Nephrite is a significant jade resource, and systematic investigation of its deposits contributes to regional metallogenic synthesis and exploration targeting. The recently discovered white nephrite deposit in the Dikou area, Fujian Province, remains inadequately characterized. This study presents a comprehensive mineralogical investigation employing polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, X-ray powder diffraction and laser Raman spectroscopy to elucidate the mineralogical and petrochemical characteristics of Dikou nephrite and constrain its genesis. The results demonstrate that tremolite constitutes the predominant mineral phase, accompanied by abundant diopside and quartz, with minor dolomite, prehnite, and apatite. Based on subtle compositional variations, tremolite can be categorized into two generations: early metasomatic Tr-I and late-stage Tr-II. All tremolite samples exhibit Fe-depleted, Mg-enriched composition with Mg# > 0.99. The mineral assemblage and textural relationships record multiple episodes of hydrothermal metasomatism. Integrated with the regional geological constraints, the deposit formation is genetically linked to the Neoproterozoic–Early Paleozoic ocean–continent transition of the South China Plate and is classified as D-type nephrite. The Dikou nephrite exhibits the mineral assemblage typical of dolomite-related deposits, displaying a distinctive felt-like fibrous texture that yields a homogeneous structure and superior aesthetic quality. Its Fe-depleted composition imparts a notably lighter coloration relative to D-type nephrite from other deposits. This study advances understanding of Dikou nephrite genesis, highlights the diversity of metallogenic environments in Fujian Province, and provides a theoretical framework for exploration of analogous deposits.

Nanoparticles, due to their unique size-dependent properties, distinct from those of bulk materials, have become a rapidly developing and intensively studied area of chemistry. These properties include the ability to catalyse chemical reactions, reduced melting temperatures, and distinctive optical characteristics. In this paper, we investigate these features in bimetallic Ag@Ni core-shell nanoparticles of varying composition. The nanoparticles were synthesised via a solvothermal method using silver nitrate and nickel(ii) acetylacetonate in a mixture of oleylamine and octadec-1-ene as solvents. Characterisation was carried out using a series of spectroscopic and microscopic methods. Catalytic activity and surface processes leading to the production and release of carbon dioxide were examined using Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry (KEMS). The highest catalytic activity was noted for Ag-Ni nanoparticles containing approximately 30-50 at% silver. The catalytic process is accompanied by the formation of organometallic compounds, which were detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Thermal stability during heating was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and a melting point depression of approximately 10 °C was observed for all studied samples. The paper is a part of a broader study of Ni-based bimetallic nanoparticles, their thermal stability and catalytic activity.

Characterization of a HER-2 targeted silica-gold nanoshells for breast cancer radio-photothermal therapy.

Dynamical aspects of induced α-decay process under X-ray laser field

We report a unique regime for generating zeptosecond pulses (ZPs) to break the attosecond timescale barrier through cascaded coherent synchrotron emission driven by ultraintense x-ray laser-pulse-excited wakefields in foil. When an x-ray laser pulse interacts with the near-critical-density but exactly overdense plasma, it excites huge wakefields with huge accelerating gradients, while the displaced electrons are shaped into several electron nanosheets. The primary relativistic electron sheet is accelerated by the wakefields and emits coherent radiation with a long electromagnetic field tail. The subsquent electron sheet is longitudinally accelerated as well as transversely perturbed by the radiation tail and emits another pulse. This cascaded process is repeated several times and finally results in ZP generation. This cascaded coherent wakefield synchrotron emission regime establishes a viable pathway for accessing light-matter interactions in the zeptosecond regime, probing vacuum quantum electrodynamics and subnucleonic scale dynamics.

We introduce a general approach for probing nonlinear x-ray propagation by imaging secondary fluorescence emitted transverse to the driving field. When a short, intense x-ray pulse excites a deep 1 s core orbital, subsequent K α emission from spin-orbit-split 2 p states can undergo stimulated amplification. This nonlinear process reshapes the relative populations of the 2 p 1 / 2 and 2 p 3 / 2 levels along the propagation path, leaving distinct signatures in the delayed L-edge fluorescence. By solving the coupled density-matrix and Maxwell equations, we show that these fluorescence signals provide a direct and experimentally accessible probe of x-ray amplification dynamics. We demonstrate the concept for argon atoms and extend it to molecular systems containing third-row elements, where competing effects of lifetimes, transition intensities, and nonresonant absorption determine the efficiency of stimulated emission. Our results establish L-edge fluorescence as a broadly applicable diagnostic of nonlinear x-ray phenomena, opening opportunities for studying light-matter interactions in regimes where direct detection of amplified x-ray signals is technically challenging.

