Luminescence properties of nitrogen-rich Ca-SiAlON:Eu~(2+) phosphors prepared by freeze-drying assisted combustion synthesis

Nitrogen-rich Eu~(2+)-doped Ca-α-SiAlON phosphors(Ca_(m/2-x)Si_(12-m-n)Al_(m+n)O_nN_(16-n):xEu) were synthesized by a freeze-drying assisted combustion synthesis(CS) route. Fast-synthesized products with high purity and uniform particle morphology were confirmed by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The analysis of lattice parameters by comparison with empirical equations showed that the as-prepared phosphors had low oxygen content. A series of samples were prepared according to the stoichiometry of Ca_(m/2-0.08)Si_(12-m)Al_mN_(16):0.08 Eu for further research. The influences of m value on the luminescence properties were investigated in detail. As m increased, a redshift phenomenon was observed in both the excitation and emission spectra. First-principle electronic structure calculations showed that the 3d energy level of Ca played an important role in the occurrence of the redshift phenomenon.     

Effect of protein molecules on the photoluminescence properties and stability of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots

The fact that the photoluminescence properties of quantum dots are always strongly influenced by the environment limits the scope of further progress in the field of QD’ bio-applications. In this paper, the effects of immunoglobulin G (IgG) on the photo-luminescence properties and stability of water-soluble CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots coated with amphiphilic poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) are studied. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra, UV-vis spectra and excited state lifetime measurements are used to characterize the influence of different protein molecules, such as IgG (goat anti-human IgG, rabbit anti-human IgG, human IgG, and goat anti-human IgG-human IgG conjugates), avidin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the PL properties of QDs. The PL intensity and stability of CdSe/ZnS are largely enhanced compared to that of pure CdSe/ZnS QDs when the IgG molecules are added into the QD solution. The PL intensity increases with increasing the IgG concentration, but there appears no influence on the PL peak and a full width at half maximum (FWHM). The PL evolution of QDs as a function of different protein molecules depends on the structure of protein molecules, which is used as a sensor to recognize human IgG. It is inferred that the interaction between PAA coating layer and IgG molecules results in the enhancement of PL intensity. The study of the effect of pH and ion strength on optical properties of QD-IgG mixed solution, compared with the pure QD solution, suggests that pH value and ion strength do not destroy the interaction between the PAA coating layer and IgG. Excited state lifetime analysis indicates that the PL enhancement comes from the passivation of surface of the QDs with the PAA coating layer. IgG molecules have no effects on the properties of the biological system but can increase the stability and PL intensity of CdSe/ZnS QDs, which will enlarge the application of QDs in biomedicine and other fields.     

Synthesis and luminescence properties of Eu~(3+),Sm~(3+) doped(Y_xGd_(1-x))_2O_3:Si~(4+),Mg~(2+) long-lasting phosphor

A novel red long-lasting phosphor,(Y1-xGdx)2O3:Eu3+,Sm3+,Si4+,Mg2+,was synthesized by the co-precipitation method using oxalate precipitation as the precursor.X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electronic microscopy(SEM),integrated thermal analyzer(TG),and photoluminescence spectra(PL) as well as the ST-900PM weak light photometer were used to study the synthesis conditions,morphology,luminescence properties,and the decay time of the phosphor.The XRD results show that the products synthesized at 1400°C for 4 h have good crystallization without any detectable impurity phases.Based on the PL spectra,the optimal conditions are as the following.The molar ratios of Y3+ to Gd3+ and Eu3+ to Sm3+ are 2:8 and 3:1,respectively,and the contents of Mg2+ and SiO2 are 5mol% and 3mol%,respectively.The decay time monitored by the ST-900PM weak light photometer is 7200 s,increasing 44% and 100%,respectively,compared with the Eu3+ and Sm3+ single-doped phosphors.The results indicate that the energy transfer is from Sm3+ to Eu3+ ion,and Sm3+ is a good sensitizer to Eu3+.     

