Vis NIR Research Articles

Best performances of visible–near-infrared models in soils with little carbonate – a field study in Switzerland

Abstract. Conventional laboratory analysis of soil properties is often expensive and requires much time if various soil properties are to be measured. Visual and near-infrared (vis–NIR) spectroscopy offers a complementary and cost-efficient way to gain a wide variety of soil information at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Yet, applying vis–NIR spectroscopy requires confidence in the prediction accuracy of the infrared models. In this study, we used soil data from six agricultural fields in eastern Switzerland and calibrated (i) field-specific (local) models and (ii) general models (combining all fields) for soil organic carbon (SOC), permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), total nitrogen (N), total carbon (C) and pH using partial least-squares regression. The 30 local models showed a ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) between 1.14 and 5.27, and the root mean square errors (RMSE) were between 1.07 and 2.43 g kg−1 for SOC, between 0.03 and 0.07 g kg−1 for POXC, between 0.09 and 0.14 g kg−1 for total N, between 1.29 and 2.63 g kg−1 for total C, and between 0.04 and 0.19 for pH. Two fields with high carbonate content and poor correlation between the target properties were responsible for six local models with a low performance (RPD < 2). Analysis of variable importance in projection, as well as of correlations between spectral variables and target soil properties, confirmed that high carbonate content masked absorption features for SOC. Field sites with low carbonate content can be combined with general models with only a limited loss in prediction accuracy compared to the field-specific models. On the other hand, for fields with high carbonate contents, the prediction accuracy substantially decreased in general models. Whether the combination of soils with high carbonate contents in one prediction model leads to satisfying prediction accuracies needs further investigation.

Excited-State Dynamics of Carbazole and tert-Butyl-Carbazole in Thin Films

Thin films of carbazole (Cz) derivatives are frequently used in organic electronics, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Because of the proximity of the Cz units, the excited-state relaxation in such films is complicated, as intermolecular pathways, such as singlet–singlet annihilation (SSA), kinetically compete with the emission. Here, we provide an investigation of two benchmark systems employing neat carbazole and 3,6-di-tert-butylcarbazole (t-Bu-Cz) films and also their thin film blends with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). These are investigated by a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM), femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (fs-TA and ns-TA) and time-resolved fluorescence. Excitonic J-aggregate-type features are observed in the steady-state absorption and emission spectra of the neat films. The S1 state shows a broad excited-state absorption (ESA) spanning the entire UV–Vis–NIR range. At high S1 exciton number densities of about 4 × 1018 cm−3, bimolecular diffusive S1–S1 annihilation is found to be the dominant SSA process in the neat films with a rate constant in the range of 1–2 × 10−8 cm3 s−1. SSA produces highly vibrationally excited molecules in the electronic ground state (S0*), which cool down slowly by heat transfer to the quartz substrate. The results provide relevant photophysical insight for a better microscopic understanding of carbazole relaxation in thin-film environments.

Lunar Surface Resource Exploration: Tracing Lithium, 7 Li and Black Ice Using Spectral Libraries and Apollo Mission Samples