Petahertz-bandwidth spectral combs from the amplified spontaneous emission of a collisional plasma-based x-ray laser

Efficient plasma-based polarization converter for intense X-ray lasers

We report the simultaneous lasing of two distinct Kα emissions at photon energies of 7.48 keV (Ni Kα1) and 8.05 keV (Cu Kα1). This was achieved by a population inversion induced through intense X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) irradiation of a Cu-Ni alloy foil. This demonstration of multi-color X-ray lasing using a single XFEL source is expected to contribute significantly to the future development of X-ray lasers and their applications.

Ultrabright, well-collimated MeV bremsstrahlung radiation was generated through the interaction of high-current electron beams produced via direct laser acceleration (DLA) with a high- <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <a:mi>Z</a:mi> </a:math> converter. The DLA mechanism was initiated by a 200 TW, subpicosecond PHELIX laser pulse at a moderately relativistic intensity of (1–2) <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <c:mo>×</c:mo> <c:mspace width="0.1em"/> <c:msup> <c:mn>10</c:mn> <c:mn>19</c:mn> </c:msup> <c:mspace width="0.1em"/> <c:mrow> <c:mrow> <c:mi mathvariant="normal">W</c:mi> </c:mrow> </c:mrow> <c:mspace width="0.1em"/> <c:msup> <c:mi>cm</c:mi> <c:mrow> <c:mo>−</c:mo> <c:mn>2</c:mn> </c:mrow> </c:msup> </c:math> , delivering approximately 60 J of energy into preionized, overcritical-density foam targets. The electron spectrum measured along the laser axis exhibited an effective temperature of approximately <i:math xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <i:mn>30</i:mn> <i:mspace width="0.1em"/> <i:mi>MeV</i:mi> </i:math> and energies exceeding 100 MeV, with a total charge of about 300 nC for electrons with energies <l:math xmlns:l="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <l:mo>&gt;</l:mo> <l:mrow> <l:mn>1.5</l:mn> </l:mrow> <l:mspace width="0.1em"/> <l:mi>MeV</l:mi> </l:math> (ponderomotive potential), while 100 nC of them is directed along the laser axis within a half-angle cone of <o:math xmlns:o="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <o:msup> <o:mn>12</o:mn> <o:mi>∘</o:mi> </o:msup> </o:math> . The directed fraction of DLA electrons with energies exceeding 7.5 MeV carries a charge of 20 to 30 nC, corresponding to a flux up to <q:math xmlns:q="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <q:mn>2</q:mn> <q:mo>×</q:mo> <q:msup> <q:mn>10</q:mn> <q:mn>24</q:mn> </q:msup> <q:mspace width="0.1em"/> <q:msup> <q:mi>sr</q:mi> <q:mrow> <q:mo>−</q:mo> <q:mn>1</q:mn> </q:mrow> </q:msup> <q:mspace width="0.1em"/> <q:msup> <q:mrow> <q:mrow> <q:mi mathvariant="normal">s</q:mi> </q:mrow> </q:mrow> <q:mrow> <q:mo>−</q:mo> <q:mn>1</q:mn> </q:mrow> </q:msup> </q:math> . These high-current relativistic electron beams efficiently generate MeV x-rays, enabling the subsequent production of isotopes, positrons, and neutrons with exceptional yield and application potential. In laser shots employing overcritical-density foam targets