization field in the Pt nanowires and the larger anisotropy in the nonlinearity of Pt nanowires due to the thinner widths.     

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.     

Real-time monitoring of InAs QD growth procedure on InP substrate by spectral reflectance

Using an in situ spectral reflectance (SR) method, we monitored the growth procedure of InAs QD layer on InP substrate grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The surface reconstruction of the InP buffer layer at 530 °C under P-rich condition was determined by the subtraction SR and explained to be (2 × 4)-like structures composed of the P-dimers and [1 1 0] In-dimers. The [1 1 0] and SR signals at different wavelengths showed different behaviors, which was interpreted to be caused by As/P exchange reaction and the other diverse surface processes. This analysis was confirmed by the comparison between SR signal and multibeam optical stress sensor data.     

High average power Q-switched green beam generation by intracavity frequency doubling of diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG/HGTR-KTP laser

To obtain high power and high beam quality second harmonic generation, a Q-switched system has been demonstrated by intracavity frequency doubling of two diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG modules with double AO-modulators in an astigmatism compensated cavity geometry. A maximum average frequency doubled power of 185 W is obtained when the pumping power is 600 W for each module. The corresponding optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is 15.4% and the pulse width is 180 ns at a repetition rate of 10 kHz. An instability of 2.5% was measured over a period of 2 h and the beam quality factors were measured to be , the maximum output power.     

Sapphire (0 0 0 1) surface modifications induced by long-pulse 1054 nm laser irradiation

We have investigated modifications of sapphire (0 0 0 1) surface with and without coating, induced by a single laser pulse with a 1054 nm wavelength, 2.2 s duration, 7.75 mm spot and energy of 20-110 J. A holographic optical element was used for smoothing the drive beam spatially, but it induced small hotspots which initiated damage on the uncoated and coated surfaces. The individual damage effects of hotspots became less pronounced at high fluences. Due to high temperature and elevated non-hydrostatic stresses upon laser irradiation, damage occurred as fracture, spallation, basal and rhombohedral twinning, melting, vitrification, the formation of nanocrystalline phases, and solid-solid phase transition. The extent of damage increased with laser fluences. The formation of regular linear patterns with three-fold symmetry ( directions) upon fracture was due to rhombohedral twinning. Nanocrystalline -Al₂O₃ formed possibly from vapor deposition on the coated surface and manifested linear, triangular and spiral growth patterns. Glass and minor amounts of -Al₂O₃ also formed from rapid quenching of the melt on this side. The - to -Al₂O₃ transition was observed on the uncoated surface in some partially spalled alumina, presumably caused by shearing. The nominal threshold for laser-induced damage is about 47 J cm⁻² for these laser pulses, and it is about 94 J cm⁻² at the hotspots.     

Profile imaging of reconstructed polar and non-polar surfaces of ZnO

The atomic scale surface structures of ZnO non-polar as well as and ±(0 0 0 1) polar surfaces have been directly imaged by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The observations were made on clean surfaces created by irradiating a single ZnO nanobelt using 400 keV electron beam in TEM, under which ZnO dots were grown epitaxially and in situ on the surface of the nanobelt. A technique is demonstrated for directly distinguishing the surface polarity of the ±(0 0 0 1) polar surfaces. For the non-polar surface, HRTEM images and simulation results indicate that the Zn ions in the first and second layer suffer from inward and outward relaxation, respectively; the oxygen ions in the first and second layer prefer shifting to vicinal Zn ions to shorten the bonding distance. For the oxygen-terminated polar surface, the oxygen ions at the outmost top layer were directly imaged. a × 2 reconstruction has also been observed at the surface, and its atomic structure has been proposed based on image simulation. Oxygen-terminated polar surface is flat and shows no detectable reconstruction. For the Zn-terminated (0 0 0 1) polar surface, HRTEM may indicate the existence of Zn vacancies and a possibly c-axis, random outward displacement of the top Zn ions. Our data tend to support the mechanism of removal of surface atoms for maintaining the stability of (0 0 0 1) polar surfaces.     

Low-loss amorphous silicon-on-insulator technology for photonic integrated circuitry

We report the fabrication of low-loss amorphous silicon photonic wires deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Single mode photonic wires were fabricated by 193 nm optical lithography and dry etching. Propagation loss measurements show a loss of 3.46 dB/cm for photonic wires and 1.34 dB/cm for ridge waveguides.     

