High Quantum Efficiency and High Concentration Erbium-Doped Silica Glasses Fabricated by Sintering Nanoporous Glasses

A new method was used to prepare erbium-doped high silica （SiO2 % 〉 96 % ） glasses by sintering nanoporous glasses. The concentration of erbium ions in high silica glasses can be considerably more than that in silica glasses prepared by using conventional methods. The fluorescence of 1532 nm has an FWHM （Full Wave at Half Maximum） of 50 nm, wider than 35 nm of EDSFA （erbium-doped silica fiber amplifer）, and hence the glass possesses potential application in broadband fiber amplifiers. The Judd-Ofelt theoretical analysis reflects that the quantum efficiency of this erbium-doped glass is about 0.78, although the erbium concentration in this glass （6 × 10^3） is about twenty times higher than that in silica glass. These excellent characteristics of Er-doped high silica glass will be conducive to its usage in optical amplifiers and microchip lasers.

Concentration Quenching in Erbium Doped Bismuth Silicate Glasses

Er2O3-doped bismuth silicate glasses are prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method, and the Er^3＋ ：^4 I13/2 → ^4I15/2 fluorescence properties are studied for different Er^3＋ concentrations. Infrared spectra are measured to estimate the exact content of OH- groups in the samples. Based on the electric dipole-dipole interaction theory, the interaction parameter CEr,Er for the migration rate of Er^3＋：^4 I13/2 → ^4I13/2 in proposed glasses is calculated.

Infrared-to-Visible Frequency up-Conversion in Trivalent Erbium Ions Doped Fluoride Glasses (ZnF_2-Al_F3-PbF_2-LiF)

High efficiency frequency up conversion in trivalent erbium ion doped new fluoride glass matrix (ZnF 2 AlF 3 PbF 2 LiF) was investigated. Under 950 nm laser diode excitation, the glasses gave very intense green, weak red and violet emissions. The up conversion mechanism is discussed. In addition, the infrared transmittance spectrum, the Raman spectrum and the lifetime of the trivalent erbium states in the samples were measured. The results illustrate the large potential of these new glasses for photonic applications.

Preparation and ASE Spectrum of a Single-Mode Erbium Doped Tellurite Glass Fiber with D-type Cladding Geometry

Based on the host of tellurite glasses, the glass formation, preform manufacture, and fiber fabrication are described. The characterization of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from this newly fabricated single-mode Er3+-doped tellurite fibers is also presented. When pumped at 980 nm, a very broad erbium ASE around 1.53 μm was observed. The variations of ASE with fiber length and pumping power are measured and discussed. The output of 2 mW from Er3+-doped tellurite fiber ASE source was obtained under the pump power of 660 mW.

Investigation of Silver Nanostructures and Their Influence on the Fluorescence Spectrum of Erbium-Doped Glasses

Sodium borate glasses embedded with silver were made by the melt quenching technique. Glass transition temperature was recorded by thermal analysis of the sample. As made glasses revealed emission in the visible region under nitrogen laser and excimer laser excitations. Heat treatment was used to induce silver metallic particles. Absorption spectra revealed a peak at 417 nm due to surface Plasmon resonance. Particle size was estimated to be 2.6 ± 0.2 nm. Erbium and silver co-doped multielement oxide glasses were made by the melt quenching technique followed by heat treatment to induce nanoparticles. In heat treated samples, Er3+ luminescence increased 4× due to enhanced field in the vicinity of silver particles. Under excimer laser excitation, Er3+ and 2% Ag co-doped glass revealed Er3+ transitions due to enhanced field at the rare-earth ions. Under 795 nm laser excitation Er3+ green upconversion signals are found to be 4× stronger in 2% Ag co-doped, heat treated sample, than the others.

