Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117918
Jianglin Wang , Linwen Jiang , Chen Yang , Yanqing Zheng , Liejia Qian , Shuai Wang , Zhigang Sun
To expand nonlinear optical crystal variety for quasi-parametric chirped pulse amplification (QPCPA), a scheme for constructing a parametric amplification process equivalent to the dynamic behavior of an energy-level laser amplifier by applying strong dissipative modulation to idle light, Sm0.3:La0.7Ca4O(BO3)3 (Sm:LaCOB) is designed and grown. In this study, LaCa4O(BO3)3 (LaCOB) and Sm:LaCOB single crystals are grown by Bridgman method, with their structural, thermal, and optical properties systematically characterized. Research results indicate that the incorporation of Sm3+ into LaCOB enhances the thermal performance, thereby improving thermal stability in QPCPA system. LaCOB exhibits a high transmittance of up to 83 % across the 200–2400 nm wavelength range. Sm:LaCOB displays strong absorption peaks near 1229 nm, 1366 nm, 1474 nm, and 1534 nm and maximum absorption cross-section of 8.31 × 10−21 cm2 (@1480 nm). Additionally, Sm:LaCOB emits orange-red luminescence at 618 nm, featuring a luminescence decay time (τ) of 0.14 ms. First-principles calculations determine that the band gap of LaCOB is 4.38 eV. Collectively, these data and analyses demonstrate the significant application potential of Sm:LaCOB in QPCPA systems.
{"title":"Growth and optical characterizations of LaCa4O(BO3)3 and Sm0.3:La0.7Ca4O(BO3)3 nonlinear optical crystals","authors":"Jianglin Wang , Linwen Jiang , Chen Yang , Yanqing Zheng , Liejia Qian , Shuai Wang , Zhigang Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To expand nonlinear optical crystal variety for quasi-parametric chirped pulse amplification (QPCPA), a scheme for constructing a parametric amplification process equivalent to the dynamic behavior of an energy-level laser amplifier by applying strong dissipative modulation to idle light, Sm<sub>0.3</sub>:La<sub>0.7</sub>Ca<sub>4</sub>O(BO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub> (Sm:LaCOB) is designed and grown. In this study, LaCa<sub>4</sub>O(BO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub> (LaCOB) and Sm:LaCOB single crystals are grown by Bridgman method, with their structural, thermal, and optical properties systematically characterized. Research results indicate that the incorporation of Sm<sup>3+</sup> into LaCOB enhances the thermal performance, thereby improving thermal stability in QPCPA system. LaCOB exhibits a high transmittance of up to 83 % across the 200–2400 nm wavelength range. Sm:LaCOB displays strong absorption peaks near 1229 nm, 1366 nm, 1474 nm, and 1534 nm and maximum absorption cross-section of 8.31 × 10<sup>−21</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> (@1480 nm). Additionally, Sm:LaCOB emits orange-red luminescence at 618 nm, featuring a luminescence decay time (τ) of 0.14 ms. First-principles calculations determine that the band gap of LaCOB is 4.38 eV. Collectively, these data and analyses demonstrate the significant application potential of Sm:LaCOB in QPCPA systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117918"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The incorporation of CeO2 into glass has garnered significant attention owing to its strong optical absorption nature, thereby promising it for innovative optical applications. This research highlights the gamma irradiation-induced structural and optical modifications in CeO2-containing sodium niobium phosphate glasses by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopic techniques. FTIR spectra depicted minor changes in the vibrational modes of the phosphate networks at a cumulative dose of 1 MGy, affirming the pivotal role of cerium in preserving the glass's structural integrity. The optical absorption edge, optical band gap (Eg), refractive indices (n) and Urbach energy (Eu) are derived from the UV–Vis spectra recorded between 200 and 1100 nm. Radiation-induced absorption spectra revealed the distinct defect bands attributed to positively charged hole center defects (POHCs) at ∼593 nm and ∼722 nm, whereas negatively charged electron center defects (ECs) in the high-energy regions (- EC at 217 nm, - EC at 264 nm, and - EC at 229 nm). A systematic red shift in the UV absorption edge is encountered with increased CeO2 content. Tauc and Urbach plot analysis indicate that CeO2 stabilizes the oxygen-related hole defects, reducing radiation-induced disorder. A CeO2-dependent rise in the refractive index value correlates with enhanced non-bridging oxygen (NBOs) density. Further, the minimal Eu variation in post-gamma-irradiated glasses supports effective suppression of electronic defect states. These findings diversify the potential of CeO2-modified niobium phosphate glasses towards radiation-resistant optical applications, such as gamma shielding, optical fibres in nuclear reactors and can be tailored to integrated planner optical waveguides.
