Crystal Lattice Space Research Articles

In-situ growth of Ni, Co-Prussian blue nanocubes on molten salt etched lamellar Ti3C2Tx/Ni for enhanced hybrid capacitive deionization

The design and development of high-performance electrode materials are crucial for improving the desalination efficiency of hybrid capacitive deionization (HCDI). In this study, a Ti3C2Tx/Ni/NiCo-PBA composite is synthesized by in-situ growing NiCo Prussian blue (PB) nanocubes on Ti3C2Tx/Ni sheets, serving as an electrode for HCDI. The Ti3C2Tx sheets provide excellent conductivity and a suitable substrate for the growth of NiCo-PBA nanocubes. The Ni nanoparticles help prevent the oxidation of Ti3C2Tx sheets, and provide a source of Ni for NiCo-PBA synthesis. Additionally, the NiCo-PBA nanocubes effectively inhibit re-stacking of Ti3C2Tx sheets, enlarge crystal lattice spacing, and facilitate diffusion and storage of salt ions. Consequently, the AC||Ti3C2Tx/Ni/NiCo-PBA HCDI device exhibits a high salt removal capacity of 36.62 mg g−1, low energy consumption of 11.14 Wh m−3, and water recovery of 61.86 %. Importantly, the AC||Ti3C2Tx/Ni/NiCo-PBA device achieves a good salt removal capacity of 53.22 mg g−1 in a high concentration NaCl solution (2000 μS cm−1). After 20 cycles, the desalination capacity remains stable, and the structure of Ti3C2Tx/Ni/NiCo-PBA is intact, indicating excellent cycling stability. Additionally, the desalination mechanism of Ti3C2Tx/Ni/NiCo-PBA electrode is thoroughly investigated.

Structural evolution of zirconium diboride under gamma irradiation and thermal annealing

Understanding the thermal properties and enhancing the performance of zirconium diboride (ZrB2) under extreme conditions is crucial, especially given its role as a burnable absorber in nuclear fuel pellets and its potential applications in accident-tolerant fuels. This study explores the structural alterations of ZrB2 crystals induced by gamma irradiation and subsequent thermal annealing. ZrB2 crystals were exposed to absorption doses of 300 kGy, 1000 kGy, 1500 kGy, and 3000 kGy using a 60Co gamma source, followed by thermal treatment at 1173 K under vacuum conditions. Also, Monte Carlo simulations were utilized to analyze the energy deposition and distribution of gamma quanta within the material during irradiation, highlighting Compton effects up to 0.23 MeV. X-ray diffraction analysis elucidated the impact of gamma radiation on ZrB2 crystal lattice parameters, space group, and volume expansion coefficient. Post-irradiation analysis revealed a maximum degree of amorphization and investigated mechanisms governing lattice parameter expansion. Thermal annealing at 1173 K significantly enhanced crystallinity, reducing amorphization to 0.2 % at an absorption dose of 3000 kGy and facilitating the restoration of the crystal's columnar structure. This comprehensive investigation provides insights into the intricate interplay between gamma irradiation, thermal processing, and resulting structural changes in ZrB2 nanocrystals, essential for applications in radiation-exposed environments.

Step height measurement of monoatomic silicon crystal lattice steps with a commercial atomic force microscope

Abstract Precise control of advanced materials relies on accurate dimensional metrology at the sub-nanometre scale. At this scale, the accuracy of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has been limited by the lack of traceable transfer standard artefacts with calibration structures of suitable dimensions. With the adoption in 2019 of the silicon crystal lattice spacing as a secondary realization of the metre in the International System of Units (SI), SPM users have direct access to a realization of the SI metre at the sub-nanometre level by means of the step height of self-assembled monatomic lattice steps that can form on the surface of silicon crystals. A key challenge of successfully adopting this pathway is establishing the need for established protocols to minimize measurement errors and artifacts in routine laboratory use.
In this study, step height measurements of monoatomic lattice steps in an ordinal/staircase structure on a Si(111) crystal surface have been derived from images acquired with a commercially available, research-level atomic force microscope (AFM). Measurement results derived from AFM images using three different SPM image processing and analysis software packages are compared. Significant sources of measurement uncertainty are identified; principally the contribution from the dependence on scan direction. The calibration of the
AFM derived from this measurment was used to traceably measure the sub-nanometre lattice steps on a silicon carbide crystal surface to demonstrate the viability of this calibration pathway.