This is an exercise to explore the concentration of lithium, lithium-7 isotope and the possible presence of black dirty ice on the lunar surface using spectral data obtained from the Clementine mission. The main interest in tracing the lithium and presence of dark ice on the lunar surface is closely related to future human settlement missions on the moon. We investigate the distribution of lithium and 7 Li isotope on the lunar surface by employing spectral data from the Clementine images. We utilized visible (VIS–NIR) imagery at wavelengths of 450, 750, 900, 950 and 1000 nm, along with near-infrared (NIR–SWIR) at 1100, 1250, 1500, 2000, 2600 and 2780 nm, encompassing 11 bands in total. This dataset offers a comprehensive coverage of about 80% of the lunar surface, with resolutions ranging from 100 to 500 m, spanning latitudes from 80°S to 80°N. In order to extract quantitative abundance of lithium, ground-truth sites were used to calibrate the Clementine images. Samples (specifically, 12045, 15058, 15475, 15555, 62255, 70035, 74220 and 75075) returned from Apollo missions 12, 15, 16 and 17 have been correlated to the Clementine VIS–NIR bands and five spectral ratios. The five spectral ratios calculated synthesize the main spectral features of sample spectra that were grouped by their lithium and 7 Li content using Principal Component Analysis. The ratios spectrally characterize substrates of anorthosite, silica-rich basalts, olivine-rich basalts, high-Ti mare basalts and Orange and Glasses soils. Our findings reveal a strong linear correlation between the spectral parameters and the lithium content in the eight Apollo samples. With the values of the 11 Clementine bands and the 5 spectral ratios, we performed linear regression models to estimate the concentration of lithium and 7 Li. Also, we calculated Digital Terrain Models (Altitude, Slope, Aspect, DirectInsolation and WindExposition) from LOLA-DTM to discover relations between relief and spatial distribution of the extended models of lithium and 7 Li. The analysis was conducted in a mask polygon around the Apollo 15 landing site. This analysis seeks to uncover potential 7 Li enrichment through spallation processes, influenced by varying exposure to solar wind. To explore the possibility of finding ice mixed with regolith (often referred to as `black ice’), we extended results to the entire Clementine coverage spectral indices, calculated with a library (350–2500 nm) of ice samples contaminated with various concentrations of volcanic particles.

Interstitial doping of Mn4+ ions: An effective method to optimize the optical properties of TeO2 single crystal

AbstractTeO2 single crystal has drawn much attention in recent years due to its excellent acousto‐optic (AO) performance in the field of spectral imaging and optical processing. The optical properties of TeO2 single crystal are critical for the fabrication of AO devices. To improve the optical properties of the TeO2 single crystal, Mn4+ ions were doped into the TeO2 lattice. Herein, bulk TeO2 single crystal and TeO2:0.02Mn4+ single crystal have been successfully grown by a Bridgman method. Compared with the TeO2 single crystal, a 30% transmittance increase was observed in the TeO2:0.02Mn4+ single crystal. Furthermore, the TeO2:0.02Mn4+ single crystal shows a smaller extinction coefficient (≤0.01) in the Vis–NIR region, indicating less optical loss. The bandgap energy of TeO2:0.02Mn4+ was broadened from 3.360 to 3.635 eV. In addition, TeO2:0.02Mn4+ single crystal exhibits a higher refractive index (about 2.244), which indicates that TeO2:0.02Mn4+ single crystal is a potential medium for high‐efficiency AO devices.

Laboratory VIS–NIR reflectance measurements of heated Vesta regolith analogs: Unraveling the spectral properties of the pitted impact deposits on Vesta

AbstractPitted impact deposits on Vesta show higher reflectance and pyroxene absorption band strengths compared to their immediate surroundings and other typical Vestan materials. We investigated whether heating to different temperatures for different durations of Vestan regolith analog materials can reproduce these spectral characteristics using mixtures of HEDs, the carbonaceous chondrite Murchison, and terrestrial analogs. We find no consistent spectral trend due merely to temperature increases, but observed that the interiors of many heated samples show both higher reflectance and pyroxene band I strength than their heated surfaces. With electron probe microanalysis, we additionally observe the formation of hematite, which could account for the higher reflectance. The presence of hematite indicates oxidation occurring in the sample interiors. In combination with heat, this might cause the increase of pyroxene band strengths through migration of iron cations. The effect grows larger with increasing temperature and duration, although temperature appears to play the more dominant role. A higher proportion of Murchison or the terrestrial carbonaceous chondrite analog within our mixtures also appears to facilitate the onset of oxidation. Our observations suggest that both the introduction of exogenic material on Vesta as well as the heating from impacts were necessary to enable the process (possibly oxidation) causing the observed spectral changes.