{"title":"Unveiling the gamma radiative response on structural and optical features of CeO2 doped sodium niobium phosphate glasses","authors":"Abhiram Senapati , Suvendu Kumar Barik , Satendra Kumar , Sujoy Sen , Ramani Yuvaraj , S. Balakrishnan , Hrudananda Jena","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The incorporation of CeO<sub>2</sub> into glass has garnered significant attention owing to its strong optical absorption nature, thereby promising it for innovative optical applications. This research highlights the gamma irradiation-induced structural and optical modifications in CeO<sub>2</sub>-containing sodium niobium phosphate glasses by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopic techniques. FTIR spectra depicted minor changes in the vibrational modes of the phosphate networks at a cumulative dose of 1 MGy, affirming the pivotal role of cerium in preserving the glass's structural integrity. The optical absorption edge, optical band gap (E<sub>g</sub>), refractive indices (n) and Urbach energy (E<sub>u</sub>) are derived from the UV–Vis spectra recorded between 200 and 1100 nm. Radiation-induced absorption spectra revealed the distinct defect bands attributed to positively charged hole center defects (POHCs) at ∼593 nm and ∼722 nm, whereas negatively charged electron center defects (ECs) in the high-energy regions (<span><math><mi>P</mi><msub><mi>O</mi><mn>3</mn></msub></math></span>- EC at 217 nm, <span><math><mi>P</mi><msub><mi>O</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></math></span>- EC at 264 nm, and <span><math><mi>P</mi><msub><mi>O</mi><mn>4</mn></msub></math></span>- EC at 229 nm). A systematic red shift in the UV absorption edge is encountered with increased CeO<sub>2</sub> content. Tauc and Urbach plot analysis indicate that CeO<sub>2</sub> stabilizes the oxygen-related hole defects, reducing radiation-induced disorder. A CeO<sub>2</sub>-dependent rise in the refractive index value correlates with enhanced non-bridging oxygen (NBOs) density. Further, the minimal E<sub>u</sub> variation in post-gamma-irradiated glasses supports effective suppression of electronic defect states. These findings diversify the potential of CeO<sub>2</sub>-modified niobium phosphate glasses towards radiation-resistant optical applications, such as gamma shielding, optical fibres in nuclear reactors and can be tailored to integrated planner optical waveguides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117916"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117905
Seyed Mohammad Hosein Jafari, Abdollah Abbasi
In this study, the role of the mesoporous layer in perovskite solar cells has been analyzed and an improved model has been selected to modeling porosity in TiO2. For enhancing light absorption within a broader spectrum, the employment of a mixed perovskite absorber of composition MAPbI0.8Br0.2 has been employed as the second light-harvesting material. This made the efficiency increase by over 2 %, achieved without the added thickness of the absorber. Besides, a mesoporous TiO2 layer was deposited and subsequently infiltrated with a blend of MAPbI3 and MAPbBr3 to increase charge transport and light harvesting. Numerical modeling was employed to model the porous layer behavior, and outcomes derived showed satisfactory correlation with the performance of the prepared cell. The findings illustrate the large effect of mixed-halide perovskites and mesoporous structure on perovskite solar cell efficiency.
