Thermo and mechanoluminescence studies of BZT phosphor

Mechanoluminescence (ML) and thermoluminescence (TL) in barium zirconium titanate (BZT) is reported for the first time. The BZT powder sample, belonging to perovskite category is synthesized using solid state reaction technique. The sample is prepared at a temperature of 1200 °C. The obtained specimen is thoroughly characterized paying particular attention to their structure, composition, morphology and optical properties. The surface morphology and structural properties are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD patterns confirm the formation of crystalline perovskite type cubic structure. Also, highly agglomerated, porous and regular shaped particles are seen by SEM. The optical properties of as prepared sample is presented and discussed in terms of ML and TL. The ML intensity is found to be maximum for the sample irradiated for 10 min. More than one maxima in TL glow curve reveals that the traps are distributed in separate groups at different depths and corresponding values are calculated using initial rise method.     

Persistent mechanoluminescence induced by elastic deformation of ZrO2:Ti phosphors

ZrO₂:Ti phosphors show such a strong mechanoluminescence (ML) that it can be seen in day light with naked eye. When a pellet of ZrO₂:Ti phosphor mixed in epoxy resin is deformed in the elastic region at a fixed strain rate using a testing machine, ML intensity increases linearly with time, and when the deformation is stopped, ML intensity decreases exponentially with time. For a given strain rate, ML intensity increases linearly with pressure, and for a given pressure, ML intensity increases linearly with the strain rate. The total ML intensity, in the deformation region, increases quadratically with pressure; however, the total ML intensity in the post-deformation region increases linearly with pressure. ML intensity decreases with successive number of pressings, whereby the reduced ML intensity can be recovered by UV-irradiation of the sample. ML intensity increases linearly with density of filled electron traps and it is optimum for a particular concentration of Ti in ZrO₂. ML intensity should change with increasing temperature of the phosphors. Although ZrO₂ is non-piezoelectric as a whole, it seems that the local structures near the Ti ions in ZrO₂ crystals are in the piezoelectric phase. The elastico ML in ZrO₂ phosphors can be understood on the basis of the localized piezoelectrification-induced detrapping model. According to this model, the localized piezoelectric field near Ti ions causes detrapping of electrons and subsequently the detrapped electrons moving in the conduction band are captured by the energy state of excited Ti⁴⁺ ions, whereby excited Ti⁴⁺ ions are produced and consequently the decay of excited Ti⁴⁺ ions gives rise to the light emission. The expressions derived on the basis of this model are able to explain satisfactorily the characteristics of ML. The relaxation time of localized piezoelectric charges and the threshold pressure for the ML emission can be determined from ML measurements. The long decay of elastico ML indicates the possibility of exploring persistent elastico ML, which may be useful for the fabrication of dim light sources capable of operating without any external power.     

Luminescence induced by elastic deformation of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles

When the thin film of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles deposited on a glass substrate is elastically deformed by applying a load, then initially the mechanoluminescence (ML) intensity increases with time, attains a peak value I_m at a particular time t_m, and later on it decreases with time. The rise and decay characteristics of the ML produced during release of the load are also similar to those produced during the application of load. Similar rise, occurrence of peak and then decrease in ML intensity are also found, when the film is deformed impulsively by dropping a steel ball of small mass from a low height; however, in this case, the time durations for the occurrence of ML and decay time of ML are very short. In the cases of loading and impulsive deformation ,after t_m, initially the ML intensity decreases at a fast rate and then at a slow rate, in which the decay time of fast decrease is equal to the time-constant for rise of pressure and the decay time for slow decrease is equal to the relaxation time of the surface charges. In the case of loading, the peak intensity I_m and the total intensity I_T of ML increase quadratically with the magnitude of applied pressure; however, in the case of impulsive deformation, both the I_m and I_T increase linearly with the height through which the ball is dropped on to the sample. In the case of deformation of the samples at a fixed strain rate, I_m should increase linearly with the applied pressure. The elastico ML in ZnS:Mn nanoparticles can be understood on the basis of the piezoelectrically-induced electron detrapping model, in which the local piezoelectric field near the Mn²⁺ centres reduces the trap-depth, and therefore, the detrapping of filled electron traps takes place, and subsequently the energy released non-radiatively during the electron-hole recombination excites the Mn²⁺ centres and de-excitation gives rise to the ML. The equal number of photons emitted during the application of pressure, release of pressure, and during the successive applications of pressure, indicates that the detrapped electron-traps get filled during the relaxation of the surface charges induced by the application and release of pressure because the charge carriers move to reduce the surface charges. On the basis of the piezoelectrically-induced electron detrapping model, expressions are derived for different characteristics of the ML of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles and a good agreement is found between the theoretical and experimental results. The expressions explored for the dependence of ML intensity on several parameters may be useful in tailoring the suitable nanomaterials capable of exhibiting ML during their elastic deformation. The values of the relaxation time of surface charges, time-constant for the rise of pressure, and the threshold pressure can be determined from the measurement of the time-dependence of ML. It seems that the trapping and detrapping of charge carriers in materials can be studied using ML.     

