Enhanced Optical Properties of Germanate and Tellurite Glasses Containing Metal or Semiconductor Nanoparticles

Germanium- and tellurium-based glasses have been largely studied due to their recognized potential for photonics. In this paper, we review our recent studies that include the investigation of the Stokes and anti-Stokes photoluminescence (PL) in different glass systems containing metallic and semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs). In the case of the samples with metallic NPs, the enhanced PL was attributed to the increased local field on the rare-earth ions located in the proximity of the NPs and/or the energy transfer from the metallic NPs to the rare-earth ions. For the glasses containing silicon NPs, the PL enhancement was mainly due to the energy transfer from the NPs to the Er3+ ions. The nonlinear (NL) optical properties of PbO-GeO2 films containing gold NPs were also investigated. The experiments in the pico- and subpicosecond regimes revealed enhanced values of the NL refractive indices and large NL absorption coefficients in comparison with the films without gold NPs. The reported experiments demonstrate that germanate and tellurite glasses, having appropriate rare-earth ions doping and NPs concentration, are strong candidates for PL-based devices, all-optical switches, and optical limiting

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Germanate glasses containing metalic an semiconductor nanoparticles dopes with rare-earth ions for photonic aplicattions.

Neste trabalho é apresentado um estudo espectroscópico sobre vidros de germanato contendo nanopartículas (NPs) metálicas e semicondutoras dopados com íons de terras-raras (TRs) Eu3+, Nd3+ e Er3+ visando o desenvolvimento de novos materiais para aplicações em fotônica. Estes vidros apresentam larga janela de transmissão (400-4500 nm), alto índice de refração (~ 1,9), baixa energia de fônon (700 cm-1), alta resistência mecânica e durabilidade química. Com a finalidade de verificar a nucleação das NPs metálicas e semicondutoras, foram realizadas análises por Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão (MET) que indicaram a presença de NPs metálicas e semicondutoras. As técnicas de espectroscopia de fluorescência de raios X por energia dispersiva (EDS energy dispersive spectroscopy) e difração de elétrons comprovaram a natureza química das NPs. As medidas de absorção óptica evidenciaram a incorporação dos íons de TRs na forma trivalente, fenômeno responsável pela luminescência nos vidros, e permitiram as medidas das bandas de absorção relacionadas à ressonância dos plasmons superficiais e das bandas de absorção características de NPs de natureza semicondutora. Medidas de emissão foram realizadas através de diferentes procedimentos, que variaram de acordo com a natureza das TRs. Foram medidas intensas bandas de emissão da luz vermelha do Eu3+ relacionadas com as transições 7F J (J=0 a 6) -> 5D0, bandas de emissão associadas à conversão ascendente de freqüências do Er3+ em 530, 550 e 670nm relacionadas com as transições 2H 11/2 -> 4I 15/2 , 4S 3/2 -> 4I 15/2 e 4F 9/2 -> 4I 15/2 respectivamente, e bandas de emissão de luz na região do infravermelho do Nd3+ em 900, 1076 e 1350 nm relacionadas com as transições 4F 3/2 -> 4I 9/2 , 4F 3/2 -> 4I 11/2 e 4F 3/2 -> 4I 13/2 . Foi