{"title":"Advanced modeling of TiO2 porosity and its impact on mixed-halide perovskite solar cell efficiency","authors":"Seyed Mohammad Hosein Jafari, Abdollah Abbasi","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117905","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117905","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the role of the mesoporous layer in perovskite solar cells has been analyzed and an improved model has been selected to modeling porosity in TiO<sub>2</sub>. For enhancing light absorption within a broader spectrum, the employment of a mixed perovskite absorber of composition MAPbI<sub>0.8</sub>Br<sub>0.2</sub> has been employed as the second light-harvesting material. This made the efficiency increase by over 2 %, achieved without the added thickness of the absorber. Besides, a mesoporous TiO<sub>2</sub> layer was deposited and subsequently infiltrated with a blend of MAPbI<sub>3</sub> and MAPbBr<sub>3</sub> to increase charge transport and light harvesting. Numerical modeling was employed to model the porous layer behavior, and outcomes derived showed satisfactory correlation with the performance of the prepared cell. The findings illustrate the large effect of mixed-halide perovskites and mesoporous structure on perovskite solar cell efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117905"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117892
Xiu Pei , Jinchuan Bai , Bo Lin , Wenting Guo
In this work, a novel three-dimensional Zn(II) metal-organic framework material (Zn-MOF) is successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method using the semi-rigid tetracarboxylic acid ligand (2,4-Dicarboxyphenyl) phthalic acid (H4L) and the N-donor auxiliary ligand 1,4-Di(1H-imidazole-1-yl) benzene (dib). The three-dimensional Zn-MOF exhibits excellent fluorescence stability even after being stored for 31 days. The fluorescence sensing experiments demonstrate that the Zn-MOF materials possess high selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg2+ and Cr2O72− ions, with detection limits (LOD) as low as 0.416 and 2.443 μM, respectively. The fluorescence quenching mechanism is systematically investigated via PXRD, UV–vis spectroscopy and XPS analyses. Specifically, the selectivity of fluorescence quenching induced by Hg2+ is primarily attributed to the interaction between the N atoms in Zn-MOF and Hg2+ ions. The inner filter effect (IFE) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) are the dominant causes of Zn-MOF fluorescence quenching triggered by Cr2O72−. Furthermore, Zn-MOF is employed for the detection of Hg2+ and Cr2O72− ions in tap water and Yellow River water samples, and achieves satisfactory recovery rates. This probe provides a reliable means for the detection and assessment of Hg2+ and Cr2O72− ions in water environments.
{"title":"A novel three-dimensional Zn-based metal-organic framework fluorescent probe for highly sensitive and selective detection of Hg2+ and Cr2O72− ions","authors":"Xiu Pei , Jinchuan Bai , Bo Lin , Wenting Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this work, a novel three-dimensional Zn(II) metal-organic framework material (Zn-MOF) is successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method using the semi-rigid tetracarboxylic acid ligand (2,4-Dicarboxyphenyl) phthalic acid (H<sub>4</sub>L) and the N-donor auxiliary ligand 1,4-Di(1H-imidazole-1-yl) benzene (dib). The three-dimensional Zn-MOF exhibits excellent fluorescence stability even after being stored for 31 days. The fluorescence sensing experiments demonstrate that the Zn-MOF materials possess high selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg<sup>2+</sup> and Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub><sup>2−</sup> ions, with detection limits (LOD) as low as 0.416 and 2.443 μM, respectively. The fluorescence quenching mechanism is systematically investigated via PXRD, UV–vis spectroscopy and XPS analyses. Specifically, the selectivity of fluorescence quenching induced by Hg<sup>2+</sup> is primarily attributed to the interaction between the N atoms in Zn-MOF and Hg<sup>2+</sup> ions. The inner filter effect (IFE) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) are the dominant causes of Zn-MOF fluorescence quenching triggered by Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub><sup>2−</sup>. Furthermore, Zn-MOF is employed for the detection of Hg<sup>2+</sup> and Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub><sup>2−</sup> ions in tap water and Yellow River water samples, and achieves satisfactory recovery rates. This probe provides a reliable means for the detection and assessment of Hg<sup>2+</sup> and Cr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub><sup>2−</sup> ions in water environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117892"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117903
Y. Vygranenko , G. Lavareda , A. Amaral , P. Brogueira
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbonitride (a-SiCN:H) thin films were deposited by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf-PECVD) at 150 °C using SiH4, CH4, and NH3 gas mixtures with variable flow ratios. The chemical composition and hydrogen content, determined by Rutherford backscattering and elastic recoil detection analyses, revealed Si-rich carbonitrides containing 32–52 at.% Si, 3–5 at.% C, 16–44 at.% N, and 25–30 at.% H. Atomic force microscopy confirmed smooth and uniform film surfaces with RMS roughness below 1 nm, suitable for precise optical modeling. Optical transmission spectra were analyzed using an extended Tauc–Lorentz (XTL) dispersion model capable of describing non-exponential band-tail absorption. The XTL model provided excellent agreement with experiment and allowed extraction of the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, including sub-gap components. The optical bandgap, derived from Tauc plots, increased linearly with the elemental N/Si ratio, reflecting enhanced Si–N bond formation and a reduction in localized electronic states. The refractive index varied between 1.77 and 2.9, showing strong dependence on composition and photon energy. These results demonstrate that rf-PECVD enables low-temperature synthesis of uniform a-SiCN:H films with controllable optical properties, suitable for optoelectronic and photonic device applications.