Analytical Solution to the Density-Gradient Equation for MOS Quantum Tunneling

Engineering-oriented simulations of quantum mechanical tunneling are often based on density-gradient(DG) theory.This paper presents an analytical solution to the DG equation for quantum tunneling through an ultra-thin oxide in a MOS capacitor with an n+ poly-silicon gate obtained using the method of matched asymptotic expansions.Tunneling boundary conditions extend the approximation into the entire region of the poly-silicon gate,oxide barrier,and substrate.An analytical solution in the form of an asymptotic series is obtained in each region by treating each part of the domain as a separate singular perturbation problem.The solutions are then combined through ’matching’ to obtain an approximate solution for the whole domain.Analytical formulae are given for the electrostatic potential and the electron density profiles.The results capture the features of the quantum effects which are quite different from classical physics predictions.The analytical results compare well with exact numerical solutions over a broad range of voltages and different oxide thicknesses.The analytical results predict the enhancement of the quantum tunneling effect as the oxide thickness is reduced.     

Optical characterization of single-crystal diamond grown by DC arc plasma jet CVD

Optical centers of single-crystal diamond grown by DC arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition (CVD) were examined using a low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) technique. The results show that most of the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) complexes are present as NV-centers, although some H2 and H3 centers and B-aggregates are also present in the single-crystal diamond because of nitrogen aggregation resulting from high N₂ incorporation and the high mobility of vacancies under growth temperatures of 950-1000℃. Furthermore, emissions of radiation-induced defects were also detected at 389, 467.5, 550, and 588.6 nm in the PL spectra. The reason for the formation of these radiation-induced defects is not clear. Although a Ni-based alloy was used during the diamond growth, Ni-related emissions were not detected in the PL spectra. In addition, the silicon-vacancy (Si-V)-related emission line at 737 nm, which has been observed in the spectra of many previously reported microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) synthetic diamonds, was absent in the PL spectra of the single-crystal diamond prepared in this work. The high density of NV- centers, along with the absence of Ni-related defects and Si-V centers, makes the single-crystal diamond grown by DC arc plasma jet CVD a promising material for applications in quantum computing.     

The spectroscopic properties of Dy3+and Eu3+ co-doped Y3Al5O12 (YAG) phosphors for white LED

Tunable full color emissive Y32.94-xAl5O12: 0.06 Dy3+, xEu3+(YAG: 0.06 Dy, xEu) phosphors with emission peaks at 483 nm(blue), 582 nm(yellow) and 610 nm(red) were synthesized by a sol–gel method. The as-synthesized phosphors were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction(XRD), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), photoluminescence decay lifetimes, photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra. The results showed that photoluminescence intensity varied with excitation wavelength and the doping concentration of Eu3+. The co-doping with Eu3+ compensated the red emission component of the YAG: Dy3+ phosphor. The chromaticity coordinate of YAG: 0.06 Dy, 0.09 Eu phosphor(0.3263, 0.3334) was very close to that of the ideal white light(0.3333, 0.3333). Thus, the YAG: 0.06 Dy, 0.09 Eu phosphor can find potential application in simulating the sunlight artificially through fabricating white light emitters.     

Synthesis characterization and improved electrochemical performance of Li_2FeSiO_4/C as cathode for lithium-ion battery by metal doping

In this paper, Li_2FeSi_(0.98)M_(0.02)O_4/C(M = Mg, Zn, Co, Mn, Ni) was synthesized as cathode material for lithium ion battery by solid-state method. The results show that the materials doped with Mg and Zn at the Si-sites have good initial discharge capacity. Then Li_2FeSi_(1-x)M_xO_4/C(M = Mg, Zn; x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05) were also synthesized via solid-state method. It is concluded that Li_2FeSi_(0.99)Mg_(0.01)O_4/C and Li_2FeSi_(0.98)Zn_(0.02)O_4/C have better initial discharge capacity which is 125 mAh/g and 166.2 mAh/g, respectively. The capacity of Li_2Fe_(0.98)Zn_(0.02)SiO_4/C is 157.3 m Ah/g after 10 cycles at 0.1 C, and the capacity retention rate is 94.6%. The Li~+ diffusion coefficient of Li_2FeSi_(0.98)Zn_(0.02)O_4/C is higher than that of pure phase materials by one order of magnitude. The Li_2FeSi_(0.99)Mg_(0.01)O_4/C and Li_2FeSi_(0.98)Zn_(0.02)O_4/C were tested by XRD and SEM. XRD patterns indicate that the crystal structure of Li_2FeSiO_4 is not changed after being doped with metal ion at the Si-site. The SEM image indicates that no obvious agglomeration is detected in these materials. Li_2FeSi_(0.98)Zn_(0.02)O_4/C processes better electrochemical performance analyzed by EDS、XPS and FT-IR spectra. The data prove that Si~(4+) is successfully replaced by Zn~(2+) in the crystal structure of Li_2FeSiO_4.     