Mechanoluminescence induced by elastic deformation of coloured alkali halide crystals using pressure steps

During the elastic deformation of coloured alkali halide crystals, the bending segments of dislocations capture F-centre electrons lying in the expansion region of edge dislocations, to the states of dislocation band. After the separation from interacting F-centres, the captured electrons move together with the bending segments of dislocations and also drift along the axis of dislocations and subsequently the radiative electron–hole recombinations, owing to both the processes of captured-electron movement, give rise to the light emission. The generation rate of electrons in the dislocation band and the mechanoluminescence (ML) intensity initially increase with time, attain maximum value at a particular time, and then they decrease with time. The intensity I_m corresponding to the peak of ML intensity versus time curve and the total intensity I_T of ML increase with the applied pressure and also with the density of F-centres in the crystals. At low temperature, both I_m and I_T increase with temperature and at higher temperature they decrease with increasing temperature due to the thermal bleaching of F-centres and also due to the decrease in luminescence efficiency. Thus, both I_m and I_T are optimum for a particular temperature of the crystals. For longer time duration, the ML intensity decreases exponentially with time in which the decay time is equal to the lifetime of interacting F-centres. Expressions derived for the different characteristics of ML are able to explain the experimental results. It is shown that the time constant for rise of pressure, lifetime of the interacting F-centres or damping time of dislocation segments, and the activation energy can be determined from the ML measurements.     

Possibility of elastico-mechanoluminescence dosimetry using alkali halides and other crystals

The elastico-mechanoluminescence (EML) intensity of X or γ-irradiated alkali halide crystals can be used in radiation dosimetry. The EML intensity of X or γ-irradiated alkali halide crystals increases linearly with the strain of the crystals, and when the crosshead of the testing machine deforming an X or γ-irradiated crystal is stopped, then the EML intensity decreases with time. The semilog plot of the EML intensity versus (t − t_c) (where t_c is the time where the crosshead of the testing machine is stopped) indicates that, in the post-deformation region, the EML intensity initially decreases exponentially at a fast rate and later on it decreases exponentially at a slow rate. The EML intensity increases linearly with the density of the F-centres in the crystals. This fact indicates that elastico-ML can suitably be used for the radiation dosimetry. The EML spectra of X or γ-irradiated alkali halide crystals are similar to their thermoluminescence spectra. Based on the detrapping of electrons during the mechanical interaction between the dislocation segments and F-centres, an expression is derived, which indicates that the EML intensity should increase linearly with the density of F-centres in the crystals. The expression derived for the decay of EML indicates that the decay time for the fast decrease of EML should gives the pinning time of dislocation segments (lifetime of interacting F-centres), and the decay time for the slow decrease of EML intensity should gives the lifetime of electrons in the shallow traps. As the elastic deformation is non-destructive phenomenon and the EML intensity depends on the radiation dosage given to the alkali halide crystals, similar to the thermoluminescence and photo-stimulated luminescence, the EML of alkali halide crystals and other crystals may be used for the radiation dosimetry. In EML dosimetry, the same crystal can be used number of times because the elastic deformation does not cause permanent deformation in the crystals, and moreover, comparatively the devices needed for the EML measurements are of low cost and very simple. In recent years, a large number of elastico mechanoluminescent materials have been investigated, and the study of their suitability for the radiation dosimetry may be interesting.     

Intense red mechanoluminescence from (ZnS)1−x(MnTe)x

Intense mechanoluminescent (ZnS)_1−x(MnTe)_x powder samples with x=0.02,0.05,0.10,0.15,0.20 and 0.25 were prepared by simple Solid State Reaction method. All samples were polycrystalline with wurtzite structure. Mechanoluminescence (ML) and Photoluminescence (PL) were observed in all the samples in the red region peaking around 650 nm. The red emission is attributed to the presence of Te along with Mn. ML is attributed to the release of holes due to the stress on the phosphors which then recombine with metastable Mn²⁺ emitting light. The intensity of ML is found to be strongly dependent on both the impact pressure and composition. The maximum intensities in both ML and PL were observed in samples with x=0.05.     

