Simultaneous operation at two different wavelengths of an PrLaP5O14 laser

Simultaneous laser operation at the wavelengths of λ₁=637 and λ₂=717 in Pr_0.5La_0.5P₅O₁₄ single crystals was observed. The crystals were excited by nanosecond publses from a Coumarin 2 dye laser (λ=450 nm). Laser emissions and their interdependence were studied both in crystals without an external resonator and in crystals placed within a plane parallel resonator. The energetic, time and frequency characteristics for both laser actions were examined. The effect of bifrequential emission was also found in crystals of different ratios of Pr and La ions concentration and in pure praseodymium pentaphosphate.     

Nonlinear absorption of non-chain HF laser radiation in germanium

The transmission of high-power HF(DF) laser radiation through Ge single crystals of different quality has been experimentally and numerically investigated. Based on the experimental data for the lasing spectrum, the two-photon absorption coefficient in Ge is estimated to be K₂ =55±10 cmGW?1 at λ=2.8μm. The transmission dynamics of high-power radiation with λ=2.6?3 μm through germanium crystals is numerically simulated.     

Experimental study of the isomeric states101mRu,103mRu and101mTc

In natural Ruthenium isomeric states were produced by photonuclear reactions with LINAC Bremsstrahlung of 26 MeV. They were identified as: 526.6±0.7 keVT _1/2=22.5±0.5 μsec in¹⁰¹Ru 192.0±0.2 keVT _1/2=760±50 μsec in¹⁰¹Tc 210.9±0.2 keVT _1/2=1560±50 μsec in¹⁰³Ru The experimental techniques are described.     

Nitrogen-doped and gold-loaded TiO2 photocatalysts synthesized by sequential reactive pulsed laser deposition

Nitrogen-doped titanium oxide thin films covered by gold metal nanoparticles were grown on (001) SiO₂ quartz substrates by pulsed laser deposition. A KrF* excimer laser source (λ = 248 nm, τ _FWHM ≤ 25 ns, ν = 10 Hz) was used for the irradiation of TiO₂ and gold metal targets. The experiments were performed in controlled reactive oxygen or nitrogen atmosphere. The layers were grown for photocatalytic applications. Evaluation of photocatalytic activity was performed by photodegradation of methyl orange under near-UV light irradiation. Our results show that nitrogen doping and addition of gold nanoparticles have complementary effects, photoactivity being significantly improved as compared to that of pure titanium oxide.     

Investigation of statistically perturbed angular correlations of154Gd and156Gd in different liquid sources

The statistical perturbations of γγ-angular correlations involving the first 2⁺ rotational state of¹⁵⁴Gd and¹⁵⁶Gd have been time differentially investigated. We used liquid sources of 3⁺ ions of Gadolinium in lN perchloric acid, 0.5 N and 1N hydrochloric acid, 1.3N and 2.6 N sulfuric acid. Influences of the various chemical surroundings on the ratio λ₄/λ₂ of the attenuation parameters have been found. A simultaneous measurement of the angular correlation of the 874 keV–123 keV cascade and the 2,098 keV–89 keV cascade of¹⁵⁴Gd and¹⁵⁶Gd, respectively, has been performed in perchloric solution. From the ratio of the attenuation parameters λ₂, obtained by this experiment, we have derived the ratio of the magneticg-factors of the first 2⁺ levels of these isotopes asg ¹⁵⁴/g ¹⁵⁶=1.11±0.08.     

Peculiarities of emission of subminiature injection lasers

The emission spectrum of an injection GaAs laser with a four-sided resonator with a square cross section of size 13×13 μm² is presented. This laser is the world’s smallest laser, having the threshold current I_th=0.7 mA and a photon flight time in the resonator that is shorter than the thermal relaxation time T₂. It is shown that the emission spectrum of the laser drastically differs from the spectrum emitted by lasers of usual size.     