Optical properties of amorphous thin film of Se-Te-Ag system prepared by using thermal evaporation technique

Zn_(0.95)Co_(0.05)O and Zn_(0.91)Co_(0.05)Cu_(0.04)O thin films were fabricated on Si(111) substrate by the reactive magnetron sputtering method at different O-Ar ratios.Detailed characterizations by X-ray diffractometry(XRD),X-ray photo-electronic spectrum(XPS), and electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR) indicate that the doped Cu ions substitute the Zn~(2+) ions in the ZnO lattice.The doped Cu ions are in Cu~+ and Cu~(2+) mixture valence states.The ferromagnetism of the Zn_(0.91)Co_(0.05)Cu_(0.04)O film ...     

Microstructure investigation and multicolor upconversion in Yb~(3+)/Ln~(3+)(Ln=Er/Tm/Ho) ions doped α-Sialon

Yb~(3+)/Ln~(3+)(Ln=Er/Tm/Ho)-α-sialon ceramics were fabricated by hot press sintering technique.Their microstructure and luminescent properties were studied by XRD,EDS,HRTEM and photoluminescence measurements.The results showed that the sintered ceramics consisted ofα-Sialon with a trace amount ofβ-Sialon phase.The frequency upconversion and downconversion properties of Yb~(3+)/Ln~(3+)(Ln=Er/Tm/Ho)-α-Sialon ceramics were investigated under 980 nm low-power excitation.The different concentrations of Yb~(3+)/Ln~(3+)(Ln=Er/Tm/Ho)produced multicolor emissions characteristics of each Ln~(3+)ion as a result of the energy transfer from Yb~(3+)to Er~(3+),Tm~(3+)and Ho~(3+)ions.The EDS spectra measurements and mappings showed that the Ln~(3+)ions were well incorporated in theα-Sialon matrix.Temporal evolution of the emission decay behavior has been investigated to understand the energy transfer mechanism.     

Evaluation of Ca3(Co,M)2O6 (M=Co, Fe, Mn, Ni) as new cathode materials for solid-oxide fuel cells

Series compounds Ca_3(Co_(0.9)M_(0.1))_2O_6(M = Co,Fe,Mn,Ni) with hexagonal crystal structure were prepared by sol-gel route as the cathode materials for solid oxide fuel cells(SOFCs).Effects of the varied atomic compositions on the structure,electrical conductivity,thermal expansion and electrochemical performance were systematically evaluated.Experimental results showed that the lattice parameters of Ca_3(Co_(0.9)Fe_(0.1))_2O_6and Ca_3(Co_(0.9)Mn_(0.1))_2O_6 were both expanded to certain degree.Electron-doping and hole-doping effects were expected in Ca_3(Co_(0.9)Mn_(0.1))_2O_6and Ca_3(Co_(0.9)Ni_(0.1))_2O_6 respectively according to the chemical states of constituent elements and thermal-activated behavior of electrical conductivity.Thermal expansion coefficients(TEC) of Ca_3(Co_(0.9)M_(0.1))_2O_6 were measured to be distributed around 16×10~(-6)K~(-1) and compositional elements of Fe,Mn,and Ni were especially beneficial for alleviation of the thermal expansion problem of cathode materials.By using Ca_3(Co_(0.9)M_(0.1))_2O_6 as the cathodes operated at 800 ℃,the interfacial area-specific resistance varied in the order of M = Co M = Fe M = Ni M = Mn,and the over-potential increased in the order of M = Fe ≈ M = Co M = Mn M = Ni.Among all of these compounds,Ca_3(Co_(0.9)Fe_(0.1))_2O_6 showed the best electrochemical performance and the power density as high as ca.500 mW cm~(-2) at800 ℃ achieved in the single cell with La_(0.8)Sr_(0.2)Ga_(0.83)Mg_(0.17)O_(2.815) as electrolyte and Ni-Ce_(0.8)Sm_(0.2)O_(1.9) as anode.Ca_3(Co_(0.9)M_(0.1))_2O_6(M = Co,Fe,Mn,Ni) can be used as the cost-effective cathode materials for SOFCs.     