{"title":"Composition-dependent optical properties and dielectric function modeling of PECVD-grown hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbonitride thin films","authors":"Y. Vygranenko , G. Lavareda , A. Amaral , P. Brogueira","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117903","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117903","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbonitride (a-SiCN:H) thin films were deposited by radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf-PECVD) at 150 °C using SiH<sub>4</sub>, CH<sub>4</sub>, and NH<sub>3</sub> gas mixtures with variable flow ratios. The chemical composition and hydrogen content, determined by Rutherford backscattering and elastic recoil detection analyses, revealed Si-rich carbonitrides containing 32–52 at.% Si, 3–5 at.% C, 16–44 at.% N, and 25–30 at.% H. Atomic force microscopy confirmed smooth and uniform film surfaces with RMS roughness below 1 nm, suitable for precise optical modeling. Optical transmission spectra were analyzed using an extended Tauc–Lorentz (XTL) dispersion model capable of describing non-exponential band-tail absorption. The XTL model provided excellent agreement with experiment and allowed extraction of the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, including sub-gap components. The optical bandgap, derived from Tauc plots, increased linearly with the elemental N/Si ratio, reflecting enhanced Si–N bond formation and a reduction in localized electronic states. The refractive index varied between 1.77 and 2.9, showing strong dependence on composition and photon energy. These results demonstrate that rf-PECVD enables low-temperature synthesis of uniform a-SiCN:H films with controllable optical properties, suitable for optoelectronic and photonic device applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117903"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117902
Jiasheng Fang , Yu Gong , Likun Wang , Gang Xu , Sainan Ma , Yong Liu , Gaorong Han
The electrochromic properties of tungsten trioxide (WO3) films exhibit a significant dependence on their crystallinity. In this study, polytungsten-oxygen clusters were introduced into the precursor solution via the low-temperature sol-gel method to successfully fabricate nanocrystals-embedded amorphous WO3 composite (nc-WO3@a-WO3) films. It was found that the incorporation of polytungsten-oxygen clusters serves a dual function: (1) increasing the solution viscosity to enable precise control of the spin-coated film thickness, and (2) acting as nucleation sites to induce the crystallization of hexagonal WO3 (h-WO3), resulting in WO3 nanocrystals with uniform size in the amorphous substrate after annealing at 300 °C. XPS and HRTEM characterizations revealed that the nc-WO3@a-WO3 film possesses a higher concentration of oxygen vacancies and abundant amorphous/crystalline interfaces. This unique nanostructure endows the WO3 film with superior electrochromic properties, including high modulation amplitude (ΔT = 83 % at 633 nm), rapid switching time (11.5 s/7 s for coloring and bleaching), and excellent cycling stability (the transmittance modulation loss was 25 % after 4500 cycles). The design of nanocrystals confined within an amorphous matrix provides a new strategy for the fabrication of high-stability electrochromic supercapacitor devices and smart energy-efficient windows.