Biaxial Mechanochromic Behaviors of Mechanically Heterogeneous Colloidal Photonic Crystal Weave

AbstractNon‐close‐packed colloidal photonic crystals (CPhCs) are widely employed in biomimetic strain sensors as they exhibit mechanochromism due to changes in the crystal lattice spacing under stress. However, the structural color of a CPhC film with an incompressible polymer matrix changes with modulation of the film thickness due to deformation, which makes it difficult to visualize the magnitude and direction of the stress. To address this limitation, elastic modulus‐controlled CPhC films with stress‐responsive mechanochromic behavior are fabricated. While each CPhC film shows the same color change under constant strain, the color change is controlled differently under constant stress. Combining CPhC films prepared with different modulus values enhanced the strain‐responsive mechanochromic sensitivity by ≈25 times. A mechanically heterogeneous weave structure demonstrates a unique biaxial mechanochromic response based on the direction of the stress. These findings suggest that CPhC films can serve as versatile strain/stress sensors that provide visual information about the magnitude and direction of applied stress in multiple dimensions.

Surface engineering by rogue wave induced by energetic carbon clusters

Swift heavy ions are effective in nanostructuring material surfaces. The irradiation of lanthanum fluoride with 30 MeV C60 leads to the creation of surface nanohillocks of size larger than the ones produced by monoatomic heavy ions. The generation of the observed nano-sized hillocks is described here by a new approach that is based on ion-induced intensive electronic excitations that create localized rogue waves. Consequently, the induced nonlinear ion-acoustic rogue waves are considered a hallmark of nanohillock formation. Plasma hydrodynamic equations produce a relationship between normalised electron number density and crystal lattice spacing. Similarities to the hillock profile suggest the crucial primary role of electron density in the fabrication of surface nanostructures.

Pressure-Induced Defects and Reduced Size Endow TiO2 with High Capacity over 20 000 Cycles and Excellent Fast-Charging Performance in Sodium Ion Batteries.

Anatase TiO2 as sodium-ion-battery anode has attracted increased attention because of its low volume change and good safety. However, low capacity and poor rate performance caused by low electrical conductivity and slow ion diffusion greatly impede its practical applications. Here, a bi-solvent enhanced pressure strategy that induces defects (oxygen vacancies) into TiO2 via N doping and reduces its size by using mutual-solvent ethanol and dopant dimethylformamide as pressure-increased reagent of tetrabutyl orthotitanate tetramer is proposed to fabricate N-doped TiO2/C nanocomposites. The induced defects can increase ion storage sites, improve electrical conductivity, and decrease bandgap and ion diffuse energy barrier of TiO2. The size reduction increases contact interfaces between TiO2 and C and shortens ion diffuse distance, thus increasing extra ion storage sites and boosting ion diffusion rate of TiO2. The N-doped TiO2 possesses highly stable crystal structure with a slightly increase of 0.86% in crystal lattice spacing and 3.2% in particle size after fully sodiation. Consequently, as a sodium-ion battery anode, the nanocomposite delivers high capacity and superior rate capability along with ultralong cycling life. This work proposes a novel pressure-induced synthesis strategy that provides unique guidance for designing TiO2-based anode materials with high capacity and excellent fast-charging capability.

Accurate magnification determination for cryoEM using gold

Determining the correct magnified pixel size of single-particle cryoEM micrographs is necessary to maximize resolution and enable accurate model building. Here we describe a simple and rapid procedure for determining the absolute magnification in an electron cryomicroscope to a precision of <0.5%. We show how to use the atomic lattice spacings of crystals of thin and readily available test specimens, such as gold, as an absolute reference to determine magnification for both room temperature and cryogenic imaging. We compare this method to other commonly used methods, and show that it provides comparable accuracy in spite of its simplicity. This magnification calibration method provides a definitive reference quantity for data analysis and processing, simplifies the combination of multiple datasets from different microscopes and detectors, and improves the accuracy with which the contrast transfer function of the microscope can be determined. We also provide an open source program, magCalEM, which can be used to accurately estimate the magnified pixel size of a cryoEM dataset ex post facto.