placed in front of a high- <v:math xmlns:v="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <v:mi>Z</v:mi> </v:math> converter, bremsstrahlung photons with energies up to 70 MeV were generated and analyzed via nuclear activation of tantalum and gold. The formation of the isotopes <x:math xmlns:x="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <x:msup> <x:mi/> <x:mn>174</x:mn> </x:msup> <x:mi>Ta</x:mi> </x:math> and <z:math xmlns:z="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <z:msup> <z:mi/> <z:mn>190</z:mn> </z:msup> <z:mi>Au</z:mi> </z:math> , whose photonuclear cross-section peaks at approximately 65 MeV, confirmed the presence of high-energy photons. In contrast, no activation was observed in control shots where the laser was directed onto the converter without foam, indicating that high-energy photon generation is intrinsically linked to the DLA process in the preionized foam targets. Autoradiographic measurements revealed a divergence of the bremsstrahlung beam of approximately <bb:math xmlns:bb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <bb:msup> <bb:mn>22</bb:mn> <bb:mi>∘</bb:mi> </bb:msup> </bb:math> (half-angle) in the 14–21-MeV range. These diagnostics indicate an unprecedented photon flux of approximately <db:math xmlns:db="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <db:mn>2</db:mn> <db:mo>×</db:mo> <db:msup> <db:mn>10</db:mn> <db:mn>22</db:mn> </db:msup> <db:mspace width="0.1em"/> <db:msup> <db:mi>sr</db:mi> <db:mrow> <db:mo>−</db:mo> <db:mn>1</db:mn> </db:mrow> </db:msup> <db:mspace width="0.1em"/> <db:msup> <db:mrow> <db:mrow> <db:mi mathvariant="normal">s</db:mi> </db:mrow> </db:mrow> <db:mrow> <db:mo>−</db:mo> <db:mn>1</db:mn> </db:mrow> </db:msup> </db:math> , corresponding to about <ib:math xmlns:ib="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <ib:msup> <ib:mn>10</ib:mn> <ib:mn>11</ib:mn> </ib:msup> </ib:math> photons per shot with energies exceeding 7.5 MeV. The conversion efficiency of focused laser energy to bremsstrahlung photons is greater than 1% (within the FWHM of x-ray beam and laser beam). More than <kb:math xmlns:kb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <kb:mn>2</kb:mn> <kb:mo>×</kb:mo> <kb:msup> <kb:mn>10</kb:mn> <kb:mn>9</kb:mn> </kb:msup> </kb:math> photoneutrons per shot were emitted isotropically, corresponding to a peak flux of <mb:math xmlns:mb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <mb:mn>2</mb:mn> <mb:mo>×</mb:mo> <mb:msup> <mb:mn>10</mb:mn> <mb:mn>20</mb:mn> </mb:msup> <mb:mspace width="0.1em"/> <mb:msup> <mb:mi>cm</mb:mi> <mb:mrow> <mb:mo>−</mb:mo> <mb:mn>2</mb:mn> </mb:mrow> </mb:msup> <mb:mspace width="0.1em"/> <mb:msup> <mb:mrow> <mb:mrow> <mb:mi mathvariant="normal">s</mb:mi> </mb:mrow> </mb:mrow> <mb:mrow> <mb:mo>−</mb:mo> <mb:mn>1</mb:mn> </mb:mrow> </mb:msup> </mb:math> ( <rb:math xmlns:rb="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <rb:mn>4</rb:mn> <rb:mo>×</rb:mo> <rb:msup> <rb:mn>10</rb:mn> <rb:mn>18</rb:mn> </rb:msup> <rb:mspace width="0.1em"/> <rb:msup> <rb:mi>cm</rb:mi> <rb:mrow> <rb:mo>−</rb:mo> <rb:mn>2</rb:mn>