Cs‐Doped and Cs‐S Co‐Doped CuI p‐Type Transparent Semiconductors with Enhanced Conductivity

AbstractOne hindrance in transparent electronics is the lack of high‐performance p‐type transparent conductors (TCs). The state‐of‐the‐art p‐type TC, CuI, has a conductivity two orders of magnitude lower than n‐type TCs like ITO. While doping strategies have shown promise in enhancing the hole carrier density in CuI, they often come at the expense of hole mobility. Therefore, understanding how extrinsic dopants affect the mobility of CuI is critical to further improve the performance of CuI‐based TCs. Here the structural and electronic properties of Cs‐doped CuI are investigated. It is demonstrated that ≈4 at.% Cs doping in CuI increases the carrier density from 2.1 × 1019 to 3.8 × 1020 cm−3 while preserving the film microstructure and local coordination of Cu, as confirmed by HRTEM and XAS analysis. Introducing S as a co‐dopant in Cs:CuI boosts the carrier density to 8.2 × 1020 cm−3, reaching a stable conductivity of ≈450 S cm−1. In all cases, the enhanced carrier density negatively affects the hole mobility with ionized impurity scattering and increased Seebeck hole effective mass as mobility limiting mechanisms. Nonetheless, the new Cs, S co‐doped CuI exhibits high p‐type conductivity, Vis–NIR transparency, and stability, presenting an attractive candidate for future transparent electronic devices.

Comparative first principles investigation on the structural, optoelectronic and vibrational properties of strain-engineered graphene-like AlC3, BC3 and C3N monolayers

Three cardinal two-dimensional semiconductors viz., AlC3, BC3 and C3N, closely resembling the graphene structure, are intriguing contenders for emerging optoelectronic and thermomechanical applications. Starting from a critical stability analysis, this density functional theory study delves into a quantitative assessment of structural, mechanical, electronic, optical, vibrational and thermodynamical properties of these monolayers as a function of biaxial strain (ε) in a sublinear regime (−2%⩽ε⩽4%) of elastic deformation. The structures with cohesive energies slightly smaller than graphene, manifest exceptional mechanical stiffness, flexibility and breaking stress. The mechanical parameters have been deployed to further cultivate acoustic attributes and thermal conductivity. The hexagonal structures with mixed ionic-covalent molecular bonds have indirect electronic band-gap and work-function acutely sensitive to ε . Dispersions of optical dielectric function, energy loss, refractive index, extinction coefficient, reflectivity, absorption coefficient and conductivity are deciphered in the UV–Vis–NIR regime against strain, where particular frequency bands featuring high polarization, dissipation, absorbance or reflectance are identified. Phonon band-structure and density of states testify dynamic stability in the ground state for all systems except the compressed ones. A comprehensive group theoretical analysis is performed to cultivate rotational; infrared and Raman-active modes, and the nature of molecular vibrations is delineated. The red-shifting of phonon bands and E2g/A1g Raman peaks with increasing ε , associates estimation of Grüneisen parameter. Finally, strain-induced alterations of thermodynamic quantities such as entropy, enthalpy, free energy, heat capacity and Debye temperature are studied, followed by a molecular dynamics-based stability assessment under canonical ensemble.

In-situ synthesis of CdS and Ag2S quantum dots in poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) gels

In this study, we proposed a hybridization method for polymer and quantum dots (QDs) by directly forming QDs in polymer gel; this method was completely different from conventional methods such as mixing and encapsulation. QDs were fabricated by reacting metal ions in solution with sulfide ions adsorbed in a gel made from poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), a cationic polymer. CdS and Ag2S QDs were successfully fabricated in PDADMAC gel for in situ synthesis, and visible light (534 nm) and NIR (1070 nm) emissions were observed in PDADMAC gel containing CdS and Ag2S QDs, respectively. We also discussed the formation mechanism of QDs in the gel considering the mesh size of polymer networks in PDADMAC gel.