Green Synthesis of ZnO Nanostructures Using Pyrus pyrifolia: Antimicrobial, Photocatalytic and Dielectric Properties

In this study, zinc oxide nanostructures (ZnO NS) were synthesized using Pyrus pyrifolia fruit extract. Biophysical characterization results confirmed that the synthesized materials are crystalline wurtzite ZnO structures. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed that the ZnO NS are cubical, and the sizes range 20–80 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and XRD results revealed a crystal lattice spacing of 0.23 nm and (101) the crystalline plane on ZnO NS. UV-Visible spectrophotometer results showed an absorbance peak at 373 nm. The ZnO NS demonstrated significant antibacterial activity analyzed by metabolic activity analysis and disc diffusion assay against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. FESEM analysis confirmed the bacterial membrane disruption and the release of cytoplasmic contents was studied by electron microscopy analysis. Further, ZnO NS achieved good photocatalytic activity of decolorizing 88% of methylene blue (MB) in 60 min. The dielectric constant and loss of ZnO were found to be 3.19 and 2.80 at 1 kHz, respectively. The research findings from this study could offer new insights for developing potential antibacterial and photocatalytic materials.

In-situ production of magnetic char via rapid subcritical hydrothermal carbonisation of paunch waste

The conventional hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) is mainly tied to the high capital investment of the reactor and low product quality. In a novel approach, the rapid subcritical HTC of paunch waste (at 240 °C for only 5 min) was proposed to enhance the quality of products and their utilisation via in-situ production of magnetic hydrochar. Magnetite nanoparticles were found on the surface of hydrochar with size of 10–20 nm and crystal lattice spacing of 0.25 nm, XRD characteristic peaks of magnetite, and strong FTIR peak at 580 cm−1 assigned to Fe-O stretching in the crystalline lattice of magnetite. Magnetic hydrochar could adsorb Congo Red at a capacity of 59.9 mg g−1. An organic-rich process water with a high COD of 43 g L−1 was co-generated along with magnetic hydrochar and assumed to be anaerobically digested. The estimated theoretical methane yield was found sufficient to run the HTC plant in an energy-neutral mode. After developing a process model in Aspen plus, the discounted cash flow analysis revealed a net present value of US$13.04 MM for 30 years of operation, which can increase to $34.79 MM if the iron precursors are sourced from locally available iron-rich sludge.

Enhanced ammonia sensitivity electrochemical sensors based on PtCu alloy nanoparticles in-situ synthesized on carbon cloth electrode

The alloying of Pt with transition metals is significant in boosting the performance of Pt-based electrochemical sensors. In this paper, Platinum and copper alloy nanoparticles (PtCu NPs) were in-situ loaded on carbon cloth (CC) by electrochemical deposition to obtain a self-supported electrode (PtCu-CC) for electrochemical detection of ammonia. The alloying of Pt and Cu reduced the crystal lattice spacing of Pt and improved the catalytic performance of ammonia. Therefore, the PtCu-CC electrode displayed visibly enhanced ammonia detection performance compared with the Pt-CC electrode and commercial Pt electrode. The linear range for ammonia determination was from 0.5 to 40 and 40–500 μM, and the sensitivity of the Pt7Cu1-CC sensor was 9.5 μA μM−1 cm−2 and 0.778 mA lg μM−1 cm−2, respectively. The detection limit was 8.6 ± 0.32 nM, and the quantification limit was 28.67 ± 0.73 nM. The developed sensor shows good anti-interference capability, reproducibility and stability; in addition, it exhibited good capacity in the actual water sample test. PtCu alloy nanoparticles were applied to ammonia detection in water, which may broaden the ways of ammonia detection in water.

Examination of the doping effects of samarium (Sm3+) and zirconium (Zr4+) on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanofibers

Pure and samarium (Sm3+) - or zirconium (Zr4+)-doped TiO2 nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning method followed by calcination at 500 °C for 1 h. As-spun fibers were smooth, straight and continuous, whilst EDS analysis confirmed the fiber composition and incorporation of dopants in the fibers. Doping with Sm3+ and Zr4+ greatly inhibited the phase transformation of anatase to rutile, by surrounding of Sm3+ ions through formation of Ti-O-Sm bonds and by replacement of Ti4+ ions with larger Zr4+ ions. This was confirmed by HRTEM and SAED analysis. The size of nanofibers was determined to be 133 nm, 175 nm and 155 nm for pure, (0.5%)Sm3+:TiO2 and (1%)Zr4+:TiO2, respectively. After calcination, TiO2 crystal lattice with interplanar spacing of 0.353 nm of (101) crystal plane was not significantly disturbed by Sm doping whilst crystal lattice spacing of 0.357 nm of (101) planes of anatase phase in case TiO2:1.0%Zr4+, significantly differs from the value of pure TiO2 (0.352 nm), thus implying that Zr was doped into substitutional sites of the TiO2 lattice. The indirect band gaps were calculated to be in the range 3.07–3.24 eV. TiO2:0.5%Sm3+ and TiO2:1.0%Zr4+ exhibited higher specific surface area, of 47.1 and 59.4 m2/g, respectively, than pure TiO2 fibers (19.7 m2/g). Effects of Sm3+ and Zr4+ dopant content on the photodegradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) were studied. TiO2:0.5%Sm3+ and TiO2:1.0%Zr4+ nanofibers have shown the highest photocatalytic activity of 97% and 98% with constant rates 0.01768 min−1 and 0.01939 min−1, respectively, within180 min irradiation under visible light.

Growth, spectral and quantum chemical investigation on hexamethylenetetramine 4-nitrophenol monohydrate single crystals for second harmonic generation and optical limiting applications

To grow single crystals of hexamethylenetetramine 4-nitrophenol monohydrate (HMTNP), the solvent evaporation method was used. The single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) method is used to confirm the crystal lattice parameters and space group. Powder X-ray diffraction, 1H, and 13C NMR, FTIR, and FT-Raman spectroscopy were employed to investigate the title crystal's crystalline nature, molecular arrangement, and presence of functional groups. The Hirshfeld surface study is aimed at investigating the intermolecular charge-transfer interactions that occur in HMTNP owing to the presence of OH···N, CH···O, and OH···O hydrogen bonds. UV-Visible and photoluminescence studies were used to determine the lower cut-off wavelength and emission peaks. Additionally, the title crystal's optical band gap energy has been estimated to be 3.17 nm. Dielectric and photoconductivity investigations of the single crystal revealed dielectric constant values and a negative photoconductivity response. The Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) efficiency of the powder crystal is 4.31 times that of a conventional KDP crystal. In Z-scan and optical limiting experiments, the self-defocusing nature and optical limiting behavior of HMTNP were demonstrated. Furthermore, DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6–311++G(d,p) level of theory were utilized to investigate the formed crystal's molecular structural geometry, molecular vibration, intermolecular charge transfer interactions and hyperpolarizability.

Impact of free energy of polymers on polymorphism of polymer-grafted nanoparticles.

Colloidal crystals have gathered wide attention as a model material for optical applications because of their feasibility in controlling the propagation of light by their crystal structure and lattice spacing as well as the simplicity of their fabrication. However, due to the simple interaction between colloids, the colloidal crystal structures that can be formed are limited. It is also difficult to adjust the lattice spacing. Furthermore, colloidal crystals are fragile compared to other crystals. In this study, we focused on polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNP) as a possible solution to these unresolved issues. We expected that PGNPs, composed of two distinct layers (the hard core of a nanoparticle and the soft corona of grafted polymers on the surface), will demonstrate similar behaviors as star polymers and hard spheres. We also predicted that PGNPs may exhibit polymorphism because the interaction between PGNPs strongly depends upon their grafting density and the length of the grafted polymer chains. Moreover, we expected that crystals made from PGNPs will be structurally tough due to the entanglement of grafted polymers. From exploration of crystal polymorphs of PGNPs by molecular dynamics simulations, we found face-centered cubic (FCC)/hexagonal close-packed (HCP) and body-centered cubic (BCC) crystals, depending on the length of the grafted polymer chains. When the chains were short, PGNPs behaved like hard spheres and crystals were arranged in FCC/HCP structure, much like the phase transition observed in an Alder transition. When the chains were long enough, the increase in the free energy of grafted polymers was no longer negligible and crystals were arranged in BCC structure, which has a lower density than FCC/HCP. When the chains were not too short or long, FCC/HCP structures were first observed when the volume fraction of system was small, but a phase transition occurred when the system was further compressed and the crystals arranged themselves in a BCC structure. These results most likely have laid strong foundations for future simulations and experimental studies of PGNP crystals.