Spectroscopic study of double sodium-yttrium fluoride crystals doped with erbium Na<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>Y<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>F<Subscript>2.2</Subscript>:Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript>: I. Intensities of luminescence spectra and kinetics of luminescence

Na_0.4Y_0.6F_2.2:Er³⁺ (NYF:Er) crystals with an erbium concentration as high as 100 at. % (Na_0.4Er_0.6F_2.2) were grown by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method. The optical spectra were investigated at low (6 K) and room temperatures. It is shown that the absorption spectrum of NYF:Er crystals contains wide bands (790–801 and 965–980 nm) corresponding to the emission range of laser diodes. The peak absorption cross section σ_a for the band peaked at λ=970.4 nm is 0.15×10^?20 cm². On the basis of the analysis of the absorption and luminescence spectra at low (6 and 12 K) temperatures, the structure of the Stark splitting of erbium levels was determined as a structure of quasi-centers for which Stark components are inhomogeneously broadened. The oscillator strengths of the transitions from the ground state of erbium to excited multiplets were calculated from the absorption spectra measured at T=300 K, and the intensity parameters Ω_t were determined by the Judd-Ofelt method: Ω₂=1.65×10^?20 cm², Ω₄=0.56× 10^?20 cm², and Ω₆=1.01×10^?20 cm². These values of the intensity parameters were used to calculate the probabilities of radiative transitions and the branching ratios. The rates of multiphonon nonradiative transitions in NYF: Er were estimated. The luminescence decay kinetics for radiative levels of erbium ions upon their selective excitation by nanosecond laser pulses was studied. The intracenter lifetimes of radiative levels of erbium ions were determined from the luminescence kinetics upon selective ion excitation by low-intensity light in a sample with a low erbium concentration (0.5%). It is demonstrated that, with an increase in temperature from 6 to 300 K, luminescence from the ⁴ G _11/2, ² G(H)_9/2, and ⁴ F _9/2 levels is quenched as a result of multiphonon nonradiative transitions. Luminescence from the ⁴ I _9/2 level is quenched only insignificantly with increasing temperature, and no quenching of luminescence from the ⁴ I _11/2 and ⁴ I _13/2 levels is observed. The spectra of steady-state luminescence of NYF:Er(0.5–15%) crystals were investigated upon broadband excitation by UV and UV-visible lamp light and selective time-resolved laser excitation. It is shown that low-lying levels of erbium ions separated by an energy gap smaller than 2500 cm^?1 are populated via cascade mechanisms. On the basis of the results obtained, it is concluded that NYF:Er ³⁺ crystals are promising candidates for active media of tunable diode-pumped lasers.     

High-temperature stability of the phase composition of langasite family crystals

Thermal stability of the phase composition of langasite family crystals is studied by means of high-temperature X-ray diffractometry upon heating in vacuo and in air. Upon heating above 1000°C in vacuo, the partial decomposition of the initial phase is observed in La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄, La₃Ta_0.5Ga_5.5O₁₄, and Ca₃TaGa₃Si₂O₁₄ crystals; this is accompanied by the emergence of gallium-depleted oxides of the main elements, due to the formation of volatile gallium protoxide and the loss of gallium in the surface layer of the crystals. Langasite family crystals are found to be stable when annealed in air up to a temperature of 1200°C.     

Crystallographic,optical and magnetic properties of Eu2SiO4

The crystallographic properties of Eu₂SiO₄ are studied in terms of its isomorph Ca₂SiO₄. The recently discovered monoclinic room-temperature phase is ferroelastic and simultaneously ferromagnetic at low temperatures (T _e=5.40°K). The optical absorption and the dispersion properties have been measured in spectral intervals ranging from 0.5 to 3.6 eV and partly for temperatures between 300 and 500°K. This temperature range includes the ferroelastic-paraelastic phase-transition temperature (T _e=438°K). An anomaly of the dielectric constant atT _e suggests the presence of an unstable phase which would be ferroelectric. The Faraday rotation has been measured on either side of the absorption edge at 300 and 77°K. The recent results on crystal structure allow an explanation of the magnetic behaviour of the two ferromagnetic phases known up to now.     

The crystal structure of bis-(L-threonine) copper(II).H2O

The crystal structure of bis-(L-threonine) copper (II).H₂O, Cu (C₄H₈NO₃)₂.H₂O has been determined by heavy atom and Fourier methods and refined by least-squares using visually estimated three-dimensional x-ray data of 893 reflections. The blue crystals are monoclinic, space groupP2₁ withα=11·02,b=4·90,c=11·16Å andβ=93·5°,Z=2. The finalR is 0·10. Coordination of copper is distorted square pyramidal with ligands intrans configuration. The conformation of one of the aminoacid ligand is identical with L_s-Threonine while the other has a conformation with torsional angleχ ^{1, 2}=?74(1)°.     

TheK conversion coefficient near threshold of theM3 transition in191Os

TheK conversion coefficient α _k of the 74.38 keVM3 isomeric transition in¹⁹¹Os was measured with a curved crystal spectrometer of DuMond type. The experimental result α _k =106±11 is in agreement with theoretical calculations taking the dynamic correction coefficient λ=9.4±0.5 into account.     