{"title":"Polytungsten-oxygen clusters inducing crystallization for high performance of WO3 electrochromic films","authors":"Jiasheng Fang , Yu Gong , Likun Wang , Gang Xu , Sainan Ma , Yong Liu , Gaorong Han","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The electrochromic properties of tungsten trioxide (WO<sub>3</sub>) films exhibit a significant dependence on their crystallinity. In this study, polytungsten-oxygen clusters were introduced into the precursor solution via the low-temperature sol-gel method to successfully fabricate nanocrystals-embedded amorphous WO<sub>3</sub> composite (nc-WO<sub>3</sub>@a-WO<sub>3</sub>) films. It was found that the incorporation of polytungsten-oxygen clusters serves a dual function: (1) increasing the solution viscosity to enable precise control of the spin-coated film thickness, and (2) acting as nucleation sites to induce the crystallization of hexagonal WO<sub>3</sub> (h-WO<sub>3</sub>), resulting in WO<sub>3</sub> nanocrystals with uniform size in the amorphous substrate after annealing at 300 °C. XPS and HRTEM characterizations revealed that the nc-WO<sub>3</sub>@a-WO<sub>3</sub> film possesses a higher concentration of oxygen vacancies and abundant amorphous/crystalline interfaces. This unique nanostructure endows the WO<sub>3</sub> film with superior electrochromic properties, including high modulation amplitude (ΔT = 83 % at 633 nm), rapid switching time (11.5 s/7 s for coloring and bleaching), and excellent cycling stability (the transmittance modulation loss was 25 % after 4500 cycles). The design of nanocrystals confined within an amorphous matrix provides a new strategy for the fabrication of high-stability electrochromic supercapacitor devices and smart energy-efficient windows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117902"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<div><div>A series of rare-earth (<span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Re</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><msub><mrow><mi>Pr</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Sm</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Eu</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Dy</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>) containing <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>P</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>5</mn></mrow></msub><mo>−</mo><mi>MgO</mi><mo>−</mo><msub><mrow><mi>Na</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mi>O</mi><mo>−</mo><msub><mrow><mi>Li</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mi>O</mi><mo>−</mo><msub><mrow><mi>TiO</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> glasses were synthesised via the melt-quenching technique to investigate changes in structural and optical properties with ionic radii and electronegativity variations. X-ray diffraction confirmed the amorphous nature of the glass matrix, while Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the influence of different rare-earth oxides on the phosphate network structure. Optical absorption analysis showed that the optical band gap energy increases up to <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Eu</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> content, correlating with changes in the localised state tails. Photoluminescence studies demonstrated tunable emission characteristics; the CIE 1931 coordinates shifted from the greenish-blue towards the white region as the ionic radii decreased. The <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Dy</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> doped glass achieves near-white light emission (colour purity <span><math><mo>∼</mo></math></span> 2%). The correlated colour temperature (CCT) was highly dependent on the chemical nature of the dopant, ranging from warm white light (1687 K for <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Sm</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>) to cool daylight (5721-6465 K for <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Pr</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Dy</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub>
{"title":"Blue-to-white light generation using rare-earth dopants and magnesium phosphate glass host interaction","authors":"Vivek gupta , Santosh Kumar , S.K. Arya , R.K. Mishra , K. Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117898","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117898","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A series of rare-earth (<span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Re</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><msub><mrow><mi>Pr</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Sm</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Eu</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Dy</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>) containing <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>P</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>5</mn></mrow></msub><mo>−</mo><mi>MgO</mi><mo>−</mo><msub><mrow><mi>Na</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mi>O</mi><mo>−</mo><msub><mrow><mi>Li</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mi>O</mi><mo>−</mo><msub><mrow><mi>TiO</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> glasses were synthesised via the melt-quenching technique to investigate changes in structural and optical properties with ionic radii and electronegativity variations. X-ray diffraction confirmed the amorphous nature of the glass matrix, while Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the influence of different rare-earth oxides on the phosphate network structure. Optical absorption analysis showed that the optical band gap energy increases up to <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Eu</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> content, correlating with changes in the localised state tails. Photoluminescence studies demonstrated tunable emission characteristics; the CIE 1931 coordinates shifted from the greenish-blue towards the white region as the ionic radii decreased. The <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Dy</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> doped glass achieves near-white light emission (colour purity <span><math><mo>∼</mo></math></span> 2%). The correlated colour temperature (CCT) was highly dependent on the chemical nature of the dopant, ranging from warm white light (1687 K for <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Sm</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>) to cool daylight (5721-6465 K for <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Pr</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>Dy</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><msub><mrow><mi>O</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117898"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117901
Arvia Arvia , Iis Nurhasanah , Nor Basid Adiwibawa Prasetya
This study investigates the potential for ultrasound-assisted green synthesis of bismuth ferrite as a near-infrared reflective nanopigment. Clitoria ternatea flower extract was used in synthesizing bismuth ferrite by controlling calcination temperatures. The unique properties of Clitoria ternatea extract, such as its high antioxidant content and the carefully controlled calcination temperature, were found to play an important role in the crystallization of sillenite bismuth ferrite. X-ray diffraction confirmed the complete formation of the sillenite bismuth ferrite phase at 600 °C. Transmission electron microscopy and zeta potential measurements showed a highly dispersed and uniform nanostructure of sillenite bismuth ferrite. The potential of sillenite bismuth ferrite as a nanopigment is clear in its pale yellow colour, which demonstrates excellent chromatic stability and a remarkably high near-infrared reflectance. These findings highlight the advanced and eco-sustainable nature of the near-infrared reflective coatings, which are made possible by the synergistic role of the synthesis method and nanopigment.
