A study on photomultiplier afterpulses in TL/OSL readers

In this work we present results of investigations of afterpulses in the photomultiplier tube (PMT) EMI 9235QA built into the Daybreak TL/OSL reader. The amplitudes of pulses and the time intervals between subsequent pulses were recorded using an ultra-fast data acquisition board and a laboratory made multichannel time/amplitude analyzer. We have recorded afterpulses following background (i.e. dark) pulses, pulses induced by single light photons and by high energy photonic radiation from a number of radioactive sources (²⁴¹Am, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁶⁰Co, ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y) with different X/γ energy ranges. The measurements were performed at varying PMT temperatures. Distributions of time intervals between pulses show that there are several kinds of afterpulses, accompanying primary pulses caused by ionizing radiation, that follow with delays between 10⁻⁸–10⁻⁴ s. In comparison to pulses induced by a single photoelectron, the amplitude of afterpulses varies over a wide range from less than a single photoelectron to around 10 photoelectrons. In the investigated PMT for single light photon pulses we detected 7.5% of afterpulses and for background pulses up to 31% of afterpulses. Random series of afterpulses following primary pulses change the statistical distribution of the number of pulses recorded using a photomultiplier. If the number of primary pulses follows a Poisson distribution, then total counts number has another distribution with its variance greater than the mean, clearly showing an over-dispersion.     

Characteristics of the 2 m long scintillation counters measured by detecting 90 MeV protons

The characteristics of scintillation counters measured in a 90-MeV proton beam have been presented. Two-meter long scintillators BC-404 and BC-408, which were viewed from both ends with photoelectron multipliers R1828-01 (PMT) have been used. Both the amplitude and time distributions of the PMT signals are well described by the Gaussian function. It turned out that the amplitude resolution σ(А)/А weakly depends on the type of scintillator and the proton position along the counter, and lies in the interval between 4 and 5%. The best time resolution σ(T) is about 50 ps near the counter ends and 63 ps at the center.     

High power efficiency in single layer blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes

High efficiency single layer blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) without any charge transport layer were developed. A mixed host of spirobifluorene based phosphine oxide (SPPO13) and 1, 1-bis[(di-4-tolylamino)phenyl]cyclohexane (TAPC) was used as the host in the emitting layer. A high maximum external quantum efficiency of 15.8% and a quantum efficiency of 8.6% at 1000 cd/m² were achieved in the single-layer blue PHOLEDs without any charge transport layer. The maximum power efficiency and power efficiency at 1000 cd/m² were 31.4 and 16.9 lm/W, respectively.     

光纤模式混合器在差分吸收光谱系统中的应用研究

差分吸收光谱技术(DOAS)已经发展为监测对流层痕量气体的重要技术，一般采用光电倍增管(PMT)作为探测器.由于光电二极管阵列(PDA)在多道探测及像元灵敏性方面的优势，采用PDA代替扫描探测装置将能改善系统剩余噪声，提高系统性能.但实际应用中由于使用收发一体Cassegrain望远镜造成灯谱与大气谱结构不统一，在消除PDA像元间差异的过程中给系统带来误差，从而导致剩余噪声的标准偏差达到1.4×10^-3.根据光纤扰模原理在系统中加入自制光纤模式混合器很好的解决了上述难题，在实际应用中起到良好的作用，系统剩余噪声的标准偏差为3.4×10^-4. 关键词： 差分吸收光谱 扰模 模式混合器 剩余噪声     

The visible and ultraviolet organic light-emitting diodes with germanium dioxide as facile solution-processed anode buffer layer

Germanium dioxide (GeO₂) aqueous solutions are facilely prepared and the corresponding anode buffer layers (ABLs) with solution process are demonstrated. Atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements show that solution-processed GeO₂ behaves superior film morphology and enhanced work function. Using GeO₂ as ABL of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), the visible device with tris(8-hydroxy-quinolinato)aluminium as emitter gives maximum luminous efficiency of 6.5 cd/A and power efficiency of 3.5 lm/W, the ultraviolet device with 3-(4-biphenyl)-4-phenyl-5-tert-butylphenyl-1,2,4-triazole as emitter exhibits short-wavelength emission with peak of 376 nm, full-width at half-maximum of 42 nm, maximum radiance of 3.36 mW/cm² and external quantum efficiency of 1.5%. The performances are almost comparable to the counterparts with poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate) as ABL. The current, impedance, phase and capacitance as a function of voltage characteristics elucidate that the GeO₂ ABL formed from appropriate concentration of GeO₂ aqueous solution favors hole injection enhancement and accordingly promoting device performance.     