Silicate Mineralogy from Vis–NIR Reflectance Spectra

The asteroid composition is the key to understanding the origin and evolution of the solar system. The composition is imprinted at specific wavelengths of the asteroid reflectance spectra. We wish to find the optimal wavelength range and step of reflectance spectra that contain sufficient information about S-complex asteroids while keeping the data volume as low as possible. We especially aim for the ASPECT instrument on board the Milani/Hera CubeSat that will observe the S-complex binary asteroid (65803) Didymos–Dimorphos. We use labeled reflectance spectra of the most common silicate found in meteorites, namely olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and their mixtures. The spectra are interpolated to various wavelength grids. We use convolutional neural networks and train them with the labeled interpolated reflectance spectra. The reliability of the network outputs is evaluated using standard regression metrics. We do not find any significant dependence between the error of the model predictions and normalization position, fineness of coverage within the 1 μm band, and wavelength step up to 50 nm. High-precision predictions of the olivine and orthopyroxene modal abundances are obtained using spectra that cover wavelengths from 750 to 1050 nm and from 750 to 1250 nm, respectively. For high-precision predictions of the olivine chemical composition, the spectra should cover wavelengths from 750 to 1550 nm. The orthopyroxene chemical composition can be estimated from spectra that cover wavelengths from 750 to 1350 nm. We design a simple web interface through which everybody can use the pretrained models.

Novel sulfonated calixarenes derived crosslinker for reinforcing and toughening collagen: Relevance between structure and properties

AbstractCollagen is widely used in the development of new functional materials due to its high structural stability, good biocompatibility, and excellent hydrophilicity, but the collagen protein denatures easily, which makes its thermal stability and mechanical strength difficult to reach some of the parameters required in the application. To solve this, protein crosslinking is an effective way to better use collagen. In this paper, we compared the thermal stability and morphological stability of three kinds of sulfonated calixarenes crosslinked collagen before and after the treatment. The results showed that sulfonated calixarenes could significantly improve the thermal stability and morphological stability of dermal collagen. The reinforcing and toughening mechanism of the sulfonated calixarenes was revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), attenuated total reflection‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), ultraviolet–visible–near‐infrared (UV–vis–NIR) spectrometer, X‐ray diffraction detection (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and circular dichroism (CD) detection. The results showed that sulfonated calixarenes were evenly distributed in collagen fibers and formed hydrogen bonds or electrovalent bonds with amino groups, peptide groups, or amide groups in collagen to improve the thermal stability of the collagen. Three kinds of sulfonated calixarenes enter collagen fiber to support the collagen, increase the three‐dimensional weave angle of collagen, and improve the physical and mechanical properties of collagen, thereby toughening and enhancing the collagen. Based on the above studies, the reinforcing and toughening mechanism of the sulfonated calixarenes crosslinked collagen was established. Confirmed the existence of hydrogen bonds between the three sulfonated calixarenes and collagen, and the nonchemical bond energy of the system was proportional to the molecular size of sulfonated calixarenes.

Efficient Rhodamine B removal by photocatalysis using polyacrylonitrile/Ag2S nanofibers prepared by combining electrospinning technology and facile gas–solid reaction

AbstractPAN/Ag2S nanofibers prepared by combining conventional electrospinning technology and facile gas–solid reaction were used to activate peroxymonosulfate for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation by photocatalysis using visible light. The material properties were analyzed by UV–Vis–NIR, XRD, SEM, FTIR, EIS, and BET techniques. The results indicated that Ag2S nanoparticles with a size of ≈10–20 nm were homogeneously attached to the nanofiber surface. The PAN/Ag2S can remove 96.98% RhB (5 mg L−1) after 120 min at pH 7. Through the identification of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and the calculation of band gap and band potentials, the photocatalytic mechanism was proposed. Results from the identification of ROSs demonstrate that the contribution of the ROSs was in the order of h+ > 1O2 ≈ O2•− ≈ SO4•− > HO• in which h+ has an important role in RhB degradation. The as‐prepared PAN/Ag2S nanofibers with high photocatalytic activity, effective working under visible light, high flexibility, and easy recovery from the aqueous phase, have the potential for practical applications in wastewater treatment.

Sequentially PVD‐Grown Indium and Gallium Selenides Under Compositional and Layer Thickness Variation: Preparation, Structural and Optical Characterization

AbstractGroup IIIA metal chalcogenides are an auspicious material system due to their variability of properties and hence the multitude of application options, for example, in the fields of optoelectronic, thermoelectric, piezo‐, and ferroelectric devices. Indium and gallium selenide films are innovatively grown in a sequential PVD (physical vapor deposition) process starting from metal precursor layers of various thicknesses, which are then subject to chalcogenization in different selenium contents. The resulting thin films are investigated for structural and optical properties by Raman, XRD (X‐ray diffraction), and UV–Vis–NIR spectrometry, revealing that all the compounds In2Se3, InSe, In4Se3, Ga2Se3, and GaSe as well as different polytypes can be achieved depending on the metal/chalcogen ratio. Results from Raman and XRD spectroscopy are highly consistent, and also from the optical measurements changes in absorption characteristics can be correlated. The results indicate, that by fine‐tuning the selenium content, deliberately growing ultra‐thin layers of the different indium and gallium phases will be possible, thus opening up a promising route for 2D material fabrication. Given the scalability of the fabrication method, it is highly promising for large‐scale deployment of the materials.