Specific features of absorption and luminescence in CsBr: EuOBr crystals

The specific features of the absorption, photoluminescence, x-ray luminescence, thermally stimulated luminescence, and photostimulated luminescence spectra of CsBr: Eu²⁺ single crystals grown using the Bridgman method are investigated in the temperature range 80–500 K at the highest possible dopant content (0.1–0.4 mol % EuOBr in the batch) required for preparing perfect crystals. It is shown that an increase in the dopant content leads to a broadening of the absorption and photoluminescence excitation bands with maxima at wavelengths of 250 and 350 nm due to the interconfigurational transitions 4f⁷(⁸S_7/2) → 4f⁶5d(e _g , t_2g) in Eu²⁺ ions. The photoluminescence and photostimulated luminescence spectra of CsBr: EuOBr single crystals (0.1–0.4 mol % EuOBr) contain a band at a wavelength of λ_max=450 nm and bands at wavelengths of λ_max=508–523 and 436 nm. The last two bands are assigned to Eu²⁺-V_Cs isolated dipole centers and Eu²⁺-containing aggregate centers, respectively. It is revealed that the intensity of the luminescence associated with the aggregate centers (λ_max=508–523 nm) is maximum at an EuOBr content of less than or equal to 0.1 mol % and decreases with an increase in the dopant content. The possibility of forming CsEuBr₃-type nanocrystals that are responsible for the green luminescence observed at a wavelength λ_max=508–523 nm in CsBr: Eu crystals is discussed. The intensity of photostimulated luminescence in the CsBr: EuOBr crystals irradiated with x-ray photons is found to increase as the dopant content increases. It is demonstrated that CsBr: EuOBr crystals at a dopant content in the range 0.3–0.4 mol % can be used as x-ray storage phosphors for visualizing x-ray images with high spatial resolution.     

Fabrication and performance of polymer–nanocomposite anti-reflective thin films deposited by RIR-MAPLE

Design of polymer anti-reflective (AR) optical coatings for plastic substrates is challenging because polymers exhibit a relatively narrow range of refractive indices. Here, we report synthesis of a four-layer AR stack using hybrid polymer:nanoparticle materials deposited by resonant infrared matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation. An Er:YAG laser ablated frozen solutions of a high-index composite containing TiO₂ nanoparticles and poly(methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA), alternating with a layer of PMMA. The optimized AR coatings, with thicknesses calculated using commercial software, yielded a coating for polycarbonate with transmission over 97 %, scattering <3 %, and a reflection coefficient below 0.5 % across the visible range, with a much smaller number of layers than would be predicted by a standard thin film calculation. The TiO₂ nanoparticles contribute more to the enhanced refractive index of the high-index layers than can be accounted for by an effective medium model of the nanocomposite.     

Synthesis,growth and characterization of L-proline dimercuricchloride single crystals for frequency conversion applications

A semi-organic nonlinear optical L-proline dimercuricchloride (LPDMC) material has been synthesized. LPDMC single crystals were grown from aqueous solution by a slow cooling method. Good quality single crystals of size 19×6×3 mm³ have been grown over a period of 3 weeks. The grown crystals have been subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis to determine the cell parameters. The title compound crystallizes in the triclinic system with a noncentrosymmetric space group P1 and with unit-cell parameters a=7.2742(4) Å, b=9.4472(5) Å, c=10.4767(6) Å, α=108.621(3)^°, β=107.260(2)^°, γ=97.353(2)^° and volume=631.51(6) Å³. Optical and dielectric properties of the crystals have been studied. The thermal stability of the crystals was determined by thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis. The second harmonic generation efficiency of the crystals was obtained by the classical powder technique using a Nd:YAG laser and it is found to be 2.5 times that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis>3</Subscript> Decay Studies in the OKA Experiment

Recent results from OKA setup concerning form factor studies in K_e3 decay are presented. About 5.25 M events obtained for decays of 17.7 GeV/cK⁺ are selected for the analysis. The linear and quadratic slopes for the decay form factor f₊(t) are measured: λ'₊ = 2.95 ± 0.022 ± 0.018 × 10 ^-2 for the linear slope fit and λ₊ = 2.611 ± 0.035 ± 0.028 × 10 ^-2, λ"₊ = 1.91 ± 0.19 ± 0.14 × 10 ^-3 for the quadratic one. The scalar and tensor contributions are compatible with zero. Several alternative parametrizations are tried: the Pole fit parameter is found to be M _V = 891 ± 3 MeV; the parameter of the dispersive parametrization is measured to be Λ₊ = 2.458 ± 0.018 × 10^-2.     