We provide a historical introduction spanning the past 50 years of synchrotron radiation protein crystallography. We then provide a resume of current trends. These help us to celebrate the huge influence that synchrotron radiation, and now X-ray lasers, has had on the scope of protein crystallography. It has also accelerated the development of closely allied methods such as neutron protein crystallography, which has adopted the synchrotron Laue method as its own aswell as developing monochromatic and time-of-flight methods. Also, the democratic access to central synchrotron facility beamlines has prompted similarly operated centres of electron cryo-microscopy and micro-electron diffraction. We offer our thoughts on the current trends across this scientific landscape.

Analytical techniques that offer accurate, sensitive, and high-resolution elemental mapping have significantly advanced our understanding of the role of inorganic chemistry in vital biological processes. Among these, synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) is a particularly powerful tool for providing reliable, non-destructive quantitation of endogenous elements in biological specimens. However, its broader application is constrained by limited beamtime availability. Recent advancements in laboratory-based imaging techniques-such as laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS)-have significantly increased the availability and throughput of elemental mapping. Yet, quantitation with LA-ICP-TOF-MS is susceptible to matrix effects, making correlative mapping with XFM critical for validation. This presents a challenge: the two techniques require different sample preparations. LA-ICP-TOF-MS uses glass slides, while XFM requires thin, low-scatter substrates to minimize X-ray background signals. To address this, we evaluated twelve commercially available substrates previously reported for XFM to determine their suitability for LA-ICP-TOF-MS. Our goal was to identify substrates that (1) exhibit low elemental background and minimal interference with quantifying endogenous inorganic species, and (2) are compatible with both imaging modalities. As an initial step, we compared adjacent brain sections prepared on Ultralene (for XFM) and glass (for LA-ICP-TOF-MS) to establish a baseline correlative approach. Building on this, Ultralene, followed by Kapton film, emerged as the most promising candidates for enabling dual XFM and LA-ICP-TOF-MS workflows, offering low background, reliable XFM performance, and demonstrating robust elemental mapping in LA-ICP-TOF-MS. These findings support more accurate and accessible correlative imaging workflows for elemental mapping of biological samples with both modalities.

We present an efficient time-dependent Maxwell-Bloch transport model for simulating inner-shell x-ray lasing (XRL) in x-ray free-electron laser-driven highly ionized and excited nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium plasmas. The model selectively retains all coherences between lasing levels together with nonradiative coherences linking adjacent lasing transitions. This model fully accounts for all processes governing population evolution, enabling accurate and efficient simulation of complex atomic systems. Applications to neon and argon gases reveal distinct amplification behaviors across charge states. In neon, multiple lasing lines spanning low to high ionization stages are identified, where low-charge-state transitions are strongly shaped by autoionization and saturation, while high-charge-state transitions exhibit pronounced coherence signatures such as Rabi oscillations and Rabi splitting. In argon, amplification is dominated by a few strong channels, while weaker ones are suppressed by nonradiative coherence effects in <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <a:mi mathvariant="normal">Λ</a:mi> </a:math> -type subsystems. Overall, our results demonstrate that laser field-induced multilevel coherent coupling plays a crucial role in shaping XRL gain and spectra. This framework provides a versatile and predictive tool for designing XRLs with tailored temporal and spectral properties, with potential applications in ultrafast science, nonlinear x-ray optics, and precision spectroscopy.

Laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) may achieve TeV/m gradients using high-density solid-state plasmas as accelerating media. However, the application of bulk solid materials requires attosecond laser pulses, such as X-ray lasers, to drive wakefields at these high densities. Additionally, the short wakefield wavelengths associated with solid-state plasmas greatly limit the accelerating length. An alternative approach employs 2D carbon-based nanomaterials, like graphene or carbon nanotubes (CNTs), configured into structured targets. These nanostructures are designed with voids or low-density regions to effectively reduce the overall plasma density. This reduction enables the use of longer-wavelength lasers and also extends the plasma wavelength and the acceleration length. In this study, we present, to our knowledge, the first numerical demonstration of electron acceleration via self-injection into a wakefield bubble driven by an infrared laser pulse in structured CNT targets, similar to the behavior observed in gaseous plasmas for LWFA in the nonlinear (or bubble) regime. Using the PIConGPU code, bundles of CNTs are modeled in a 3D geometry as 25 nm-thick carbon tubes with an initial density of 10^{22} , text {cm}^{-3}. The carbon plasma is ionized by a three-cycle, 800 nm wavelength laser pulse with a peak intensity of 10^{21} , text {W cm}^{-2}, achieving an effective plasma density of 10^{20} , text {cm}^{-3}. The same laser also drives the wakefield bubble, responsible for electron self-injection and acceleration. Simulation results indicate that fs-long electron bunches with hundreds of pC charge can be self-injected and accelerated at gradients exceeding 1 TeV/m. Both charge and accelerating gradient figures are unprecedented when compared with LWFA in gaseous plasma.

