Luminescence VUV spectroscopy of cerium-and europium-doped lithium borate crystals

The paper reports on a study of the luminescence of lithium borate crystals (Li₆Gd(BO₃)₃ doped by Eu³⁺ and Ce³⁺ ions, Li_5.7Mg_0.15Gd(BO₃)₃: Eu, and Li₆Eu(BO₃)₃) initiated by selective excitation by synchrotron radiation at excitation energies of 3.7–27 eV at 10 and 290 K. Efficient energy transfer between the rare-earth ions Gd³⁺ → Ce³⁺ and Gd³⁺ → Eu³⁺ was found to proceed by the resonance mechanism, as well as by electron-hole recombination. Fast decay kinetics of luminescence of the Ce³⁺ activator centers was studied under intracenter photoexcitation and excitation in the interband transition region. The mechanisms involved in luminescence excitation and radiative relaxation of electronic states of rare-earth ions are analyzed, and the energy transfer processes operating in these crystals are discussed.     

Separation of arsenic from germanium oxide targets by dry distillation

Positron-emitting isotopes of arsenic, ⁷⁰As (T _1/2 = 53 min), ⁷¹As (T _1/2 = 64 h), ⁷²As (T _1/2 = 26 h), and ⁷³As (T _1/2 = 17.8 d) are of interest in biomedical investigations using PET. A fast and simple method for their production using low-energy proton and deuteron reactions on enriched Ge-targets is presented. Dry distillation of GeO₂ at 1105 °C during 2 hours provides a separation efficiency of more than 60%. The loss of target material is less than one per cent and the irradiated targets can be used several times. The method allows production of diagnostically useful amounts of positron-emitting arsenic isotopes using accelerators commonly available at PET-centres.     

Evidence for Mn2+ fine structure in CdMnSe/ZnSe quantum dots caused by their low dimensionality

JETP Letters - The axial fine structure with strong positive zero-field splitting for Mn2+ ions in CdMnSe/ZnSe quantum dots caused by their low dimensionality was revealed. Magnetic resonance was...     

Formation of mixed J-aggregates of cyanine dyes stimulated by Eu<Superscript>+3</Superscript> cations

The block mechanism of the formation of J-aggregates from the dimers of various dyes in an aqueous solution under the action of the multiply charged Eu⁺³ cation was considered for the first time. It was shown that the structure and the position of the absorption maximum of the mixed J-aggregates are determined by the length of the dye chromophore moiety. It was concluded that the mixed J-aggregates are of interest as nanosized optical elements with varying optical and electronic properties depending on the structure of cyanines used.     

Dependence of the self-sputtering yield upon ion incidence angle

Solution of the problem of angular dependence of sputtering yield is divided into three parts: calculation of the number of cascade particles as a function of their path length, definition of the path length distribution of reflected particles, and convolution of the two results obtained. The theory is valid for the case of equal ion and target atom masses (self-sputtering) and contains two parameters: the ratio of the transport path length to the mean free path length and the parameter of inelastic energy losses.     

Luminescence and thermally stimulated recombination processes in Li<Subscript>6</Subscript>Gd(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Ce<Superscript>3+</Superscript> crystals

The luminescence and thermally stimulated recombination processes in lithium borate crystals Li₆Gd(BO₃)₃ and Li₆Gd(BO₃)₃:Ce have been studied. The steady-state luminescence spectra under X-ray excitation (X-ray luminescence), temperature dependences of the intensity of steady-state X-ray luminescence (XL), and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) spectra of these compounds have been investigated in the temperature range of 90–500 K. The intrinsic-luminescence 312-nm band, which is due to the ⁶ P _J → ⁸ S _7/2 transitions in Gd³⁺ matrix ions, dominates in the X-ray luminescence spectra of these crystals; in addition, there is a wide complex band at 400–420 nm, which is due to the d → f transitions in Ce³⁺ impurity ions. It is found that the steady-state XL intensity in these bands increases several times upon heating from 100 to 400 K. The possible mechanisms of the observed temperature dependence of the steady-state XL intensity and their correlation with the features of electronic-excitation energy transfer in these crystals are discussed. The main complex TSL peak at 110–160 K and a number of minor peaks, whose composition and structure depend on the crystal type, have been found in all crystals studied. The nature of the shallow traps that are responsible for TSL at temperatures below room temperature and their relation with defects in the lithium cation sublattice are discussed.