Advantage of dual wavelength light-emitting diodes with dip-shaped quantum wells

Dual-wavelength light-emitting diodes (DW-LEDs) with dip-shaped quantum wells have been studied by numerical simulation.The emission spectra,light output power,carrier concentration in the quantum wells and internal quantum efficiency are investigated.The simulation results indicate that the DW-LEDs with dip-shaped quantum wells perform better than conventional LEDs with rectangular quantum wells in terms of light output power,leakage current and efficiency droop.These improvements in the electrical and optical characteristics are mainly attributed to the alleviation of the electrostatic field in the dip-shaped quantum wells.     

Graphene-manganese oxide hybrid porous material and its application in carbon dioxide adsorption

Graphene-Mn3O4 (GMNO) hybrid porous material is prepared by a hydrothermal method and its performance in carbon dioxide adsorption is investigated.In the synthesis of the GMNO materials,MnO(OH)2 colloid obtained by the hydrolysis of Mn 2+ in basic solution was using as the precursor of the Mn3O4.After a hydrothermal reaction of the mixture of graphene oxide (GO) and MnO(OH)2,GO was reduced into graphene and the MnO(OH)2 was transformed into Mn3O4 with enhanced crystallization.X-ray diffraction,thermal gravimetric analysis,transmission electron microscopy,infrared spectra and Raman spectroscopy were taken to characterize the hybrid material.The porosity and the carbon dioxide adsorption ability are measured by gas sorption analysis,in which the as-prepared GMNO hybrid materials exhibit a specific surface area ranging from 140 to 680 m2g-1 and a maximum carbon dioxide capacity of about 11 wt%.     

The synthesis and properties study of 6,13-diphenylpentacene

6,13-diphenylpentacene（DPP） was synthesized by 6,13-pentacenequinone and the Grignard reagent with the SnCl2/HCl as the reducing agent. It was detected by ^1H NMR, infrared spectra, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, UV-visible spectra and fluorescence spectra. Substitution with phenyl at the C-6 and C-13 positions of pentacene leads to phenomenal enhancement in solubility and a little enhancement in photooxidative stability. XRD results showed that the pattern of 6,13-diphenylpentacene was different from the patterns of pentacene and 6,13-pentacenequinone. UV-Visible spectra showed that the λmax of DPP in HCCl3 was 600 nm. The fluorescence spectra showed that DPP emitted purple （430 nm） and red （612 nm） when excited by UV, while only emitted red when excited by visible light. But it is still susceptible to photooxidation. The photooxidation product of DPP was also studied.     

Microwave synthesis of Cu-doped ternary ZnCdS quantum dots with composition-controllable photoluminescence

Bright Cu-doped ternary ZnCdS quantum dots (ZnCdS:Cu QDs) with varied Cd concentrations were synthesized in aqueous solution by using a convenient microwave method.These ternary QDs could be directly dispersed in water solution.By regulating the Cd2+ concentration from 0 to 50% (mole fraction of the cations),the photoluminescence excitation (PLE) peak of such ZnCdS:Cu QDs could be continuously redshifted from 320 nm to 380 nm,while their photoluminescence (PL) peak was redshifted from 490 nm to 580 nm,exhibiting multicolor Cu-related emissions.Furthermore,the quantum yield of the ZnCdS:Cu QDs could reach as high as 12% by regulating the Cu doping concentration.These ZnCdS:Cu ternary QDs with kind surface conditions and good composition-controllable optical properties may have potential application in many areas such as sensing,bioimaging,and light-emitting diodes.     

Synthesis of Water-Dispersed Thioglycolic Acid-Capped ZnSe Quantum Dots in Aqueous Media

Water-dispersible ZnSe quantum dots (ZnSe QDs) were prepared in aqueous media and characterized by ultraviolet-visible absorption, fluorescence emission spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energydispersive spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The influences of various experimental variables on the photoluminescence properties of ZnSe QDs were investigated. The results showed that the average diameter of these nanocrystals was 4 nm with narrow size distribution. The optimized conditions were as follows: pH value of 9.5, Zn/NaHSe molar ratio of 10:1, Zn/TGA molar ratio of 1:3, heating time of 1 h, and irradiation time of 19 h. Under optimized conditions, the photoluminescence quantum yield of ZnSe QDs in aqueous solution reached 20%.     