New hydrogen associated paramagnetic centre in LiNbO3

A new hydrogen associated paramagnetic centre (g=2.0028±0.0005, A=3±0.5 mT at 77K) was observed in LiNbO₃. This centre is identified as an OH^2? ion, produced as a result of an electron capture by a diamagnetic OH^? ion, substituting the O^2? ion in LiNbO₃. An experimental procedure for detecting the EPR spectrum of the new centre is established. It is based on the observation of the more rapid destruction of O^? and Nb⁴⁺ ions under UV-irradiation at 77 K as compared to the OH^2? ions obtained after γ-irradiation of LiNbO₃ crystals at 77 K.     

Measurement of the Lamb shift 42S1/2-42P1/2 of the helium ion

Helium ions were produced in then=4 states by electron collisions with ground state atoms, resulting in simultaneous ionization and excitation. Dipole transitions between the Zeeman levels of the states 4² S _1/2 and 4² P _1/2 were induced by a microwave electric field. The intensity of the emitted Fowlerα line 4686 Å, corresponding to transitions from then=4 to then=3 states was then reduced by about 3%. From the measurements, a value of the Lamb shiftδ=1751±25 MHz was obtained, compared with the theoretical valueδ=1768.23±0.55 MHz, and the results ofLea, Leventhal andLamb ofδ=1765±20 MHz.     

Electronic structure of low-pressure and high-pressure phases of silicon disulfide

Self-consistent density functional theory calculations of band spectra, densities of states as well as the spatial distribution of valence electron charge density were carried out for the low-pressure α-phase and the high-pressure β-phase of SiS₂. Group-theoretical analysis performed for both phases enabled the symmetry of wave functions in a number of high-symmetry points of the Brillouin zone as well as the structure of valence band representations to be found. Based on the calculations of the band structure, the orthorhombic α-phase of SiS₂ was determined to be an indirect-gap semiconductor with the band gap E _gi = 2.44 eV (T ₁ → X ₈ transition), while the β-phase was shown to be direct gap with E _gd = 2.95 eV (Г ₃ → Г ₂ transition). The calculated energy distribution of the total density of states in the valence band of α-SiS₂ qualitatively and quantitatively correlates with the main experimental features of the X-ray photoelectron spectrum.     

Crystal Structure,Luminescence and Triboluminescence of the Complex [Eu(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>3hmpa] NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>·HQuin

The atomic structure of crystals of the complex [Eu(NO₃)₂3hmpa] NO₃·HQuin , (hmpa – hexamethylphosphortriamide, HQuin – quinaldic acid) characterized by intensive luminescence and triboluminescence has been determined by the X-ray method. The noncentro-symmetric crystals of the compound are rhombic : a = 16.8193(3), b = 12.2877(2), c = 27.6516(5) Å, пр. гр. Pca2(1), Z = 4, ρ _{calc. .} = 1.427 g/сm³. The crystals have a structure of the insular type which is presented by the isolated complex molecules, outer-sphere NO₃ ^? – groups, and neutral molecules of quinaldic acid. Some structural aspects of formation of the luminescent and triboluminescent properties of the compound were discussed: the role of break planes in the crystal destruction was revealed.     

Investigation of the structure,elemental and phase compositions of Fe3O4-SiO2 composite layers by scanning electron microscopy,X-ray spectroscopy,and thermal nitrogen desorption methods

The composite layers formed by drying a Fe₃O₄-SiO₂-based colloidal solution were studied. The colloidal solution was obtained by the precipitation of Fe₃O₄ in the presence of highly dispersed silicon dioxide synthesized by the sol-gel method from a tetraethoxysilane alcohol solution. The microstructure and composition of the layers were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis, thermal nitrogen desorption, and Raman spectroscopy. The emphasis was placed on the study of phase transitions in iron oxides under laser radiation. It was found that the tetraethoxysilane content has a substantial influence on the ratio of iron oxide and silicon dioxide in the layer, the specific surface area of SiO₂ powders, the threshold laser radiation power necessary to induce the Fe₃O₄ α -Fe₂O₃ phase transformation, and on the position of the maximum of the absorption band corresponding to the A _1g vibrations in α-Fe₂O₃.