National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

The thermoluminescence (TL) glow curve recorded after gamma-irradiation at room temperature of Mn-2-doped MgF2 phosphor shows two intense TL peaks at 364 K and 420 K accompanied by several weaker peaks up to 600 K. The TL spectra have shown Mn2+ luminescence at 560 nm. The 364 K TL peak disappears after one day of storage, and so is probably related to the recombination of carriers from some shallow traps. Based on thermal bleaching and optical bleaching (in the 260 nm F-centre absorption band) experiments, the 420 K TL peak was ascribed to the thermally activated recombination between an F-centre and a hole centre trapped in the neighbourhood of the Mn2+ impurity which results in Mn2+ luminescence.

The efficiency of different surfactants (anionic, cationic, neutral) as chemical agents favoring in the unbinding of nanotube bundles in isolated entities is investigated by Raman and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy. ne neutral surfactants Tween 20 - polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (T-20-PSM) and Tween 80 - polyoxyethylene (80) sorbitan monooleate (T-80-PSM) have been found the most efficient. The isolated single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) nanotubes are apprised at lambda(exc) = 1064 nm by two simultaneous modifications of the Raman spectra: i) narrowing of the band associated to the transversal vibration modes, i.e., G band (similar to 1592 cm(-1)); ii) change of shape of the complex band associated to the radial vibration modes (RBM) consequent on the decrease of the intensity of the components associated with the bundled nanotubes. The individualization of nanotubes is evidenced also in the UV-VIS-NIR absorption spectra by the appearance of a fine structure in the wide absorption band (similar to 1400-1750 nm) that is associated with the transitions E-S(11) of semiconducting SWNTs. The fine structure grows gradually with the separation degree in isolated nanotubes entities.

Preparation of ZnO in different nano-morphological forms became a hot topic during the last few years. This tendency was motivated by the wide field of potential applications ranging from optics to electronics and spintronics. In the present work, we deal with the preparation of ZnO nanowires and nanostructured thin films using electrochemical deposition. ZnO nanowires were grown using the template approach, namely by replicating the nanopores of polycarbonate ion track membranes. The method yields uniform arrays of nanowires with the morphology controlled by the shape and size of the templates pores. Adding polyvinylpyrolidone as an additive in the growth bath became a necessity due to the fact that polycarbonate ion track membranes are usually hydrophobic and thus filling of the nanopores with the growth electrolyte is rather difficult. In order to better understand the influence of the additive on the electrochemical deposition of such nanostructures, similar experiments were performed for the deposition of ZnO thin films. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and optical spectroscopy measurements were performed for characterization of the deposited structures. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pb(Zr1-xTix)O-3 (PZT) thin films were prepared by sol-gel method on stainless steel (SS) and on platinum-coated silicon substrate (Pt/Si). The structure revealed by X-ray diffraction shows strong crystallographic orientation: (110) and (100), respectively. The crystallite size shows significant differences: d((00l))((SS))= 27.1 nm, d((h00))((Pt)) = 88 nm. The tetragonal splitting is (Delta c/c)((ss))=3.55 % and (Delta c/c)((pt))=3.32 %. The ferroelectric hysteresis loop in the static mode is characterized by remanentpolarization of 25 mu C/cm(2) and coercive field of 45 kV/cm for SS substrate, while for Pt/Si substrate the values are 10 mu C/cm(2) and 39 kV/cm, respectively. The leakage current is about 3 orders of magnitude lower in the PZT film deposited on SS. The better properties of the PZT deposited on SS are explained by the presence of large single crystal-like crystallites, which make the film closer to epitaxial ones. The results show the potential of growing epitaxial films on low-price substrates such as stainless-steel.

Silver nano-dots have been deposited by a special procedure on the surface of a YAG coated silicon wafer. Sizes of 40-100 nm and a self-organized distribution according to the pattern of the pattern of defects (dislocations, terraces, etc.) on the wafer's surface were revealed. The procedure is simple and can be applied for the controlled deposition of small silver clusters to be used both in medicine and in nano-electronic devices.

PbSe nanowires were prepared using the template method. Polycarbonate ion track membranes with pore sizes ranging between 50 nm and 1.5 mu m were used as templates. The deposition of PbSe in the pores of the template was performed electrochemically. The influence of the deposition potential and membrane porosity on the morphology and composition of the prepared nanowires was studied. The composition of the wires has been determined by EDX measurements for different potentials. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the morphology of the deposited nanowires. X ray diffraction has been used for structural measurements.

Thermoluminescence (TL) curve recorded after gamma-irradiation at room temperature of Mn2+-doped MgF2 phosphor shows TL peaks at 91, 147, 200, 235 and 295 degrees C. The 147 degrees C peak was tentatively attributed to the F centres recombination with hole centres trapped in the neighbourhood of the Mn2+ impurity. This peak shows a good stability (low fading) and has been used to characterise the TL phosphor dosimetric properties. TL dose dependence has shown a good linearity in the range from 0.2 to 10 mGy, which makes it suitable for personal and medical dosimetry. The TL curves recorded after gamma rays or particles irradiation are similar, which suggests the possibility to use the phosphor also for particle detection. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and FTIR spectroscopy, a covalent functionalization of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with polystyrene (PST) is demonstrated. For this, two types PST/SWNTs composites were used: one resulting from the radical polymerization reaction of styrene achieved at 90 degrees C in the presence of benzene and benzoyl peroxide, latter being the initiator and another obtained by mixing the two constituents. These compounds reveal different SERS and photoluminescence spectra. The main experimental facts supporting the covalent functionalization of SWNTs with PST are provided by FTIR spectroscopy. In this frame significant is the increase of the intensities of absorption bands at 1270 and 1721 cm(-1), which are associated with the tangential C-H bending+C-O stretching and C=O stretching vibration modes, respectively. The presence of these absorption bands in the FTIR spectra of the PST/C-60 composites proves the formation of a compound with a similar molecular structure. in the case of polystyrene functionalized SWNTs, the appearance of a new FTIR band at ca. 1635 cm(-1) attributed to the C-C in cyclic hydrocarbons ring di-substituted vibration mode indicates the formation of an additional reaction product. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical properties of amorphous Strontium Barium Niobate (a-SBN) thin film are investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Since the SBN can be applied to optoelectronic devices, the dispersion of refractive index is desirable. The films are obtained by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) onto MgO and Si substrates by targeting a SBN:60 monocrystal: The dielectric function of a-SBN is approximated using a single Tauc-Lorentz oscillator model. Thicknesses of the films and of their rough layer are in agreement with SEM and AFM results. The dispersion of the refractive index is presented in the 1 - 5 eV range.

Piezoelectric and p type semiconductor ZnO thin films were deposited by radiofrequency beam assisted pulsed laser deposition. Optical, electrical and structural properties were found to depend on both deposition parameters and radiofrequency beam characteristics.