Optical spectroscopy of Ca3Sc2Si3O12, Ca3Y2Si3O12 and Ca3Lu2Si3O12 doped with Pr

The silicates Ca₃Sc₂Si₃O₁₂, Ca₃Y₂Si₃O₁₂ and Ca₃Lu₂Si₃O₁₂, both undoped and doped with Pr³⁺ ions, have been synthesized by solid-state reaction at high temperature. The luminescence spectroscopy and the excited state dynamics of the materials have been studied upon VUV and X-ray excitation using synchrotron radiation. All doped samples have shown efficient 5d-4f emission upon direct VUV excitation of 5d levels, but only Ca₃Sc₂Si₃O₁₂:Pr³⁺ shows luminescence upon interband VUV or X-ray excitation. The VUV excited emission spectra of Ca₃Y₂Si₃O₁₂:Pr³⁺ and Ca₃Lu₂Si₃O₁₂:Pr³⁺ show features attributed to emission from two distinct sites accommodating the Pr³⁺ dopant. The decay kinetics of the Pr³⁺ 5d-4f emission in Ca₃Sc₂Si₃O₁₂:Pr³⁺ upon VUV excitation across the band gap are characterized by decay times in the range 25-28 ns with no significant rise after the excitation pulse. They appear to be faster upon X-ray irradiation than for VUV excitation. Weak afterglow components are attributed to defect luminescence.     

Comparison of transport and magnetic AC losses in Bi-2223/Ag tapes — the role of superconducting core geometry

AC losses were measured by 4-probe transport method and by external magnetization method in three samples of Bi-2223/Ag tape: a multifilamentary tape with separated filaments, another multifilamentary tape with ‘bridges' between filaments, and a two-shell tape. The transport losses agreed with those calculated using I_c from DC experiment. Magnetization experiments gave indications about the various paths of induced currents. For the tape with well separated filaments the main part of screening current closes inside individual filaments. Additional screening of the whole filamentary zone involves the normal metal matrix, leading to frequency dependent losses. In the case of tape with ‘bridged' filaments, supercurrents interconnect the filaments into bundles whose screening (and loss) is frequency-independent. Matching the experimental data indicates that a typical bundle was composed of 8 filaments. Magnetic losses of the two-shell tape were explained by a model for magnetization of superconducting wire with elliptical cross-section.     

Study of the high pressure effect on nanoparticles GdVO4: Eu3+ optical properties

This study considers the effects of hydrostatic pressure on the line position and fluorescence lifetime τ for ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₂ transitions in GdVO₄: Eu³⁺ nanocrystals. The results indicate that the pressure induced the red shift toward longer wavelengths for all the considered lines with different rate. The fluorescence lifetime τ nonlinearly decreases with pressure in the considered pressure range. High pressure induced the fluorescence lifetime τ that can be explained with a simple theoretical model. The measured line position and τ are in a satisfactory agreement with the theoretical calculations.     

A branch-and-price algorithm for the variable size bin packing problem with minimum filling constraint

In this paper we consider a variation of the bin packing problem in which bins of different types have different costs and capacities. Furthermore, each bin has to be filled at least to a certain level, which depends on its type. We present a set partitioning formulation and an exact optimization algorithm which exploits column generation and specialized heuristics. We compare our algorithm with the general purpose solver ILOG CPLEX, running on two compact ILP formulations and we report on experimental results on instances we have generated from data-sets for the variable size bin packing problem.     

Luminescence spectroscopy of Er-doped and Er, Yb-codoped LaPO4 single crystals

LaPO₄ single crystals lightly doped with Er³⁺, and codoped with Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺ have been grown by spontaneous nucleation in a lead phosphate flux. Absorption and luminescence spectra have been measured in the visible and near-IR regions and the excited state dynamics has been studied upon pulsed laser excitation. The obtained results have allowed the evaluation of the effective emission cross-sections around 1.5 μm, that have been found to be similar to important oxide laser crystals doped with Er³⁺. Efficient visible upconversion has been observed upon excitation at 980 nm in the codoped crystals. This behaviour is attributed to Yb³⁺-Er³⁺ energy transfer processes.     