磁瓶式光电子能谱和速度成像光电子能谱对APS-(A=C14H10,蒽)的研究:电子结构,APS·的自旋轨道耦合和APS-的自旋偶极态

Gaseous dibenzo-7-phosphanorbornadiene P-sulfide anions APS^-(A=C₁₄H₁₀ or anthracene) were generated via electrospray ionization, and characterized by magnetic-bottle photoelectron spectroscopy, velocity-map imaging (VMI) photoelectron spectroscopy, and quantum chemical calculations. The electron affinity (EA) and spin-orbit (SO) splitting of the APS^· radical are determined from the photoelectron spectra and Franck-Condon factor simulations to be EA=(2.62±0.05) eV and SO splitting=(43±7) meV. VMI photoelectron images show strong and sharp peaks near the detachment threshold with an identical electron kinetic energy (eKE) of 17.9 meV at three different detachment wavelengths, which are therefore assigned to autodetachment from dipole-bound anion states. The B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p) calculations indicate APS^· has a dipole moment of 3.31 Debye, large enough to support a dipole-bound electron.     

Simple approach to predict APD/PMT lidar detector performance under sky background using dimensionless parametrization

In this paper, we developed a simple approach to predict the APD/PMT (avalanche photodiode/photomultiplier) lidar detector performance in the presence of residual skylight background. By normalizing all relevant photodetector noise sources to the quantum noise, we obtain quantitative expressions for the degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the increasing threshold sensitivity of and decreasing lidar operation range. To apply the formalism to any lidar photodetectors operating in the ultra violet, visible and near-infrared spectral regions and to perform a comparative analysis of PMT and APD capabilities as the best photodetectors for ultra-violet (UV), visible (Vis) and near infra-red (NIR) lidar, we utilize a set of spectral characteristics that are built from an envelope of individual PMT and APD component responses. On this basis, the general analysis of system performance under intense background conditions is developed, and practical recommendations on detector use for each spectral region are given. The dimensionless formalism and the generalized detector spectral models used allows our analysis to be applied to nearly any lidar receiver operating over very different signal/background situations.     

The sensitive detection of NO by Faraday modulation spectroscopy with a quantum cascade laser

A spectrometer based on a quantum cascade laser and capable of operating at particular wavelengths in the mid-infrared with very high sensitivity for the detection of open-shell molecules has been developed. It exploits magnetic field modulation in the Faraday rotation configuration. The signals for nitric oxide (NO) that may be observed with this instrument have been studied and their dependence on the J and Ω quantum numbers investigated with a simulation program. It is shown that the Q(3/2) transition of NO in the ²Π_3/2 component at 1875.8 cm^?1 would provide the greatest sensitivity for detection. The experimental observation of the R(21/2) transition of the Ω = 1/2 component gives a detection limit of 41 ppb of NO in air at a pressure of 25 mbar. Detection of NO through the Q(3/2) transition would provide a detection limit of 4 ppb at this pressure.     

Photoionization of NaK molecule with a double-well potential in femtosecond pump--probe pulse laser fields

The method of time-dependent quantum wave packet dynamics is used to calculate the femtosecond pump--probe photoelectron spectra and study the wave packet dynamic processes of the double-minimum potential state 6¹∑⁺ of NaK in intense laser fields. The evolutions of the wave packet and the photoelectron energy spectra with time and internuclear distance are described in detail. The wave packet dynamic information of the 6¹∑⁺ state can be extracted from the photoelectron energy spectra.     

An analogue front-end ASIC prototype designed for PMT signal readout

The Water Cherenkov Detector Array(WCDA) is one of the core detectors in the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory(LHAASO),and it consists of 3600 photomultiplier tubes(PMTs).Both high resolution time and charge measurement are required over a large dynamic range from 1 photoelectron(P.E.) to 4000 P.E.The prototype of an analogue front-end Application Specific Integrated Circuit(ASIC) fabricated using Global Foundry 0.35 μm CMOS technology is designed to read out the PMT signal in the WCDA.This ASIC employs leading edge discrimination and an(RC)~4 shaping structure.Combined with the following Time-to-Digital Converter(TDC) and Analog-to-Digital Converter(ADC),both the arrival time and charge of the PMT signal can be measured.Initial test results indicate that time resolution is better than 350 ps and charge resolution is better than 10% at 1 P.E.and better than 1% with large input signals(300 P.E.to 4000 P.E.).Besides,this ASIC has a good channel-to-channel isolation of more than 84 dB and the temperature dependency of charge measurement is less than 5% in the range 0-50°C.     

