Nucleation and crystal growth in laser patterned lines in glasses

Laser-induced crystallization is a new method for the design and control of the crystallization of glasses and opens a new door in the study of nucleation and crystal growth in glasses. Nonlinear optical Sm-doped -BaB2O4 (-BBO) crystal lines were patterned by continuous wave Yb:YVO4 fiber laser (wavelength 1080 nm) in 8Sm2O3-42BaO-50B2O3 glass as an example, and nucleation and crystal growth behaviors in the laser-patterned bending and crossing lines were examined. It was confirmed that the growth of c-axis oriented -BBO crystals follows along the laser scanning direction even if laser scanning direction changes. The model of self-organized homo-epitaxial crystal growth was demonstrated for the orientation of -BBO crystals at the crossing point of two lines, in which the first crystal line at the crossing point acts as nucleation site for the second crystal line. This study proposes a new crystal growth technology

Unique crystallization behavior of sodium manganese pyrophosphate Na2MnP2O7 glass and its electrochemical properties

Crystallization behavior of Na2MnP2O7 precursor glass was examined. Layered type Na2MnP2O7 was formed at 461 °C for 3 h in N2 filled electric furnace. Irreversible phase change was confirmed from layered Na2MnP2O7 to β-Na2MnP2O7 over 600 °C. At 650 °C crystallized phase was completely changed to β-phase. By means of charge and discharge testing it is found that layered Na2MnP2O7 is also active as cathode in sodium ion batteries. We found glass-ceramics technology is one of the suitable process for the synthesis of layered Na2MnP2O7 cathode without any complicate process

Formation of nonlinear optical Na2TeW2O9 crystals and laser irradiation in tungsten–tellurite glasses

The crystallization behavior of 25Na2O–50WO3–25TeO2 glass was examined to develop transparent glass-ceramics containing nonlinear optical Na2TeW2O9 crystals. It was clarified from XRD analysis and Raman scattering spectra that a metastable crystalline phase is formed initially and the stable crystalline phase of Na2TeW2O9 is created through the transformation of the metastable phase. Laser irradiations (continuous wave Yb:YVO4 fiber laser, wavelength of 1080 nm) with the condition of the laser power of P = 0.55 W and scanning speed of S = 2.3 μm/s created the patterning of homogeneous crystals lines. The crystalline phase in the laser irradiated part was proposed to be the metastable crystalline phase from micro-Raman scattering spectra

Photoluminescence features of new Eu3+ -doped Gd4Mo7O27 phosphors synthesized using glass crystallization technique

New Eu3+-doped Gd4Mo7O27 crystals (the molar ratio of Gd2O3/MoO3 = 1/3.5) with a monoclinic structure C2/c (an inversion symmetry) were synthesized through the crystallization of xEu2O3-(18.89-x)Gd2O3-66.11MoO3-15B2O3-1Al2O3 glasses (x = 0.0472 and 1.889) and photoluminescence (PL) emissions of Eu3+ ions were measured for the first time. The crystallized glass with no Eu2O3 addition (x = 0) showed a blue color under the irradiation of ultra-violet light with a wavelength of λ = 254 nm, the emitting color of the crystallized glass with x = 0.0472 was pink, and that of the crystallized glass with x = 1.889 was orange. The charge transfer (CT) of O2-→Mo6+ providing broad peaks centered at around 325 nm was observed in the crystallized glasses. The peak intensity at 591 nm for the 5D0→7F1 transition of Eu3+ ions in the crystallized glasses with x = 0.0472 and 1.889 was very close to that at 615 nm for the 5D0→7F2 transition for the excitation of λex = 394.5 nm. We propose potential of Gd4Mo7O27 as a new host crystal for rare-earth-doped phosphors