硝基甲苯类炸药C-NO2键中点的静电势

利用HONDO程序包,采用从头计算法对硝基甲苯类炸药的分子结构及其C-NO2键中点的静电势进行了计算,讨论了硝基甲苯类炸药C-NO2键中点的静电势最大值Vmidmax与其实验撞击感度之间的关系.研究表明:对于硝基甲苯类炸药,可用其分子C-NO2键中点的静电势最大值Vmidmax来确定其撞击感度的变化趋势.以静电势为判据,讨论了硝基和甲基数目以及硝基和甲基的相对位置对这类炸药撞击感度的影响.     

A single particle impact model for motion in avalanches

We describe the global behavior of the dynamics of a particle bouncing down an inclined staircase. For small inclinations all orbits eventually stop (independent of the initial condition). For large enough inclinations all orbits end up accelerating indefinitely (also independent of the initial conditions). There is an interval of inclinations of positive length between these two. In that interval the behavior of an orbit depends on its initial condition. In addition to stopping and accelerating orbits, there are also orbits with speeds bounded away from both zero and infinity. A second hallmark of the dynamics is that the orbits going at a finite (but non-zero) average speed tend to have close to constant speed. In the setting of this model these phenomena are robust in the sense that they are independent of the ‘ruggedness’ of the staircase and of the coefficients of restitution that govern the energy loss at each bounce.The behavior just described matches up well with physical observations of single particles falling down a rough slope as well as measurements in laboratory controlled avalanches. This (and the robustness of the results) suggests that many-particle systems (avalanches) behave in similar ways as our low-dimensional model.     

五种典型硝基苯胺类炸药的静电势与撞击感度的关系研究

利用HONDO程序包,采用从头算法对硝基苯胺类炸药的分子结构和电偶极矩等性质以及 C-NO2键中点静电势等进行计算,讨论了硝基苯胺类炸药C-NO2键中点静电势最大值Vmidmax与其实验撞击感度之间的关系.研究表明:对于硝基苯胺类炸药,不宜单独用C-NO2键中点静电势最大值Vmidmax来表征撞击感度的变化,但可以用静电势最大值Vmidmax与电偶极矩的积来确定其撞击感度的变化趋势,讨论了硝基和胺基的相对位置以及硝基和胺基的数目对这类炸药感度的影响.     

ZnS:Mn摩擦发光特性的研究

本文报道了ZnS:Mn具有良好摩擦发光性能。研究了ZnS:Mn发光中心Mn^2 及其含量以及样品的灼烧温度、灼烧时间等条件对样品发光特性的影响。优化浓度配比和制备条件制备出了较高摩抢擦发光效率的ZnS:Mn摩擦发光材料。摩擦发光机理可能是由于机械能使ZnS:Mn的电子从基态激发到激发态所致,而具有较高的摩擦发光效率可能来源于ZnS:Mn具有较宽的激发能量范围。     

Triboluminescence,a new tool to investigate fracture-initiation time of crystals under stress

The present paper reports that triboluminescence (TBL) does not appear at the instant of impact of the load but a certain time lag is required for its appearance which depends on the value of the stress applied to the crystal. Since TBL appears in sugar crystals during the creation of new surfaces, the fracture-initiation time of the crystal has been taken to be the delay time in observing TBL pulse after the application of stress. The dependence of fracture-initiation time,t _f ^σ , of crystals on the stress, σ, may be expressed ast _f ^σ =t _o exp (− ασ), wheret _o and α are constants. The values of the lattice energy, and the change in lattice energy per unit stress, of sugar crystals have been calculated from TBL measurements and they have been found to be 21·2 kcal mole⁻¹ and 0·41 × 10⁻⁸ kcal mole⁻¹ dyne⁻¹ cm² respectively.     

冲击声的稀疏特征提取及声源类型识别

针对低信噪比下声源材料类型的细分任务,将稀疏表达用于冲击声信号的声源类型识别,提取的稀疏特征相比传统的MFCC特征有效改善了识别性能。分别基于3种预定义词典和一组根据训练信号学习的词典,利用正交匹配追踪(OMP)方法对录制冲击声进行稀疏表达,提取稀疏特征用于不同信噪比下冲击声信号的声源辨识,并与MFCC特征进行比较。对包含12类材料的冲击声数据库的分类结果显示,在几乎所有情况下,稀疏特征比MFCC特征具有更好的识别效果。特别是在信噪比较低的情况下,稀疏特征具有更好的抗噪性能。     

Chaos in semiconductor band-trap impact ionization

We introduce a new spatially-extended semiconductor carriers transport equation model, based on generation–recombination process of the band-trap impact ionization under a longitudinal electric field. By means of numerical studies, we demonstrate the existence of chaos. Also, we present many results such as, the lyapunov spectrum, the bifurcation diagram, the phase portrait and the Poincaré surface of section. In addition the basic electric circuit used is found to be helpful in the implementation of a simple and autonomous chaotic oscillator circuit. Furthermore, the obtained results are interesting in the way that they could be useful in avoiding of undesirable chaotic regime in some switching and memory electronic devices.     