2.0 μm room temperature CW operation of InGaAsSb/AlGaAsSb laser with asymmetric waveguide structure

The GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb double quantum well lasers with an emission wavelength 2.0 μm, using the separate-confinement asymmetric waveguide, have been designed and fabricated, showing high quantum efficiency and high power conversion efficiency at continuous-wave operation mode. The threshold current density of the device is as low as 92 A/cm². The internal loss coefficient and the internal quantum efficiency are 1.0 cm^?1 and 86.1%, respectively. The 35% maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) and narrow far-field patterned were achieved.     

PbTe/CdTe量子点的光学增益

PbTe/CdTe量子点是一类新型异系低维结构材料,实验发现具有强的室温中红外光致发光现象.为研究这一材料体系的发光特性,建立了理论模型,计算了PbTe/CdTe量子点的光学跃迁和增益.模型基于k·p包络波函数方法并考虑了PbTe能带结构的各向异性.分析了量子点光学增益与量子点尺寸、注入载流子浓度的关系.结果表明,当注入载流子浓度在(0.3—3)×10¹⁸cm^-3范围时,尺寸为15—20nm的量子点可以产生 关键词： PbTe/CdTe量子点 光学增益 铅盐矿半导体     

Ge/Si photodiodes and phototransistors with embedded arrays of germanium quantum dots for fiber-optic communication lines

Photodetectors based on Ge/Si multilayer heterostructures with germanium quantum dots are fabricated for use in fiber-optic communication lines operating in the wavelength range 1.30–1.55 μm. These photodetectors can be embedded in an array of photonic circuit elements on a single silicon chip. The sheet density of germanium quantum dots falls in the range from 0.3 × 10¹² to 1.0 × 10¹² cm^?2, and their lateral size is approximately equal to 10 nm. The heterostructures are grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. For a reverse bias of 1 V, the dark current density reaches 2 × 10^?5 A/cm². This value is the lowest in the data on dark current densities available in the literature for Ge/Si photodetectors at room temperature. The quantum efficiency of photodiodes and phototransistors subjected to illumination from the side of the plane of the p-n junctions is found to be 3% at a wavelength of 1.3 μm. It is demonstrated that the maximum quantum efficiency is achieved for edge-illuminated waveguide structures and can be as high as 21 and 16% at wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.5 μm, respectively.     

Synthesis and electroluminescence properties of benzothiazole derivatives

Benzothiazole-based blue fluorescent materials N-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)-N-phenylbenzenamine (BPPA) and N-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)-N-phenylnaphthalen-1-amine (BPNA) were synthesized for use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Electroluminescent device with a configuration of ITO/NPB/BPPA/BCP/Alq₃/LiF/Al showed a maximum brightness of 3760 cd/m² at 14.4 V with the CIE coordinates of (0.16, 0.16). A current efficiency of 3.01 cd/A and an external quantum efficiency of 2.37% at 20 mA/cm² were obtained from this device. Molecules derived from BPPA and BPNA with incorporated dicyanomethylidene, which is a functional group for most red fluorescent molecules, were designed, synthesized and characterized to study the red fluorescence properties of the benzothiazole derivatives.     

Stimulated emission from PbS‐quantum dots in glass matrix

The luminescence behavior of PbS‐quantum dots in glass matrix (PbS:Glass) is investigated. Steady‐state and time‐resolved photoluminescence are applied in a wide range of excitation densities up to pulse energies exceeding 50 µJ/cm². While perfect linear recombination is observed across four orders of magnitude, an additional radiative recombination mechanism emerges at an excitation density of 1 µ J/cm² per pulse at 390 nm excitation and increases the external quantum efficiency. The time constant of this process is ∼20–40 ps. It is ascribed to stimulated emission. No hint to any non‐linear non‐radiative processes such as Auger recombination is observed. Thermal effects, however, still set limits. This is encouraging news for PbS:Glass as potential laser material.     