observado aumento significativo da luminescência da luz vermelha do Eu3+ nas amostras contendo NPs de prata, ouro, e prata juntamente com ouro. Nas amostras contendo NPs de silício foi observado aumento significativo da emissão associada à conversão ascendente de freqüências do érbio. Os aumentos ocorridos na luminescência das amostras contendo NPs metálicas são provavelmente causados pelo aumento do campo local nas proximidades dos íons de TRs e pela transferência de energia entre as NPs e os íons deTRs. Os aumentos ocorridos na luminescência das amostras contendo NPs semicondutoras são provavelmente causados pela transferência eficiente de energia entre as NPs e os íons de TRs originada da recombinação de éxcitons dentro das NPs semicondutoras. Portanto, a presença das NPs desempenha um papel importante para o aumento da luminescência, permitindo o desenvolvimento de novos materiais com aplicações em nanofotônica.This work presents a spectroscopic study about Eu3+, Nd3+ and Er3+ rare-earth doped germanate glasses containing metallic and semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) aiming the development of new materials for photonic applications. These glasses have a large transmission window (400-4500 nm), high refractive index (~ 1.9), low phonon energy (700 cm-1), high mechanic resistance and chemical durability. Transmission Electronic Microscopy analysis was performed to verify the metallic and semiconductor NPs nucleation, and indicated the presence of metallic and semiconductor NPs. X ray fluorescence by energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) and electron diffraction analysis showed the chemical nature of the NPs. Optic absorption measurement proved the trivalent incorporation of the rare-earth ions, the responsible phenomenon for the luminescence of the glasses that allowed the measurement of the absorption bands related to the superficial plasmon resonance. Emission measurements were performed with different procedures, related to nature of the rare-earth. High emission bands of Eu3+ were measured related to the 7F J (J=0 to 6) -> 5D 0 transitions; emission bands associated to the frequency upconversion of Er3+ in 530, 550 and 670nm related to the 2H 11/2 -> 4I 15/2, 4S 3/2 -> 4I 15/2 e 4F 9/2 -> 4I 15/2 transitions were observed, and as well as emission bands of Nd3+ in 900, 1076 and 1350 nm related with the 4F 3/2 -> 4I 9/2, 4F 3/2 -> 4I 11/2 e 4F 3/2 -> 4I 13/2 transitions. A significant enhancement of the red light luminescence of Eu3+ was observed in the samples containing silver, gold, and silver together with gold NPs. For the samples containing silicon NPs it was observed a considerable enhancement of the frequency upconversion emission of the erbium. The luminescence enhancement of the samples with metallic NPs is due to the enhancement of the local field nearby the rare-earth ions and/or to the energy transfer between the NPs and the rare-earth ions. The luminescence enhancement of the samples with semiconductor NPs are due to the efficient energy transfer between the NPs and the rare-earth ions originated from the excitons recombination inside the semiconductor NPs. Therefore, the presence of the NPs plays an important role on the luminescence enhancement, allowing de development of new materials for nanophotonic applications