{"title":"Ultrasound–assisted green synthesis of bismuth ferrite sillenite: Potential for near infra-red reflective nanopigment","authors":"Arvia Arvia , Iis Nurhasanah , Nor Basid Adiwibawa Prasetya","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the potential for ultrasound-assisted green synthesis of bismuth ferrite as a near-infrared reflective nanopigment. <em>Clitoria ternatea</em> flower extract was used in synthesizing bismuth ferrite by controlling calcination temperatures. The unique properties of <em>Clitoria ternatea</em> extract, such as its high antioxidant content and the carefully controlled calcination temperature, were found to play an important role in the crystallization of sillenite bismuth ferrite. X-ray diffraction confirmed the complete formation of the sillenite bismuth ferrite phase at 600 °C. Transmission electron microscopy and zeta potential measurements showed a highly dispersed and uniform nanostructure of sillenite bismuth ferrite. The potential of sillenite bismuth ferrite as a nanopigment is clear in its pale yellow colour, which demonstrates excellent chromatic stability and a remarkably high near-infrared reflectance. These findings highlight the advanced and eco-sustainable nature of the near-infrared reflective coatings, which are made possible by the synergistic role of the synthesis method and nanopigment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117901"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117900
Hussein A. Elsayed , Mohamed Bouzidi , Ahmad Al-Qawasmeh , Abdelhamid Albaid , Ahmed Mehaney , Ahmed A. Aboud
This study systematically investigates the effect of film thickness on the physical properties of Pb-doped ZnO thin films, prepared via Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (AACVD) with a constant 5 wt% Pb concentration. In this regard, X-ray diffraction confirms a hexagonal ZnO phase with a dominant (100) orientation, while the intensities of (002) and (101) planes increase with thickness, indicating an evolution in preferred orientation. Additionally, our quantitative analysis reveals that the significant variation in crystallite size estimates from different methods points to the presence of anisotropic strain. Critically, out-of-plane compressive strain, pronounced in thinner films, relaxes substantially with increasing thickness. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the presence of Pb in the 4+ oxidation state, suggesting that charge compensation mechanisms, rather than direct ionic substitution, moderate its incorporation into the lattice. This strain relaxation governs the structural evolution, as evidenced by FESEM, which shows a morphological transition to elongated grains. Optically, the thinnest films exhibit an excitonic shoulder, which vanishes in thicker films, allowing for the determination of a single direct band gap (3.30–3.45 eV). Finally, DC conductivity decreases with thickness due to the increased grain-boundary scattering, with the activation energies around 1 eV. This work decouples the role of thickness from doping, demonstrating that both strain relaxation and microstructural evolution are the primary drivers of property changes in Pb:ZnO thin films.