Unveiling of novel synthesized coumarin derivative for efficient self-driven hybrid organic/inorganic photodetector applications

During this study, a novel organic semiconductor material comprising coumarin and chromone moieties was synthesized via a facile route. Thin films of the synthesized powder were thermally deposited under vacuum conditions. The structural and morphological properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope techniques, respectively. With increasing the film thickness, a relative crystallinity enhancement was observed, besides improving the surface features and uniformity. Furthermore, the UV–vis–NIR spectral transmittance and reflectance of the grown films were measured. The variation of film thickness induced significant changes in the optical parameters either dispersive or electronic such as energy gap (3.67–3.8 eV), oscillator energy (4.25–4.56 eV), and dispersion energy (4.61–10.31 eV). In addition, the nonlinear optical parameters and PL emission spectra of the prepared films were measured and analyzed in detail. Then, these films were exploited integrally with p-Si for the fabrication hybrid junction for light sensing. The optimized film thickness based on the optical, structure results, and electronic performance under dark conditions was ∼124 nm. Such a device showed a pronounced self-driven photodetection performance under different illumination intensities. The photoelectronic parameters including responsivity (∼5.17 mA/W), detectivity (∼2.64 × 1010 Jones), linearity (∼72.72 dB), and rise/fall times(∼51.48 ms/47.75 ms) were extracted and compared to other organic/p-Si devices and showed a high superiority.

Probing the structural and spectroscopic characteristics of Ag2O-modified Li2O–CaO–B2O3 glasses doped with Nd2O3

Currently, there is growing interest in Ag2O doping in oxide glasses through optimal selection of excitation wavelengths to achieve efficient luminescence via either up or down-conversion processes. In this present work, we report the influence of Ag nanoparticles/aggregates on the structural and spectroscopic characteristics of melt-quenched Ag2O - co-doped (19.5-x)Li2O+70B2O3+10CaO+0.5Nd2O3+xAg2O glasses. Systematic studies were conducted using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, HR-TEM, MAS-NMR, UV–Visible–NIR, Photoluminescence, and decay kinetics techniques. The XRD analysis conclusively indicates the absence of crystalline peaks. However, HR-TEM analysis showed a reduction in the size of AgNPs from 14 nm to 11 nm with an increase of Ag2O concentration from 0.25 mol% to 0.5 mol%, respectively. The RAMAN and MAS-NMR (11B and 7Li) revealed the modification in the local structure induced by the Ag2O as revealed by the predominant borate structural units, and silver (Ag) acted as a modifier in the glass matrix. The absorption spectra of all samples exhibit a characteristic peak of Nd3+ ions. Interestingly, the LCBNd0.5Ag0.5 glass sample exhibits the SPR peak at 416 nm, indicating that the lower limit of Ag2O in LCBNd0.5 is <0.5 mol%. Luminescence studies at different excitation wavelengths (350, 525, and 584 nm) reveal the predominant emission at 877 nm and 1058 nm, whose emission intensity increased with Ag2O concentration. Samples with Ag2O-doped LCBNd glasses exhibit identical lifetime values, indicating the absence of luminescence-quenching and the presence of Ag aggregates leading to the SPR effect. Based on our findings, the LCBNd0.5Ag0.5 sample demonstrated superior performance to other samples, with the highest emission under an excitation of 350 nm.