Effect of Network Modifiers on Spectroscopic Properties of Erbium-doped Phosphate Glasses

The integrated absorption cross section Σ abs, peak emis sion cross section σ emi, Judd-Ofeld intensity parameters Ω t(t=2,4,6), and spontaneous emission probability A R of Er 3+ ions were determined fo r Erbium doped alkali and alkaline earth phosphate glasses. It is found the comp ositional dependence of σ emi is almost similar to that of Σ abs, wh ich is determined by the sum of Ω t (3Ω 2+10Ω 4+21Ω 6). In addition, the compositional dependence of Ω t was studied in these glass systems. As a resu lt, compared with Ω 4 and Ω 6, the Ω 2 has a stronger compositional depend ence on the ionic radius and content of modifiers. The covalency of Er-O bonds in phosphate glass is weaker than that in silicate glass, germanate glass, alumi nate glass, and tellurate glass, since Ω 6 of phosphate glass is relatively la rge. A R is affected by the covalency of the Er 3+ ion sites and correspon ds to the Ω 6 value.

Excited State Trap in Erbium Doped Borate Glass

Erbium doped borate glass is widely used in luminescent materials,the luminescence dynamics of erbium doped borate glass is of great significance for optimizing and improving the luminous efficiency.The 2%molar ratio erbium doped borate glass was synthesized by the traditional melt quenching method,and annealed at 260℃below the borate glass transition temperature.The thermal performance parameters of borate glass undoped and doped with Er^(3+) were measured by differential scanning calorimetry with 10℃/min.The transient emission spectrum and decay kinetics curves were measured for the luminescence mechanism of erbium doped borate.Er^(3+) ions have different lifetime when emitted at 556 nm with different excitation wavelengths,the excited state trap may exist in erbium doped borate glass.

Optical Properties of a Novel Trivalent Erbium Ions Doped into Phosphate Glass

A novel Er (3+)-doped (ZnO)(P_2O_5)(B_2O_3) glass with excellent optical properties was prepared. The glasses were proved to have high stability by the investigation of the durability in boiling water. The properties of their spectra at about 1.5 μm change a lot with the concentrations of both Er (3+) and B_2O_3. Compared with Er (3+)-doped into the borate glass and the zinc phosphate glass,the glass prepared in our laboratory shows a larger quenching concentration and a much broader emission band at 1.54 μm.

Preparation and Characterization of ZnO-CuO-Bi_(2)O_(3)-B_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)System Low Melting Sealing Glasses

Lead-free low melting glasses,ZnO-CuO-Bi_(2)O_(3)-B_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)system,with fixed contents of 15 mol%CuO and 20 mol%Bi_(2)O_(3),were prepared by using melt cooling method.Structure and thermal properties of the glasses were studied by using X-ray diffractometer(XRD),infrared spectrometer(FIT-IR),thermal dilatometer and differential thermal analyzer(DTA).Chemical durability of the glasses was studied by using dissolution rate method.Wettability of glasses on substrate was tested by using button sintering experiment.It is found that alkaline resistance of the glass solders is lower than that of plate glass and the water resistance is comparable with that of plate glass.The sealing temperatures are Ts=445-490℃,while the average thermal expansion coefficient from room temperature to 300℃is in the range of(65-82)×10^(−7)℃^(−1).At sealing temperature,the glass solders have good wettability on plate glass or alumina substrate.They are not crystallized even sintered at the sealing temperature for 30 min.The solder glasses are suitable for sealing plate glass,alumina and other inorganic non-metallic materials.

Corrosion and in vitro cytocompatibility investigation on the designed Mg-Zn-Ag metallic glasses for biomedical application

In the present work,seven Mg-Zn-Ag alloys with the nominal composition of Mg_(96-x)Zn_(x)Ag_(4)(x=17,20,23,26,29,32,35 in at.%)were prepared by induction melting and single-roller melt-spinning.The X-ray diffraction(XRD)analyses indicate the metallic glasses with three composition of Mg_(73)Zn_(23)Ag_(4),Mg_(70)Zn_(26)Ag_(4),and Mg_(67)Zn_(29)Ag_(4)were obtained successfully.The differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)measurement was used to obtain the characteristic temperature of Mg-Zn-Ag metallic glasses for the glass-forming ability analysis.The maximum glass transition temperature(Trg)was found to be 0.525 with a composition close to Mg_(67)Zn_(29)Ag_(4),which results in the best glass-forming ability.Moreover,the immersion test in simulated body fluid(SBF)demonstrate the relative homogeneous corrosion behavior of the Mg-Zn-Ag metallic glasses.The corrosion rate of Mg-Zn-Ag metallic glasses in SBF solution decreases with the increase of Zn content.The sample Mg_(67)Zn_(29)Ag_(4)has the lowest corrosion rate of 0.19mm/yr,which could meet the clinical application requirement well.The in vitro cell experiments show that the Madin-Darby canine kidney(MDCK)cells cultured in sample Mg_(67)Zn_(29)Ag_(4)and its extraction medium have higher activity.However,the Mg-Zn-Ag metallic glasses exhibit obvious inhibitory effect on human rhabdomyosarcoma(RD)tumor cells.The present investigations on the glass-forming ability,corrosion behavior,cytocompatibility and tumor inhibition function of the Mg-Zn-Ag based metallic glass could reveal their biomedical application possibility.