{"title":"Thickness dependent physical properties of Pb-doped ZnO thin films prepared using AACVD","authors":"Hussein A. Elsayed , Mohamed Bouzidi , Ahmad Al-Qawasmeh , Abdelhamid Albaid , Ahmed Mehaney , Ahmed A. Aboud","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117900","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117900","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study systematically investigates the effect of film thickness on the physical properties of Pb-doped ZnO thin films, prepared via Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (AACVD) with a constant 5 wt% Pb concentration. In this regard, X-ray diffraction confirms a hexagonal ZnO phase with a dominant (100) orientation, while the intensities of (002) and (101) planes increase with thickness, indicating an evolution in preferred orientation. Additionally, our quantitative analysis reveals that the significant variation in crystallite size estimates from different methods points to the presence of anisotropic strain. Critically, out-of-plane compressive strain, pronounced in thinner films, relaxes substantially with increasing thickness. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the presence of Pb in the 4+ oxidation state<strong>,</strong> suggesting that charge compensation mechanisms, rather than direct ionic substitution, moderate its incorporation into the lattice. This strain relaxation governs the structural evolution, as evidenced by FESEM, which shows a morphological transition to elongated grains. Optically, the thinnest films exhibit an excitonic shoulder, which vanishes in thicker films, allowing for the determination of a single direct band gap (3.30–3.45 eV). Finally, DC conductivity decreases with thickness due to the increased grain-boundary scattering, with the activation energies around 1 eV. This work decouples the role of thickness from doping, demonstrating that both strain relaxation and microstructural evolution are the primary drivers of property changes in Pb:ZnO thin films.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117900"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117889
Yuanqing Li , Dongxu Li , Shuyang Li , Zeyu Liu , Naiguang Wei
Haze is a prevalent defect limiting the optical performance and utilization of bulk CVD-ZnSe infrared windows. In this work, four CVD-ZnSe batches with different haze levels were prepared by varying the Zn/Se molar ratio of the reactants. Spectrophotometry, haze values, transmission polarizing microscopy, stress-birefringence mapping, EBSD, and TEM/HRTEM were combined to quantify performance, resolve microstructural origins, and propose strategies for haze suppression. The results show that haze mainly decreases visible-band transmittance. Microstructurally, grains are composed of twin lamellae with varying thickness. Σ3 lamellar twin boundaries with clustered stacking faults locally convert zinc blende stacking into hexagonal sequences, producing intrinsic birefringence that scatters light. Hazy samples thus include more twin boundaries. A semi-empirical internal-interface scattering model fitted to spectra reproduces both the curve trend and the wavelength dependence of the transmittance loss, corroborating internal scattering from hexagonally stacked lamellae as the primary haze mechanism. Haze value is introduced to describe scattering in materials to characterize defects. The haze value enables a four-grade classification (severe, moderate, slight, and clear) that is consistent with visible-band transmittance, macroscopic appearance, and microstructural indicators, and provides a practical quality criterion. In part of slightly hazy CVD-ZnSe, abnormal columnar growth introduces anisotropy and residual stress that dominate in-plane optical nonuniformity. Reducing twins and stabilizing equiaxed growth are crucial for haze suppression. Zn/Se molar ratio of reactants (≈1.2) and CVD chamber flow-field uniformity suppress haze defects, improve transmittance, and enhance consistency in CVD-ZnSe.
{"title":"Study on haze defects in CVD-ZnSe: Performance, microstructure and suppression","authors":"Yuanqing Li , Dongxu Li , Shuyang Li , Zeyu Liu , Naiguang Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117889","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.optmat.2026.117889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Haze is a prevalent defect limiting the optical performance and utilization of bulk CVD-ZnSe infrared windows. In this work, four CVD-ZnSe batches with different haze levels were prepared by varying the Zn/Se molar ratio of the reactants. Spectrophotometry, haze values, transmission polarizing microscopy, stress-birefringence mapping, EBSD, and TEM/HRTEM were combined to quantify performance, resolve microstructural origins, and propose strategies for haze suppression. The results show that haze mainly decreases visible-band transmittance. Microstructurally, grains are composed of twin lamellae with varying thickness. Σ3 lamellar twin boundaries with clustered stacking faults locally convert zinc blende stacking into hexagonal sequences, producing intrinsic birefringence that scatters light. Hazy samples thus include more twin boundaries. A semi-empirical internal-interface scattering model fitted to spectra reproduces both the curve trend and the wavelength dependence of the transmittance loss, corroborating internal scattering from hexagonally stacked lamellae as the primary haze mechanism. Haze value is introduced to describe scattering in materials to characterize defects. The haze value enables a four-grade classification (severe, moderate, slight, and clear) that is consistent with visible-band transmittance, macroscopic appearance, and microstructural indicators, and provides a practical quality criterion. In part of slightly hazy CVD-ZnSe, abnormal columnar growth introduces anisotropy and residual stress that dominate in-plane optical nonuniformity. Reducing twins and stabilizing equiaxed growth are crucial for haze suppression. Zn/Se molar ratio of reactants (≈1.2) and CVD chamber flow-field uniformity suppress haze defects, improve transmittance, and enhance consistency in CVD-ZnSe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19564,"journal":{"name":"Optical Materials","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 117889"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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