Synthesis and up-conversion luminescence properties of Ho3+, Yb3+ co-doped BaLa2ZnO5

Up-conversion phosphors BaLa₂ZnO₅ co-doped with Ho³⁺/Yb³⁺ were synthesized by high temperature solid-state reaction method. The phase composition of the phosphors was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The structure of BaLa₂ZnO₅: 0.75% Ho/15% Yb phosphor was refined by the Rietveld method and results showed the decreased unit cell parameters and cell volume after doping Ho³⁺ and Yb³⁺, indicating Ho³⁺ and Yb³⁺ have successfully replaced La³⁺. Under the excitation of 980 nm diode laser, the strong green and weak red up-conversion emissions centered at 548 nm, 664 nm and 758 nm were observed, which originating from ⁵S₂, ⁵F₂→⁵I₈, ⁵F₄→⁵I₈ and ⁵S₂, ⁵F₂→⁵I₇ transitions of Ho³⁺ ions, respectively. The optimum doping concentrations of Ho³⁺ and Yb³⁺ were determined to be 0.75% and 15%, and the corresponding Commission International de L'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates are calculated to be x=0.298 and y=0.692. The related UC mechanism of Ho³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped BaLa₂ZnO₅ depending on pump power was studied in detail. The results indicate that BaLa₂ZnO₅: Ho³⁺/Yb³⁺ can be an effective candidate for up-conversion yellowish-green light emitter.     

Tetrahedral manganese (II) complexes—intense and unique type of mechanoluminophores

Intense and unique type of mechanoluminescence (ML) is found in tetrahedral manganese (II) complexes. During the excitation of ML by the impact of a piston onto the crystal, the ML intensity initially increases with time, attains a maximum value and then decreases. After retardation of the piston, the decay rate of ML is faster during crystal deformation; however, its value decreases after cessation of the deformation and becomes equal to the decay rate of phosphorescence. The ML disappears below the melting point. Since the crystals of tetrahedral manganese (II) complexes are centrosymmetric, the local non-centrosymmetric sites near the defects are attributed to be responsible for the mechanoluminescence excitation.     

The performance of resilient layers made from recycled rubber fluff for impact noise reduction

This paper reports an investigation of a new kind of material and its acoustical performance. The potential of recycled materials made from rubber fluff for reducing impact noise was assessed according to EN ISO 140-8:1997. The performance of these materials was compared to those of some commercially available underlays.     

An improved algorithm for detecting point of impact in anisotropic inhomogeneous plates

Conventional triangulation techniques fail to correctly predict the acoustic source location in anisotropic plates due to the direction dependent nature of the elastic wave speeds. To overcome this problem, Kundu et al. [1] proposed an alternative method for acoustic source prediction based on optimizing an objective function. They defined an objective function that uses the time of flight information of the acoustic waves to the passive transducers attached to the plate and the wave propagation direction (θ) from the source point to the receiving sensors. Some weaknesses of the original algorithm proposed in Ref. [1] were later overcome by developing a modified objective function [2]. A new objective function is introduced here to further simplify the optimization procedure and improve the computational efficiency. A new algorithm for source location is also introduced here to increase the source location accuracy. The performance of the objective function and source location algorithm were experimentally verified on a homogeneous anisotropic plate and a non-homogeneous anisotropic plate with a doubler patch. Results from these experiments indicate that the new objective function and source location algorithm have improved performance when compared with those discussed in Refs. [1] and [2].     

复合材料冲击损伤监测的概率成像方法*

复合材料在制造、使用和维修过程中不可避免的受外来意外物体的低速冲击,造成结构的损伤。材料本身存在各向异性、纤维铺层方向误差等复杂结构特性,导致延迟-累加损伤成像方法难以实现冲击损伤的准确检测。针对这一问题,本文采用了一种与信号传播速度无关的损伤概率成像方法,该方法利用能量损伤因子,将各路径周围的像素点以椭圆分布的形式对损伤进行概率化表述,然后对各路径损伤因子进行合成成像,实现了复合材料冲击损伤的准确监测。实验结果表明,利用能量损伤因子可以监测复合材料冲击损伤,利用损伤概率成像方法可以实现冲击损伤位置的判别。