Dynamic and electrical responses of a curved sandwich beam with glass reinforced laminate layers and a pliable core in the presence of a piezoelectric layer under low-velocity impact

The dynamic responses and generated voltage in a curved sandwich beam with glass reinforced laminate(GRL)layers and a pliable core in the presence of a piezoelectric layer under low-velocity impact(LVI)are investigated.The current study aims to carry out a dynamic analysis on the sandwich beam when the impactor hits the top face sheet with an initial velocity.For the layer analysis,the high-order shear deformation theory(HSDT)and Frostig's second model for the displacement fields of the core layer are used.The classical non-adhesive elastic contact theory and Hunter's principle are used to calculate the dynamic responses in terms of time.In order to validate the analytical method,the outcomes of the current investigation are compared with those gained by the experimental tests carried out by other researchers for a rectangular composite plate subject to the LVI.Finite element(FE)simulations are conducted by means of the ABAQUS software.The effects of the parameters such as foam modulus,layer material,fiber angle,impactor mass,and its velocity on the generated voltage are reviewed.

Geochemistry of volcanic glass from Mahanadi offshore region,eastern continental margin of India:Constraints on the contribution of latest Toba super-eruption

The tephra layers in multiple sediment cores from the offshore region of the Mahanadi basin in the northern Bay of Bengal were investigated for possible volcanic sources. The glass shards from those tephra layers were studied for size distribution, texture, and elemental geochemistry to establish chronostratigraphic markers for regional and global Quaternary correlation. The textural features of fine-grained(silty) volcanic glasses suggest the distal source of these tephra deposits. Major element composition with elevated SiO_(2) contents ranging between75%–76% and dominance of K_(2)O(> 4.5%) over CaO(< 0.9%) suggest ashes have originated from siliceous rhyolitic melts, similar to the petrographic composition of tephra from the Toba volcano. The bulk trace element compositions of the same glass shards were comparable with those reported in the youngest Toba tephra reported elsewhere. Likewise, the LREE-dominated chondrite normalized REE profiles of tephra from the Mahanadi basin closely resemble the characteristic REE patterns in Toba ash from other parts of the Indian Ocean and thus confirmed the contribution of the youngest Toba super-eruption for this ash layers.

Mixed Alkali-zinc Effects on Thermo-mechanical Properties in Borosilicate Glasses

A series of mixed alkali-zinc borosilicate glasses with various r values(r=molar ratio of[ZnO]/([R^(2)O]+[ZnO]))from 0.00 to 1.00 were fabricated to probe the mixed alkali-zinc effects on thermo-mechanical properties.The nonlinear evolution of glass transition temperature(T_(g))with the addition of ZnO is ascribed to the competition of two converse factors,i e,the T_(g)depression as one of the colligative properties for a solution,on the one hand,and the enhancement of T_(g)due to the higher field strength of zinc cations compared to that of alkali ions.However,the nonlinear evolution of elastic moduli and coefficients of thermal expansion with r is attributed to the variance of intermediate-range clusters,which is confirmed by infrared and Raman scattering spectra.These findings are very helpful in tailoring the performance of borosilicate glasses.

Solid-state NMR reveals that oxygen tri-clusters make glass highly crackresistant

In a recent paper,advanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance(SSNMR)technology was employed to reveal the underlying mechanism contributing to the high hardness and exceptional resistance to fragmentation observed in certain special glasses[1].This study utilized SSNMR to analyze the atomic-scale internal structure of glass,enabling the quantification of the fraction of three-coordinated oxygen([^((3))O]).The research findings demonstrate a quantitative relationship between[^((3))O]and the resistance of glass to crack initiation.