Germanate glasses containing metalic an semiconductor nanoparticles dopes with rare-earth ions for photonic aplicattions.

Neste trabalho é apresentado um estudo espectroscópico sobre vidros de germanato contendo nanopartículas (NPs) metálicas e semicondutoras dopados com íons de terras-raras (TRs) Eu3+, Nd3+ e Er3+ visando o desenvolvimento de novos materiais para aplicações em fotônica. Estes vidros apresentam larga janela de transmissão (400-4500 nm), alto índice de refração (~ 1,9), baixa energia de fônon (700 cm-1), alta resistência mecânica e durabilidade química. Com a finalidade de verificar a nucleação das NPs metálicas e semicondutoras, foram realizadas análises por Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão (MET) que indicaram a presença de NPs metálicas e semicondutoras. As técnicas de espectroscopia de fluorescência de raios X por energia dispersiva (EDS energy dispersive spectroscopy) e difração de elétrons comprovaram a natureza química das NPs. As medidas de absorção óptica evidenciaram a incorporação dos íons de TRs na forma trivalente, fenômeno responsável pela luminescência nos vidros, e permitiram as medidas das bandas de absorção relacionadas à ressonância dos plasmons superficiais e das bandas de absorção características de NPs de natureza semicondutora. Medidas de emissão foram realizadas através de diferentes procedimentos, que variaram de acordo com a natureza das TRs. Foram medidas intensas bandas de emissão da luz vermelha do Eu3+ relacionadas com as transições 7F J (J=0 a 6) -> 5D0, bandas de emissão associadas à conversão ascendente de freqüências do Er3+ em 530, 550 e 670nm relacionadas com as transições 2H 11/2 -> 4I 15/2 , 4S 3/2 -> 4I 15/2 e 4F 9/2 -> 4I 15/2 respectivamente, e bandas de emissão de luz na região do infravermelho do Nd3+ em 900, 1076 e 1350 nm relacionadas com as transições 4F 3/2 -> 4I 9/2 , 4F 3/2 -> 4I 11/2 e 4F 3/2 -> 4I 13/2 . Foi observado aumento significativo da luminescência da luz vermelha do Eu3+ nas amostras contendo NPs de prata, ouro, e prata juntamente com ouro. Nas amostras contendo NPs de silício foi observado aumento significativo da emissão associada à conversão ascendente de freqüências do érbio. Os aumentos ocorridos na luminescência das amostras contendo NPs metálicas são provavelmente causados pelo aumento do campo local nas proximidades dos íons de TRs e pela transferência de energia entre as NPs e os íons deTRs. Os aumentos ocorridos na luminescência das amostras contendo NPs semicondutoras são provavelmente causados pela transferência eficiente de energia entre as NPs e os íons de TRs originada da recombinação de éxcitons dentro das NPs semicondutoras. Portanto, a presença das NPs desempenha um papel importante para o aumento da luminescência, permitindo o desenvolvimento de novos materiais com aplicações em nanofotônica.This work presents a spectroscopic study about Eu3+, Nd3+ and Er3+ rare-earth doped germanate glasses containing metallic and semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) aiming the development of new materials for photonic applications. These glasses have a large transmission window (400-4500 nm), high refractive index (~ 1.9), low phonon energy (700 cm-1), high mechanic resistance and chemical durability. Transmission Electronic Microscopy analysis was performed to verify the metallic and semiconductor NPs nucleation, and indicated the presence of metallic and semiconductor NPs. X ray fluorescence by energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) and electron diffraction analysis showed the chemical nature of the NPs. Optic absorption measurement proved the trivalent incorporation of the rare-earth ions, the responsible phenomenon for the luminescence of the glasses that allowed the measurement of the absorption bands related to the superficial plasmon resonance. Emission measurements were performed with different procedures, related to nature of the rare-earth. High emission bands of Eu3+ were measured related to the 7F J (J=0 to 6) -> 5D 0 transitions; emission bands associated to the frequency upconversion of Er3+ in 530, 550 and 670nm related to the 2H 11/2 -> 4I 15/2, 4S 3/2 -> 4I 15/2 e 4F 9/2 -> 4I 15/2 transitions were observed, and as well as emission bands of Nd3+ in 900, 1076 and 1350 nm related with the 4F 3/2 -> 4I 9/2, 4F 3/2 -> 4I 11/2 e 4F 3/2 -> 4I 13/2 transitions. A significant enhancement of the red light luminescence of Eu3+ was observed in the samples containing silver, gold, and silver together with gold NPs. For the samples containing silicon NPs it was observed a considerable enhancement of the frequency upconversion emission of the erbium. The luminescence enhancement of the samples with metallic NPs is due to the enhancement of the local field nearby the rare-earth ions and/or to the energy transfer between the NPs and the rare-earth ions. The luminescence enhancement of the samples with semiconductor NPs are due to the efficient energy transfer between the NPs and the rare-earth ions originated from the excitons recombination inside the semiconductor NPs. Therefore, the presence of the NPs plays an important role on the luminescence enhancement, allowing de development of new materials for nanophotonic applications