Growth, strain, energy gap, optical, mechanical, piezoelectric, and morphology analyses of 2-methylimidazole (2MI) single crystal for NLO device fabrication

2-methylimidazole (2MI) single crystal has been successfully grown by slow evaporation solution technique (SEST) by using water as a solvent. The synthesized 2MI crystal was purified by repetitive recrystallization. Various other characterizations were carried out for the grown 2MI single crystal, such as powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), FTIR, UV–Visible NIR, Microhardness, Photoluminescence, SEM, Piezoelectric, and SHG. The 2MI crystal was subjected to PXRD to endorse the crystalline quality of the material. The vibrational assignments and their functional groups were identified from the FTIR analysis. The UV–Visible NIR study exposes the transparency and cut-off wavelength of the 2MI crystal. The mechanical strength was investigated by Vickers microhardness tester. The surface investigation of the 2MI crystal was analyzed by a scanning electron microscope technique to obtain the presence of defects and surface texture in the developed 2MI crystal. The photoluminescence spectrum confirmed the green light emission of the crystal. The value of the piezoelectric d[Formula: see text] coefficient is measured using piezoelectric analysis. Kurtz powder’s second harmonic generation test reveals that the frequency conversion efficiency of 2MI is 3.7 times higher than that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal.

Comparative studies on the structural, optical and electrochemical properties of Gd, Nd and In-doped CeO2 nanostructured thin films

Cerium oxide nanostructured thin films, as well as their variants doped with Gadolinium (Gd), Neodymium (Nd) and Indium (In), were successfully deposited onto both glass and ITO substrates using the spray pyrolysis method. Their structural, morphological, optical, and electrochemical properties were then experimentally studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has confirmed the generation of a single-phase polycrystalline cubic fluorite structure of CeO2. The crystallite size and microstrain of the thin films were found to depend on the type of doping element. Red-shift, peak broadening, and asymmetry in the Raman mode (F2g), as well as a red-shifted energy gap, were confirmed through Raman spectroscopy and UV–Vis–NIR analyses. SEM images reveal nanograin formation in all the films, while EDS analysis confirms the presence of the elements. The electrochemical measurements indicate that doping CeO2 with Gd, Nd, and In enhances its electrochemical properties. Furthermore, the doped CeO2 thin films maintain full transparency during the intercalation and deintercalation of Li + ions. Such pivotal findings broaden the potential applications of this oxide, particularly in supercapacitors and electrochromic devices.

Sustainable synthesis of levulinic acid using waste derived silica-alumina-hydroxyapatite supported nano ZrO2 photo-acidic catalyst under synergistic UV-FIR irradiations

A novel nano-photocatalyst has been prepared using hydroxyapatite (HAp) derived from waste fish scale and fly ash-derived aluminosilicate (SiO2-Al2O3) grafted with zirconium oxide (ZrO2) active sites by innovative photo-hydrothermal protocol. The physiochemical properties of the prepared photocatalyst have been characterized by different analyses like TGA, XRD, FTIR, XPS, UV–VIS–NIR, BET, NH3-TPD, HRTEM, and DLS. The optimal catalyst has a zirconium loading of 20 wt% and has a low bandgap energy of 2.15 eV as confirmed by UV–VIS–NIR spectroscopy. The optimal catalyst also depicted a high acidity of 1.52 mmol NH3/g and a specific surface area of 62.872 m²/g. Owing to the high acidity, specific surface area, and low band gap energy the photocatalyst has led to achieving an elevated yield of 76.6% levulinic acid (LA) from glucose in hybrid irradiation reactor (HIR) deploying UV and FIR radiations at appreciably low temperature and reaction time of 115 ℃ and 2 h respectively. Under the same reaction conditions, the conventionally heated reactor (CHR) gave a very low yield of 23.7%. Individual radiation effects on LA yield evinced the synergistic advantageous effect of the hybrid irradiation technique. The catalyst reusability and regenerative study confirmed the high stability of the prepared catalyst. Also, a comparative LCA study has been conducted between HIR and CHR systems which revealed that HIR was more environmentally sustainable than CHR. HIR -based process demonstrated a reduction in 59% global warming potential, 70.66% forest resource scarcity, and 65% lower terrestrial ecotoxicity while being 120% more energy efficient than CHR-based reaction making HIR more environmentally sustainable as well as economically feasible.