Structure and dielectric properties of solid solutions Bi7−2xNd2xTi4NbO21(x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0)

The electrophysical and structural characteristics of bismuth titanate oxides of a number of phases of solid solutions of the Aurivillius phases Bi[Formula: see text]Nd[Formula: see text]Ti4[Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) having a layered structure of the perovskite type have been investigated. According to the XRD data, all studied compounds are single-phase and have a mixed-layer structure of Aurivillius phases ([Formula: see text] = 2.5) with a rhombic crystal lattice (space group I2cm, [Formula: see text] = 2). A relationship has been established between changes in the chemical composition of solid solutions and orthorhombic and tetragonal distortions of perovskite-like layers. The temperature dependences of the relative permittivity [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text](T) are measured. It was found that the change in the phase transition temperature — Curie temperature [Formula: see text] synthesized Aurivillius phases Bi[Formula: see text]Nd[Formula: see text]Ti4[Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) has a close to linear dependence on the change in the parameter [Formula: see text]. The activation energies of charge carriers in different temperature ranges were calculated. It was found that three clearly defined temperature ranges with different activation energies can be distinguished, which is associated with the different nature of charge carriers in the studied solid solutions of the perovskite type. The effect of substitution of Nd[Formula: see text] ions for Bi[Formula: see text] ions is investigated.

Crystal structure and dielectric properties of layered perovskite-like solid solutions Bi3−x Gdx TiTaO9 (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) with high Curie temperature

The Aurivillius phases [Bi2O2][A[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]O[Formula: see text]] are well-known ferroelectrics with high Curie temperatures [Formula: see text]. High-temperature piezoceramics Bi[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]TiTaO9 (BGdTTa, [Formula: see text]= 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) were prepared by a solid-state reaction method. The structural and electrophysical characteristics of BGdTTa ceramics have been studied. According to the data of powder X-ray diffraction, all the compounds are single-phase with the structures of two-layer Aurivillius phases ([Formula: see text] = 2) with the orthorhombic crystal lattice (space group A21am). The temperature dependence of the relative permittivity [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] of the compounds was measured and showed that the Curie temperature [Formula: see text] of perovskite-like oxides Bi[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]TiTaO9 increases linearly with an increase in the substitution parameter [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] = 925[Formula: see text]C. The activation energies of charge carriers have been found in different temperature ranges.

Filament-assisted reactive magnetron sputter deposition of VSiN films

Many vapor deposition techniques utilize ion irradiation during growth of transition metal nitride-based films to obtain low porosity and to control nanostructural evolution, phase content, and crystallographic texture. In this study, V1-xSixN films (0.18 ≤ x ≤ 0.30) were deposited by a reactive magnetron sputtering process in which a heated filament was used to enhance growth temperature and ion bombardment. Filament discharge current (0.0 A ≤ ID ≤ 2.6 A) and sputter target powers (PV = 500 W,250 W, PSi = 180 W,90 W) were varied among depositions. With filament-assistance, substrate current densities doubled relative to the current densities achieved without the filament. Atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electrical resistivity measurements indicated that the use of the hot filament reduced the porosity present in the deposited films. X-ray diffraction revealed that all VSiN films contained a single crystalline phase with a crystal structure and lattice spacing similar to NaCl-type VN. Texture coefficient calculations showed that increases in filament discharge current initially enhanced (111) texturing until, at the maximum filament discharge current, a mixed (111)/(200) texture was obtained. Film hardness and elastic modulus were measured using nanoindentation and found to scale with filament discharge current to maximum values of 16 GPa and 218 GPa, respectively. Rockwell indentation tests revealed that film adhesion decreased with increases in filament discharge current and film deposition rate. Telephone cord blisters were observed in films deposited at the highest filament discharge currents confirming that the ion irradiation conditions generated compressive residual stresses.