Design and characterization of biodegradable Mg-Zn-Ag metallic glasses

In order to develop the Mg-Zn-Ag metallic glasses(MGs)for biodegradable implant applications,the glass formation ability(GFA)and biocompatibility of Mg-Zn-Ag alloys were investigated using a combination of the calculation of phase diagrams(CALPHAD)and experimental measurements.High GFA potentiality of two alloy series,specifically Mg_(96-x)Zn_xAg_(4)and Mg_(94-x)Zn_xAg_6(x=17,20,23,26,29,32,35),was predicted theoretically and then substantiated through experimental testing.X-ray diffraction(XRD)and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)techniques were used to evaluate the crystallinity,GFA,and crystallization characteristics of these alloys.The results showed that compositions between Mg_(73)Zn_(23)Ag_(4)and Mg_(64)Zn_(32)Ag_(4)for Mg_(96-x)Zn_xAg_4,Mg_(66)Zn_(28)Ag_(6)and Mg_(63)Zn_(31)Ag_(6for)Mg_(94-x)Zn_xAg_(6)displayed a superior GFA.Notably,the GFA of the Mg_(96-x)Zn_xAg_(4)series was better than that of the Mg_(94-x)Zn_xAg_(6)series.Furthermore,the Mg_(70)Zn_(26)Ag_4,Mg_(74)Zn_(20)Ag_6,and Mg_(71)Zn_(23)Ag_(6)alloys showed acceptable corrosion rates,good cytocompatibility,and positive effects on cell proliferation.These characteristics make them suitable for applications in medical settings,potentially materials as biodegradable implants.

Influence of Al_(2)O_(3)/SiO_(2) Ratio on the Structure and Properties of Na^(+)/K^(+)Ion Exchange Na_(2)O-MgO-Al_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2) Glasses

In this work,the structure,viscosity and ion-exchange process of Na_(2)O-MgO-Al_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2) glasses with different Al_(2)O_(3)/SiO_(2) molar ratios were investigated.The results showed that,with increasing Al_(2)O_(3)/SiO_(2) ratio,the simple structural units Q_(1) and Q_(2) transformed into highly aggregated structural units Q_(3) and Q_(4),indicating the increase of polymerization degree of glass network.Meanwhile,the coefficient of thermal expansion decreased from 9.23×10^(-6)℃^(-1) to 8.88×10^(-6)℃^(-1).The characteristic temperatures such as melting,forming,softening and glass transition temperatures increased with the increase of Al_(2)O_(3)/SiO_(2) ratio,while the glasses working temperature range became narrow.The increasing Al_(2)O_(3)/SiO_(2) ratio and prolonging ion-exchange time enhanced the surface compressive stress(CS)and depth of stress layer(DOL).However,the increase of ion exchange temperature increased the DOL and decreased the CS affected by stress relaxation.There was a good linear relationship between stress relaxation and surface compressive stress.Chemical strengthening significantly improved the hardness of glasses,which reached the maximum value of(622.1±10)MPa for sample with Al_(2)O_(3)/SiO_(2) ratio of 0.27 after heat treated at 410℃for 2 h.

Structural color of metallic glass through picosecond laser

The alteration in surface color of metallic glasses(MGs)holds great significance in the context of microstructuredesign and commercial utility.It is essential to accurately describe the structures that are formed during the laser and colorseparation processes in order to develop practical laser coloring applications.Due to the high oxidation sensitivity of Labasedmetallic glass,it can broaden the color range but make it more complex.Structure coloring by laser processing on thesurface of La-based metallic glass can be conducted after thermoplastic forming.It is particularly important to clarify therole of structure and composition in the surface coloring process.The aim is to study the relationship between amorphoussurface structural color,surface geometry,and oxide formation by laser processing in metallic glasses.The findings revealedthat the periodic structure primarily determines the surface color at laser energy densities below 1.0 J/mm^(2).In contrast,thesurface color predominantly depends on the proportion of oxides that are formed when energy densities exceed 1.0 J/mm^(2).Consequently,this study provides a novel concept for the fundamental investigation of laser coloring and establishes a newavenue for practical application.