Effect of Zirconium Content on Defect Structure and Light Damage Resistance of Zr:Dy:LiNbO3 Crystals

AbstractIn this paper, Zr:Dy:LiNbO3 crystals are prepared by traditional pull‐up method, in which Zr4+ doping concentrations are 0, 1, 2, and 4 mol%, respectively. In this paper, the defective structure of Zr:Dy:LiNbO3 crystals and their resistance to photodamage under different Zr4+ concentration doping are studied. Firstly, the influence of Zr4+ doping concentration on the defective structure of Zr:Dy:LiNbO3 crystal and the occupancy of doped ions under different Zr4+ concentrations are tested and discussed by infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy and ultraviolet‐visible near‐infrared (UV–vis–NIR) absorption spectroscopy. The Judd–Ofelt theoretical analysis results show that when the concentration of doped Zr4+ is 2 mol%, the spectral quality factor (X) of Dy3+ in lithium niobate crystals is significantly improved compared with that of Dy3+ in other crystals. Secondly, resistance to photodamage of Zr:Dy:LiNbO3 crystals is studied and analyzed by the light scattering exposure energy flow threshold method. The results show that when the concentration of doped Zr4+ ions reaches 4 mol%, the exposure energy value is increased by 210 times compared with the no doping, which greatly improves the anti‐photodamage performance of the crystal.

In‐field soil spectroscopy in Vis–NIR range for fast and reliable soil analysis: A review

AbstractIn‐field soil spectroscopy represents a promising opportunity for fast soil analysis, allowing the prediction of several soil properties from one spectral reading representing one soil sample. This facilitates data acquisition from large amounts of samples through its rapidity and the absence of required chemical processing. This is of particular interest in agriculture, where the chance to retrieve information from soils directly in the field is very appealing. This review is focused on in‐field visible to near infrared (Vis–NIR) spectroscopy (350–2500 nm), aimed at analysing soils directly in the field through proximal sensing. The main scope was to explore the available knowledge to identify existing gaps limiting the reliability and robustness of in‐field measurement, to foster future research and help transition towards the practical application of this technology. For this purpose, a literature review was performed, and surveyed information encompassed sensor range, carrier platforms in use, sensor type, distance to the soil sample, measurement methodology, measured soil properties and soil management, among many others. From this, we derived a list of tools in use with their spectral measurement properties, including the potential cross‐calibration with soil spectral libraries from laboratory spectroscopy of soil samples and potential measured target soil properties. Different instruments and sensors used to measure at varying wavelength ranges and with different spectral qualities are available for a large range of prices. The most frequently analysed soil properties included soil carbon contents (soil organic carbon, soil organic matter, total carbon), texture (clay, silt, sand), total nitrogen, pH and cation exchange capacity. Future perspectives comprise the implementation of larger databases, including different instruments and cropping systems as well as methodologies combining existing knowledge regarding laboratory spectroscopy with in‐field methods. The authors highlight the need for a broadly accepted measurement protocol for in‐field soil spectroscopy, fostering harmonization and standardization and consequently a more robust application in practice.

Franklinite-Zincochromite-Gahnite Solid Solutions for Cool Red Ceramic Pigments with Visible Light Photocatalysis

Franklinite-zincochromite-gahnite solid solutions were prepared using ceramic or coprecipitation methods, and their pigmenting capacity as cool ceramic pigments in different glazes (double and single firing frits and porcelain frit) was studied. XRD, UV–Vis–NIR diffuse reflectance, CIEL*a*b* colour analysis, band gap measurements, and the photocatalytic degradation of Orange II were carried out to characterise the samples. The following criteria for high red colouring capacity and high NIR reflectance at the minimum Cr amount were found to be the optimal compositions for an intense reddish cool pigment: Zn(Fe1.8Cr0.2), Zn(Al1.5Cr0.5) and Zn(Al1.3Cr0.5Fe0.2)O4. All the powders showed a direct semiconductor behaviour, with a band gap of approximately 2 eV, which fell in the visible range (620 nm); the visible light photocatalysis of Orange II was moderate, but franklinite-zincochromite Zn(Fe1.8Cr0.2) stood out compared with silver orthophosphate.