Direct recognition of non-radiative recombination centers in semi-insulating LEC InP:Fe using double excitation photoluminescence

In order to observe the effect of intra-band gap excitation on the photoluminescence (PL) properties of undoped InP and iron doped InP (InP:Fe), PL measurements were performed in InP crystals with thickness of 360 μm and area of about 4×3 mm², grown by the liquid encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) technique upon excitation with both Ar-ion laser and 980 nm light. The PL intensities for InP:Fe under 980 nm wavelength light illumination relative to no illumination increased by about 52%, 33%, and 12% for the 1.337, 1.380, and 1.416 eV peaks, respectively, at 10 K, whereas there was no illumination effect for undoped InP. This is a strong indication that Fe centers play a role as non-radiative recombination centers to decrease the PL intensity. PL experiments were performed in the spectral range of 1320-1440 meV for InP in the sample temperature range of 10-160 K. The electron and hole photoionization cross-sections at 980 nm wavelength light illumination were calculated as and , respectively.     

Microstructure of epitaxial scandium nitride films grown on silicon

Epitaxial scandium nitride films (225 nm thick) were grown on (1 1 1)-oriented silicon substrates by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), using ammonia as a reactive nitrogen source. Film microstructure was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The (1 1 1) ω-scan FWHM of 0.551° obtained for films grown at 850 °C is the lowest reported so far for ScN thin films. The principal orientation of ScN with respect to Si is (1 1 1)_ScN//(1 1 1)_Si and []_ScN//[]_Si, representing a 60° in-plane rotation of the ScN layer with respect to the Si substrate. However, some twinning is also present in the films; the orientation of the twinned component is (1 1 1)_ScN//(1 1 1)_Si and []_ScN//[]_Si, representing a ‘cube-on-cube’ orientation. The volume percentage of these twins in the films decreases with increasing film growth temperature.     

Electro-optic behavior of lithium niobate at cryogenic temperatures

The unclamped relative permittivity, , and the Pockels coefficient, , of congruent lithium niobate at a frequency f = 5760 Hz have been determined at low temperatures (7 K < T < 300 K). A He cryostat setup mounted to one arm of an electronically phase-stabilized Michelson interferometer was utilized for the measurement of . A continuous decrease in both parameters was observed as T → 0 K with limiting values of and , respectively.     

NaCl islands decorated with 2D or 3D 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride nanostructures

The formation of PTCDA (3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride) nanostrutures on Au(1 1 1)-() covered with NaCl islands has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Atomically resolved STM images show that NaCl grows as (1 0 0)-terminated layers on Au(1 1 1)-(). Local atomic hexagonal packing has also been observed in the NaCl(1 0 0) layer. At submonolayer NaCl coverage, PTCDA forms two-dimensional islands on the Au(1 1 1) surface and nucleate preferentially at the NaCl island step edges. When the Au surface is fully covered with NaCl layers, PTCDA molecules form three-dimensional molecular clusters decorating the step edges of NaCl layers.     

Aromatic interactions in the close packing of phenyl-imides at Cu(1 1 0) surfaces

The oxidation of aniline at Cu(1 1 0) surfaces at 290 K has been studied by XPS and STM. A single chemisorbed product, assigned to a phenyl imide (C₆H₅N(a)), is formed together with water which desorbs. Reaction with preadsorbed oxygen results in a maximum surface concentration of phenyl imide of 2.8 × 10¹⁴ mol cm⁻² and a surface dominated by domains of three structures described by , and unit meshes. However, concentrations of phenyl imide of up to 3.3 × 10¹⁴ mol cm⁻² were obtained from the coadsorption of aniline and dioxygen (300:1 mixture) resulting in a highly ordered biphasic structure with and domains. Comparison of the STM and XPS data shows that only half the phenyl imides at the surface are imaged. Pi-stacking of the phenyl rings is proposed to account for this observation.     

FTIR, XRD, SEM and solid state NMR investigations of carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite nano-particles synthesized by hydroxide-gel technique

Nano-crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA), Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂ has been synthesized by a precipitate conversion technique using hydroxide gel at lower temperatures, e.g. 80 °C. HA crystallizes in hexagonal structure (space group: P6₃/m) having lattice parameters: and and around 17 nm in crystallite-size for the 80 °C-heated sample. SEM micrographs show hexagonal crystallites of average particle dimensions approximately 50×20 nm for 80 °C heated sample. The structure analysis by XRD, FTIR, ¹H and ³¹P MAS NMR show the existence of structural disorder at the particle surface that either does not form hydrogen bonding due to lack of adequate bonding parameters or forms a very weak dipolar bonding. The structural disorder has been explained as a result of chemical interactions between the phosphate groups either with the surface adsorbed water or the hydroxyl groups at the surface of the nano-particles.