Fabrication and spectra characteristics of high efficiency white organic light-emitting diodes with single emitting layer

High-efficiency white organic light-emitting devices with single emitting layer are demonstrated. N,N‘-diphenyI-N,N‘-bis(1,1‘-biphenyl)-4,4‘-diamine (NPB) is used as hole transport layer, while 4,7-diphenyl-l,10-phenan-throline (BPhen) as electron transport layer and 9,10-di-(2-naphthyl)-2-terbutyl-anthracene (TADN) doped with the fluorescent dye 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-t-buty1-6-(1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidyl-9-enyl) (DCJTB) as single emissive layer. The effects of performance by the concentration of DCJTB and the thickness of emissive layer are studied. The device with a structure of indium tin oxide/NPB (50 nm)/TADN: 0.2% DCJTB (15 nm)/BPhen (40 nm)/Mg: Ag shows a maximum brightness of 11400 cd/m^2, a peak current efficiency of 5.6 cd/A and power efficiency of 4.1 Ira/W, while the low turn-on voltage of 3.1 V and the stability of the Commission International De L‘Eclairage coordinate. The spectra through color filter of the device are also studied.     

Energy transfer process between Eu3+ and wide-band-gap SnO2 nanocrystals in silica films studied by photoluminescence excitation and time-resolved photoluminescence techniques

Eu3+ions embedded in silica thin films codoped with SnO2 nanocrystals were fabricated by sol–gel and spin-coating methods.SnO2 nanocrystals with controllable sizes were synthesized through precisely controlling the Sn concentrations.The influences of doping and annealing conditions on the photoluminescence intensity from SnO2 nanocrystals are systematically investigated.The effective energy transfer from the defect states of SnO2nanocrystals to nearby Eu3+ions has revealed by the selective photoluminescence excitation spectra.The efficiency of the Forster resonance energy transfer is evaluated by the time-resolved photoluminescence measurements,which is about 29.1%based on the lifetime tests of the SnO2emission.     

Synergetic enhancement of photoconductivity in chlorodiane blue /oxotitanylphthalocyanine composites

The nonlinear enhancement of photosensitivity in chlorodiane blue azo (CBA)/ oxotitanylphthalocyanine composites (TiOPc) has been found. Neither evident electronic interaction nor interpenetration between chlorodiane blue and TiOPc molecules is indicated by electronic spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns. Xerographic discharge experiments suggest that the synergetic enhancement of photosensitivity results from contribution of the transition of gap states, which are induced by photoexcitation upon composite photoreceptors. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) data imply that oriented partial charge transfer between TiOPc and CBA molecules occurs when the composites are excited by incident light. This synergetic effect observed in the composite systems with weak electron donor and acceptor provides a novel strategy to design high quality photoconductive materials and devices.     

Mn-ion-enhanced red spectral emission from yttrium aluminum garnet doped cerium phosphor

Mnions were co-doped in yttrium aluminum garnet doped cerium(YAG:Ce) phosphors as a co-activator and host lattice element using the co-precipitation method.These ions broadened the emission spectra of the pure YAG:Ce phosphor,which is caused by the 2E-4A2,5E-5T2 or 1T2-5T2 transition.From our X-ray diffraction results,we observed that Ce3+(1.032 ) was substituted at the Y3+(0.900 ) site,and Mn4+(0.538 ) and Mn3+(0.67 ) were substituted at the Al3+(0.535 ) site.The chromaticity color co-ordinates of YAG:Ce0.06 is(0.203,0.167),and the indices of YAG:Ce0.06,Mn0.04 and YAG:Ce0.06,Mn0.08 are(0.249,0.181) and(0.233,0.194),respectively.The manganese co-doped yttrium aluminum garnet doped cerium blended with the YAG:Ce phosphor showed improved white light emission.     

Radiation properties of high-order harmonic generation for the measurements of femto- and attosecond X-ray pulses

Radiation properties of high-order harmonic generation （HHG） are calculated for atoms in a strong laser field. The laser-duration dependence and the carrier-envelope-phase （CEP） dependence of HHG radiation properties are presented. The CEP dependence of the pure single distribution pulse of HHG radiation properties shows interesting 180° periodic structures. The quantum enhancement of the laser-assisted photo-ionization by femtosecond （1 fs=10^-15 s） and attosecond （1 as=10^-18 s） X-ray pulses and the interference patterns of photo-electron energy spectra are theoretically investigated. Transfer equations are presented for pulse reconstructions. The theoretical root-mean-square time （energy） differences of attosecond pulse reconstructions with different durations are less than 2 as （0,8 eV）. These methods may be developed as basic techniques to access ultra-fast measurements and molecular movie.