Structural changes of a NiFe-based metal-organic framework during the oxygen-evolution reaction under alkaline conditions

The design of new supramolecular complexes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as water-oxidizing catalysts requires the stability studies because many metal-organic compounds are decomposed under the harsh conditions of water oxidation. Metal-organic frameworks have been extensively reported as catalysts for water splitting toward hydrogen production. Recently, a NiFe MOF has been claimed as an excellent catalyst for oxygen-evolution reaction (OER) under alkaline conditions (KOH (1.0 M)). Herein, using electrochemical methods, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, the stability of this NiFe MOF was investigated during OER. In the Raman spectrum, the peaks related to C–C and C–O in 1100–1550 cm−1 become weak after OER, indicating the decrease of the carboxylate functional group. Comparing energy-dispersive spectra for the MOF before and after OER shows a decrease in carbon, but an increase in oxygen contents. Similar to the results of linear sweep voltammetry, energy-dispersive spectroscopy spectra suggest that the surface of the MOF converts into an oxide-based structure after OER. Transmission electron microscopy also shows some new crystalline areas after OER. The crystalline areas indicate a crystal lattice spacing of 0.21–0.23 nm, corresponding to (012) plane of the NiFe layered double hydroxide. Taken together, these experiments show that during OER the MOF converts to NiFe oxide with significant defects and imperfections in the regular geometrical arrangement of the ions, and the NiFe oxide is a candidate for catalyzing OER. This finding could be a roadmap for progress in the field of sustainable catalysis.

Influence of potassium chloride doping on the properties of potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal for nonlinear optical applications

Nonlinear optical single crystals of pure potassium dihydrogen phosphate and potassium chloride-doped potassium dihydrogen phosphate were grown by slow evaporation technique at room temperature. The powder X-ray diffraction analysis shows the reflection lines of the doped KDP crystal correlate well with the observed individual parent compound pure KDP with a slight shift in the intensity of the diffracted peaks. The crystal structure lattice parameters and space group was determined by single-crystal XRD studies. The existences of several functional groups were extricated by shifting of peaks in FTIR spectral inspections. The UV cut-off wavelength is found to be 381 nm for pure KDP 383 nm for potassium chloride-doped KDP crystals, respectively, using UV–Vis-NIR studies. The permittivity and dielectric loss tangent of the grown crystals are less at elevated frequencies with different temperatures. The correlative second harmonic (SHG) potency was evaluated by the Kurtz and Perry method for the doped crystal, and it was found to be 0.34 times higher than that of the pure KDP. The thermal stability measurement was carried out by TG/DTA study. Mechanical stability was found from load-dependent Vickers micro-hardness analysis.

Many-body phases of a planar Bose-Einstein condensate with cavity-induced spin-orbit coupling

We explore the many-body phases of a two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate with cavity-mediated dynamic spin-orbit coupling. By the help of two transverse non-interfering, counterpropagating pump lasers and a single standing-wave cavity mode, two degenerate Zeeman sub-levels of the quantum gas are Raman coupled in a double-$\Lambda$-configuration. Beyond a critical pump strength the cavity mode is populated via coherent superradiant Raman scattering from the two pump lasers, leading to the appearance of a dynamical spin-orbit coupling for the atoms. We identify three quantum phases with distinct atomic and photonic properties: the normal ``homogeneous'' phase, the superradiant ``spin-helix'' phase, and the superradiant ``supersolid spin-density-wave'' phase. The latter exhibits an emergent periodic atomic density distribution with an orthorhombic centered rectangular-lattice structure due to the interplay between the coherent photon scattering into the resonator and the collision-induced momentum coupling. The transverse lattice spacing of the emergent crystal is set by the dynamic spin-orbit coupling.

Fabrication and opto-electronic analysis of down-converting blue-green emitting nanophosphor

A series of nano-scaled Tb3+-doped Ba3Y(PO4)3 (BYPO) nanophosphors were successfully fabricated utilizing a time-saving solution-combustion approach. The crystal structure and lattice parameters of the Ba3Y0.93Tb0.07(PO4)3 nanophosphor was examined by Reitveld refinement analysis. The incorporation of trivalent terbium ions into the cubic crystal lattice (I − 4 3 d (220) space group) did not bring any change in the crystal prototype. The photoluminescence (PL) result showed that the blue-to-green tunable emission can be achieved simply via varying the dopant concentration, with 7 mol% as the optimum concentration for standard CIE (Commission Internationale de I’Eclairage) coordinates of green emission. A comprehensive examination of PL-decay curves using Auzel’s model gives the intrinsic radiative lifetime (3.9585 ms) for the 5D4 state in Tb3+. The CIE coordinates values illustrate the blue region at lower concentrations and the green region at higher concentrations of the terbium ions, signifying the color-tunability in the system. The outcomes specify that this nanophosphor is a relevant candidate for phosphor converted white LEDs (PC-WLEDs) using near ultraviolet (UV) excitation.