Solid state Na-ion batteries present a potential pathway to low-cost, reliable, large-scale electricity storage which can support enhanced deployment of wind and solar power plants to meet rising electricity demand. Key to the advancement of solid-state Na-ion batteries is the development of highly conductive solid electrolytes. Even when a framework structure with features suitable for Na ion migration has been identified, establishing the optimal concentration of mobile species and hence the optimal doping level often requires tedious preparation and characterization of multiple samples. This work seeks to address the need for rapid and reliable determination of ionic conductivity by demonstrating the effectiveness of a high-throughput thin film approach for determining ionic conductivity across a compositional space of a sodium ion electrolyte.This study presents a high-throughput thin-film platform for rapidly evaluating ionic conductivity across a compositional gradient of the NASICON-type electrolyte, Na1+xZr2SixP3−xO12 (0 < x < 3). This well-characterized system was chosen to validate our methodology through comparison with existing experimental and computational data. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) parameters were optimized to grow crystalline NASICON films with compositions x = 0, 2, and 3, using calibrated deposition rates from stoichiometric targets on single-crystal (100) SrTiO₃ (STO) and 0.7 wt.% Nb-doped STO substrates.By using 2 PLD targets in a shutter system, these NASICON deposition parameters enable the fabrication of uniform and compositionally graded thin films across the full compositional range of Na1+xZr2SixP3−xO12 (0 < x < 3). Uniform and gradient NASICON thin films (~100 nm thick) had Ti (5 nm)/Au (45 nm) top electrodes deposited in the PLD chamber to prevent surface degradation and were subsequently patterned into ~300 microscale electrode/sample sites (100–150 µm diameter) via laser ablation. Ionic conductivity was mapped using potentiostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (PEIS) with a custom microprobe station.Crystallinity and phase purity were verified via x-ray diffraction (XRD), while compositional gradients were characterized using cross-sectional energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Film thicknesses of patterned films were determined using confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).We present optimized PLD growth conditions for crystalline NASICON thin films, along with high-throughput electrochemical data validating this methodology against bulk ceramic measurements and literature benchmarks. This platform accelerates compositional screening of solid electrolytes and could broadly benefit the development of next-generation sodium ion conductors.Attached Figure: A) A simple microscope image of an example uniform composition NASICON (x=2, Na3Zr2Si2PO12) thin film with Au microelectrodes with diameters of 100, 125, and 150 µm being measured by the custom microprobe probe setup. B) The result of this pictured measurement is represented by a Bode plot of 3 selected, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements from 1 Hz- 3 Mhz. Figure 1

This study investigates geochemical characteristics and resource potential of water-soluble lithium in lithium-rich salt lake sediments from the Qaidam Basin, focusing on the East Taijinar Salt Lake and Bieletan area. Through X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis (ICP-OES), and laser particle size analysis (LPSA), sediment samples were analyzed to assess mineral composition, lithium distribution and its occurrence forms. Results reveal distinct vertical zonation: lithium, boron, and potassium peak in clay-rich layers, contrasting with lower concentrations in halite-dominated layers. Regional patterns indicate that lithium enrichment in sediments aligns closely with brine, centered around Yiliping and East/West Taijinar Salt Lakes. Water-soluble lithium primarily originates from weak adsorption on clay minerals, with secondary contributions from intercrystalline brine, halite fluid inclusions, and gypsum dissolution. The clay layers exhibit lithium concentrations exceeding industrial grade and favorable Mg/Li ratios, comparable to brine mining standards. Co-enrichment of boron (415 ppm) and potassium highlights multi-resource potential. These findings highlight sediments as lithium reservoirs, which can serve as a sustainable potential supplement during brine depletion and enhance resource resilience in the Qaidam Basin. This study provides critical insights into lithium migration, enrichment mechanisms, and strategic resource management in evaporitic systems.

Despite advances in the field of multidrug formulations, developing and manufacturing them still poses substantial challenges, particularly for drugs with low aqueous solubility. Here, this critical issue was addressed by engineering amorphous multidrug formulations with optimized performance at the site of absorption using the spray drying technique. Formulations containing atazanavir and ritonavir, alone or in combination, were produced by spray drying. Excipient content in aqueous solution was optimized to generate a stable feed suspension of amorphous particles with controlled particle size. The powder formulations were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermal analysis, laser diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The drug content was assayed, and a dissolution study was performed. Dynamic light scattering was used to measure particle size of the colloidal phase in the feed suspension and after dissolution of powder. A stability study was conducted at 25 °C/60 % RH and 40 °C/75 % RH condition for 4 weeks. DSC and PXRD confirmed the formulations to be amorphous. Drug content in the spray-dried formulations ranged from 98 to 108 %. Laser diffraction measured the particles to be from 5-10 µm and SEM showed they had wrinkled and irregularly shaped surfaces. The particle size of the colloidal phase formed upon dissolution of combination formulation was stable at 900 nm over 120 min. The formulations remained amorphous under both studied conditions throughout the stability study period. These findings highlight the potential of particle engineering, where a mechanistically informed selection of excipients is combined with an appropriate spray-drying process, to achieve highly stable and robust amorphous multidrug formulations -critical for ensuring effective drug performance and patient treatment.