Performance improvement of CdS/Cu（In,Ga）Se2 solar cells after rapid thermal annealing

In this paper, we investigated the effect of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on solar cell performance. An opto-electric conversion efficiency of 11.75% (Voc=0.64 V, Jsc = 25.88mA/cm2 , FF=72.08%) was obtained under AM 1.5G when the cell was annealed at 300℃ for 30s. The annealed solar cell showed an average absolute efficiency 1.5% higher than that of the as-deposited one. For the microstructure analysis and the physical phase confirmation, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, front surface reflection (FSR), internal quantum efficiency (IQE), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were respectively applied to distinguish the causes inducing the efficiency variation. All experimental results implied that the RTA eliminated recombination centers at the p-n junction, reduced the surface optical losses, enhanced the blue response of the CdS buffer layer, and improved the ohmic contact between Mo and Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) layers. This leaded to the improved performance of CIGS solar cell.     

High-Efficiency Blue Electroluminescence Based on Coumarin Derivative 3-(4-(anthracen-10-yl)phenyl)-benzo[5,6]coumarin

The electroluminescent (EL) properties of a new coumarin derivative, 3-(4-(anthracen-10-yl)phenyl)-benzo[5,6]coumarin (APBC), were investigated. The results show that the EL devices comprised of vacuum vapor-deposited films using the derivative as dopant exhibited blue emission that is identical to the photoluminescence of the thin film. The electroluminescence device of ITO/2-TNATA (5?nm)/NPB (40?nm)/CBP : APBC (1.0?wt%, 30?nm)/PBD (30?nm)/LiF (1?nm)/Al (100?nm) gives a maximum luminous efficiency of 2.3?cd/A at the current density of 20?mA/cm², and maximum luminance of 5169?cd/m² at 16?V. The external quantum efficiency of the device is 1.85?%.     

Quantum Noether identities for non-local transformationsin higher-order derivatives theories

Based on the phase-space generating functional of the Green function for a system with a regular/singular higher-order Lagrangian, the quantum canonical Noether identities (NIs) under a local and non-local transformation in phase space have been deduced, respectively. For a singular higher-order Lagrangian, one must use an effective canonical action I_eff^P in quantum canonical NIs instead of the classical I^P in classical canonical NIs. The quantum NIs under a local and non-local transformation in configuration space for a gauge-invariant system with a higher-order Lagrangian have also been derived. The above results hold true whether or not the Jacobian of the transformation is equal to unity or not. It has been pointed out that in certain cases the quantum NIs may be converted to conservation laws at the quantum level. This algorithm to derive the quantum conservation laws is significantly different from the quantum first Noether theorem. The applications of our formulation to the Yang-Mills fields and non-Abelian Chern-Simons (CS) theories with higher-order derivatives are given, and the conserved quantities at the quantum level for local and non-local transformations are found, respectively.Received: 12 February 2002, Revised: 16 June 2003, Published online: 25 August 2003Z.-P. Li: Corresponding authorAddress for correspondence: Department of Applied Physics, Beijing Polytechnic University, Beijing 100022, P.R. China     

PMT waveform modeling at the Daya Bay experiment

Detailed measurements of Hamamatsu R5912 photomultiplier signals are presented, including the single photoelectron charge response, waveform shape, nonlinearity, saturation, overshoot, oscillation, prepulsing, and afterpulsing. The results were used to build a detailed model of the PMT signal characteristics over a wide range of light intensities. Including the PMT model in simulated Daya Bay particle interactions shows no significant systematic effects that are detrimental to the experimental sensitivity.     

Specific solvent effects of hydroxylic solvents on the emission properties of ruthenium(ii)tris(2,2′-bipyridyl) chloride

The excited state of Ru(II)[bpy]₃ ²⁺ dissolved in hydroxylic solvents is subject to specific solvent effects, which were hitherto not understood on a quantitative basis. We determined the solvent effects of linear monovalent alcohols on the energy gap law of internal conversion with the help of lifetime and intensity measurements. An on-line method for measurement of the temperature dependence of quantum efficiencies was introduced. A modified Franck-Condon analysis of emission spectra by taking into account the shape of a Morse potential of the involved states was applied to compute excited-state energies.Abbreviations used Ru(II)[bpy]₃ ²⁺ ruthenium(II)tris(2,2-bipyridyl) chloride - MLCT metal-to-ligand charge transfer - PMT photomultiplier tube