“Glass-quake”in elastically loaded bulk metallic glasses

Amorphous solids exhibit scale-free avalanches,even under small external loading,and thus can work as suitable systems to study critical behavior and universality classes.The abundance of scale-free avalanches in the entire elastic tension regime of bulk metallic glass(BMG)samples has been experimentally observed using acoustic emission(AE)measurements.In this work,we compare the statistics of avalanches with those of earthquakes,and find that they both follow the Gutenberg–Richter law in the statistics of energies and Omori’s law of aftershock rates,and share the same characteristics in the distribution of recurrence times.These resemblances encourage us to propose the term“glass-quake”to describe avalanches in elastically loaded BMGs.Furthermore,our work echoes the potential universality of critical behavior in disordered physical systems from atomic to planetary scales,and motivates the use of elastic loaded BMGs as valuable laboratory simulators of seismic dynamics.

Effect of Fe_(2)O_(3)on the Structure,Physical Properties and Crystallization of CaO-Al_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)Glass

The calcium aluminosilicate-based glasses(CaO-Al_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2),CAS)with different Fe_(2)O_(3)content(0.10wt%,0.50wt%,0.90wt%,and 1.30wt%)were prepared by traditional melt-quenching method.The glass network structure,thermal and mechanical properties,and crystallization behavior changes were investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer,Fourier-transform infrared spectro-photometer,X-ray diffractometer,differential scanning calorimetry and field emission scanning electron microscope measurements.The change of Q^(n)in glass structures reveals the glass network connectivity decreases due to the increasing content of Fe_(2)O_(3)addition,resulting in the increasing of non-bridging number in glass structure.The glass densities slightly rise from 2.644 to 2.681 g/cm^(3),while Vickers’s hardness increases at first,from 6.469 to 6.901 GPa,then slightly drops to 6.745 GPa,with Fe_(2)O_(3)content increase.There is almost no thermal expansion coefficient change from different Fe_(2)O_(3)content.The glass transmittance in visible range gradually decreases with higher Fe_(2)O_(3)content,resulting from the strong absorption of Fe^(2+)and Fe^(3+)ions.The calculated activation energy from thermal analysis results first decreases from 282.70 to 231.18 kJ/mol,and then increases to 244.02 kJ/mol,with the Fe_(2)O_(3)content increasing from 0.10wt%to 1.30wt%.Meanwhile,the maximum Avrami constant of 2.33 means the CAS glasses exhibit two-dimensional crystallization.All of the CAS glass-ceramics samples contain main crystal phase of anorthite,the microstructure appears lamellar and columnar crystals.

Provenance of colorless and brown volcanic glass in late Pleistocene tephra layers in the Western Philippine Sea

Tephra layers in the western Philippine Sea,characterized by abundant volcanic glass shards,may provide crucial evidence on the eruption history of volcanoes and tectonic evolution of the western Pacific.A 220-ka sediment core from the Benham Rise in the western Philippine Sea offers new insights into the provenance of four intercalated tephra layers(T1–T4,in chronological order)containing either colorless or brown glass shards.Relative to primitive mantle,all glass shards are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements,such as Rb,Cs,and Pb,and depleted in high field-strength elements,such as Th,Nb,and Ta,indicating a subduction-related origin.The colorless glass shards are characterized by high SiO_(2)(>78%)and light rare earth element(LREE)contents as well as high La/Sm ratios(>9),low FeO and MgO contents(<1%),low Sr/Y(<15)and high Ba/Th ratios(>100),pointing to a rhyolitic composition and a medium-K calc-alkaline serial affinity.In contrast,the brown glass shards are characterized by lower SiO_(2)(<63%)and LREE contents,higher FeO,MgO,and CaO contents,lower La/Sm(<6)and Ba/Th(<75),and similar Sr/Y ratios(<15),indicating derivation from medium to high-K calc-alkaline andesite magma.Brown glass shards from layers T3(152 ka)and T4(172 ka)were correlated with volcanic deposits from the Taal and Laguna Caldera in the Maccolod Corridor,respectively,while the colorless glass shards from layers T1(36.5 ka)and T2(61.2 ka)were likely sourced from the Irosin Caldera in the Bicol Arc.Establishing the provenance of late Pleistocene tephra layers in the western Philippine Sea is helpful to complement a Philippine volcanic history and establish a regional tephrochronostratigraphy.