Single Particle Imaging techniques at X-ray lasers have made significant strides, yet the challenge of determining the orientation of freely rotating molecules during delivery remains. In this study, we propose a novel approach to partially retrieve the relative orientation of proteins exposed to ultrafast X-ray pulses by analyzing the fragmentation patterns resulting from Coulomb explosions. We simulate these explosions for 85 proteins in the size range 100 – 4000 atoms using a hybrid Monte Carlo/Molecular Dynamics approach and capture the resulting ion ejection patterns on two virtual detectors. We exploit information from the explosion to infer orientations of proteins at the time of X-ray exposure. Our results demonstrate that partial orientation information can be extracted, particularly for larger proteins. We conclude that knowledge on ion data from X-ray laser induced explosions can directly provide the sample’s relative orientation, complementary to traditional orientation-retrieval algorithms based on diffraction patterns.

Abstract. A series of 17 museum tourmaline samples from several pegmatites of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were investigated by several techniques including single-crystal X-ray structure refinements, electron microprobe, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS). Chemically, most samples are Na-dominant on the X site and therefore belong to the alkali group. They correspond to fluor-elbaites or elbaites, where similar proportions of Al and Li share the Y positions. Elbaites are located close to the elbaitic end-member, with Fe2+ strongly depleted and the schorlitic component negligible, while fluor-elbaites tend to align along the fluor-elbaite to fluor-schorl solid solution. One sample, with vacancies dominant on the X site, is identified as a rossmanite close to the foitite compositional field. Besides the classical schorlitic substitution, several other mechanisms were observed, evolving towards rossmanite (XNa++0.5YLi+=X□+ 0.5 YAl3+), towards liddicoatite (XNa++0.5YAl3+=XCa2++0.5YLi+), or towards oxy-foitite (0.5 XNa++YFe2++0.5W(OH)-=0.5X□+YAl3++0.5WO2−). Single-crystal data indicate a unit-cell parameters varying between 15.8187(3) and 15.9309(3) Å and c parameters ranging from 7.0924(2) to 7.1279(2) Å. These values are similar to those obtained for Brazilian tourmalines of the elbaite–schorl solid solution. A detailed cation distribution has also been established, indicating that the B site is fully occupied by boron, that the T site is mainly occupied by Si and sometimes by minor amounts of B, and that the Z site is mainly occupied by Al with sometimes minor amounts of Fe3+. The X site contains vacancies, Na, K, and Ca, and the Y site is occupied by Li, Al, and Fe2+ and minor amounts of Mn2+, Ti, Mg, and Zn. In two samples, a significant disorder between Li and Ca on the X and Y sites has been observed. The position of our samples in a diagram correlating the fluorine and the Fe2+ contents of tourmalines indicates that they are below the trend admitted for primary pegmatitic tourmalines. This feature can be explained by their occurrence in miarolitic cavities, where fluid circulations may affect the tourmaline composition. Finally, the trace-element contents, including rare earth elements (REEs), are discussed in detail and appear to be influenced by both the geochemical pegmatitic context and crystal–chemical constraints.

In this work, a three-dimensional numerical simulation of droplet explosions induced by x-ray lasers with varying pulse energies is conducted using a recently developed phase-changing sharp-interface method. Overall, the observed droplet morphology and the temporal evolution of diameter expansion show good agreement with previous experimental measurements. Then, the physical mechanisms of droplet deformation, wave dynamics, phase-change effect, and vorticity deposition are analyzed based on the high-resolution numerical data. The expansion of droplet diameter is primarily driven by the cylindrical shock and torus shock. Meanwhile, a retraction phenomenon is observed at the droplet interface due to the negative-pressure wave and the surface tension. During the cavity expansion, its interaction with the torus shock and the negative-pressure region leads to slight deformation of the cavity wall in the central region. In addition, the dynamics of the vortical structures near the droplet poles are studied, and the effect of the laser pulse energy on the droplet expansion and cavity growth is evaluated. Finally, a statistical analysis of the main droplet fragments under different pulse energies is performed. Higher pulse energies generate more fragments due to the formation of additional liquid filaments. The fragment size distribution is evaluated using lognormal, root-normal, and Gamma fits. Lognormal and root-normal fits describe medium-sized droplets well, while the Gamma fit captures larger droplets more effectively.