Production and characterization of rare earth doped waveguides containing nanoparticles.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estudar a produção e caracterização de filmes finos do tipo GeO2-Bi2O3 (BGO) produzidos por sputtering-RF com e sem nanopartículas (NPs) semicondutoras, dopados e codopados com íons de Er3+ ou Er3+/Yb3+ para a produção de amplificadores ópticos. A produção de guias de onda do tipo pedestal baseados nos filmes BGO foi realizada a partir de litografia óptica seguida por processo de corrosão por plasma e deposição física a vapor. A incorporação dos íons de terras-raras (TRs) foi verificada a partir dos espectros de emissão. Análises de espectroscopia e microscopia foram indispensáveis para otimizar os parâmetros dos processos para a construção dos guias de onda. Foi observado aumento significativo da luminescência do Er3+ (região do visível e do infravermelho), em filmes finos codopados com Er3+/Yb3+ na presença de nanopartículas de Si. As perdas por propagação mínimas observadas foram de ~1,75 dB/cm para os guias pedestal em 1068 nm. Para os guias dopados com Er3+ foi observado aumento significativo do ganho na presença de NPs de silício (1,8 dB/cm). O ganho óptico nos guias de onda amplificadores codopados com Er3+/Yb3+ e dopados com Er3+ com e sem NPs de silício também foi medido. Ganho de ~8dB/cm em 1542 nm, sob excitação em 980 nm, foi observado para os guias pedestal codopados com Er3+/Yb3+ (Er = 4,64.1019 átomos/cm3, Yb = 3,60.1020 átomos/cm3) com largura de 80 µm; para os guias codopados com concentração superior de Er3+/Yb3+ (Er = 1,34.1021 átomos/cm3, Yb = 3,90.1021 átomos/cm3) e com NPs de Si, foi observado aumento do ganho óptico de 50% para guia com largura de 100 µm. Os resultados apresentados demonstram que guias de onda baseados em germanatos, com ou sem NPs semicondutoras, são promissores para aplicações em dispositivos fotônicos.This work aims to study the production and characterization of GeO2-Bi2O3 (BGO) thin films produced by RF-sputtering with and without semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs),doped and codoped with Er3+ or Er3+/Yb3+ ions for the production of optical amplifiers. The pedestal type waveguide production based on BGO thin film was done trough optical lithography followed by reactive ion etching and physical vapor deposition processes. The incorporation of the rare-earth ions was verified from the emission spectra. Spectroscopy and microscopy analysis were indispensable to optimize the processes parameters for the waveguide fabrication. It was observed minimum propagation losses of ~1,75 dB/cm, at 1068 nm for the pedestal type waveguides. Optical gain was also measured in the Er3+/Yb3+ codoped waveguides with and without Si nanoparticles. Optical gain of 8 dB/cm, at 1542 nm, under 980nm pumping were obtained for 80 µm width Er3+/Yb3+ codoped waveguides (Er = 4,64.1019 atoms/cm3, Yb = 3,60.1020 atoms/cm3). For waveguides doped with higher concentration of Er3+/Yb3+ (Er = 1,34.1021 átomos/cm3, Yb = 3,90.1021 átomos/cm3) and containing silicon nanoparticles, it was observed 50% enhancement of the optical gain for 100 µm width waveguides. For the Er3+ doped waveguides, it was observed significant gain enhancement in the presence of silicon nanoparticles (1.8 dB/cm). The present results demonstrate that germanate waveguides, with or without semiconductor NPs are promising for applications in photonic devices

DENSIDADE POPULACIONAL E ÉPOCA DE PLANTIO NO CRESCIMENTO E PRODUTIVIDADE DA COUVE-FLOR cv. VERONA 284

To study plant growth and yield of cauliflower, two field trials were carried out: the first springsummer (Oct. 07, 2006 to Jan. 28, 2007) and the second autumn-winter (Apr. 04, 2007 to Jul. 09, 2007). The experimental design was randomized complete blocks in 4 x 4 factorial design with three replications. The following factors: line spacing (0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 m) and plant spacing (0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7 m). The used cultivar was cv. Verona 284. The characteristics, number of leaves by plant, diameter of stem, diameter of inflorescence, inflorescence mass and yield were evaluated. With the reduction in spacing, were observed lower numbers of leaves, stem diameter, diameter and mass of the inflorescence, but there was an increase in yield. The maximum yield (23 t ha-1) was obtained with 0.6 x 0.4 m, ie, in higher plant population (41,667, plants ha-1)