The influence of the specific surface of grains on the luminescence properties of Nd<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-doped Y<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> nanopowders

Nd³⁺:Y₃Al₅O₁₂ (Nd:YAG) powders were prepared by the Pechini method in the temperature range of 800 to 1400 °C. The pure garnet phase of the obtained materials was confirmed by XRD studies. The size of the grains was controlled by the annealing temperature of the samples. Their morphologies were investigated by TEM and porosity measurements (BET). The effect of annealing temperature on the morphology and luminescence properties of Nd:YAG nanocrystallites was studied, and the results were compared to the properties of a Nd:YAG single crystal. A significant enhancement of the ⁴F_3/2→⁴I_9/2/⁴F_3/2→⁴I_11/2 intensity ratio with decreasing grain size was observed. It was found that the decay times of the Nd³⁺ luminescence depends on the specific surface and is significantly longer for well crystallized nanocrystalline grains than for single crystals having the same concentration of Nd³⁺ ions. The role of crystallinity and specific surface on the radiative processes is analyzed. PACS 78.55.-m; 78.20.Ci; 78.67.Bf; 78.68.+m     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of Er3+-doped Lu3Ga5O12 nanocrystals

The concentration-dependent luminescence properties of sol–gel-derived nanocrystalline Lu_3(1?x)Er_3xGa₅O₁₂ powders (where x=0.01, 0.05 and 0.1) have been studied. Laser-excited luminescence spectra, emission decays and upconversion luminescence of Er³⁺-doped Lu₃Ga₅O₁₂ nanocrystalline samples have been measured. The decay curve of the (²H_11/2,⁴S_3/2) emission exhibits a non-exponential behavior presumably due to cross-relaxation process. Moreover, near-infrared to visible upconversion luminescence has been observed in the green region for 1.0 mol% Er³⁺ ions in Lu₃Ga₅O₁₂ nanocrystals upon 815 nm excitation. The power dependence of the anti-Stokes luminescence suggests that upconversion is probably achieved through the sequential absorption of two photons. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the preparation and optical properties of Er³⁺-doped Lu₃Ga₅O₁₂ in the form of nanocrystalline powders.     

Spectroscopic and Crystal Field Investigation of Kramers-Ions: Nd:YAB—a Case Study of the Crystal Field Structure of the I Ground State

Single crystals of yttrium aluminium borate, YAl₃(BO₃)₄, (referred to as YAB) doped with 20 and 40 mol% of Nd³⁺ were grown using a flux growth method. Inconsistencies in regard to the reported ground state splitting of the doped material are pointed out. A consistent splitting and assignment of the ⁴I_9/2 ground state levels of the Kramers-ion Nd³⁺ was obtained by a combination of both, temperature-dependent ⁴I_9/2→²P_9/2 polarized absorption spectroscopy and room temperature ⁴F_9/2→⁴I_9/2 luminescence spectroscopy. The group theoretical implications of the crystal field analysis are considered and discussed.     

Fluorescence properties of Nd3+-doped tellurite glasses

The compositional and concentration dependence of luminescence of the (4)F(3/2)-->(4)I(J) (J=13/2, 11/2 and 9/2) transitions in four Nd(3+)-doped tellurite based glasses has been studied. The free-ion energy levels obtained for 60TeO(2)+39ZnO(2)+1.0Nd(2)O(3) (TZN10) glass have been analysed using the free-ion Hamiltonian model and compared with similar results obtained for Nd(3+):glass systems. The absorption spectrum of TZN10 glass has been analysed using the Judd-Ofelt theory. Relatively longer decay rates have been obtained for Nd(3+)-doped phosphotellurite glasses. The emission characteristics of the (4)F(3/2)-->(4)I(11/2) transition, of the Nd(3+):TZN10 glass, are found to be comparable to those obtained for Nd(3+):phosphate laser glasses. The non-exponential shape of the emission decay curves for the (4)F(3/2)-->(4)I(11/2) transition is attributed to the presence of energy transfer processes between the Nd(3+) ions.     

Luminescence of Ca(NbO3)2:Pr3+: Pr3+ and self-trapped exciton emission

Photoluminescence and time resolved photoluminescence spectra of Ca(NbO₃)₂ doped with Pr³⁺, excited under 37,000 cm^?1 (270 nm), obtained at high hydrostatic pressure up to 20 kbar applied in a sapphire anvil cells, are presented. At ambient conditions, the emission spectrum obtained in the time interval 0–1 μs is dominated by spin allowed transitions from the ³P₀ state. The luminescence related to transitions from ¹D₂, characterized by a decay time equal to 33 μs, is observed when one excites directly the Pr³⁺ ion with 30,770 cm^?1 (325 nm) wavelength. The introduction of Pr³⁺ impurities in Ca(NbO₃)₂ does not quench the self-trapped exciton (STE) luminescence. This luminescence, peaking at 20,000 cm^?1 (500 nm), having a decay time of 61 ± 1 μs, still occurs when the crystal is excited with a wavelength of 37,000 cm^?1 (270 nm) or shorter. Under such excitation a fraction of the STE luminescence is reabsorbed by Pr³⁺ ions; in this case the emission lifetime of the ¹D₂ → ³H₄ transition of Pr³⁺ is 64 ± 3 μs. This effect is stable also at high pressure.