Ubiquity of optical activity in planar metamaterial scatterers

Recently it was discovered that periodic lattices of metamaterial scatterers show optical activity, even if the scatterers or lattice show no 2D or 3D chirality, if the illumination breaks symmetry. In this Letter we demonstrate that such `pseudo-chirality' is intrinsic to any single planar metamaterial scatterer and in fact has a well-defined value at a universal bound. We argue that in any circuit model, a nonzero electric and magnetic polarizability derived from a single resonance automatically imply strong bianisotropy, i.e., magneto-electric cross polarizability at the universal bound set by energy conservation. We confirm our claim by extracting polarizability tensors and cross sections for handed excitation from transmission measurements on near-infrared split ring arrays, and electrodynamic simulations for diverse metamaterial scatterers.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Increasing the Power: Absorption Bleach, Thermal Quenching, and Auger Quenching of the Red-Emitting Phosphor K2TiF6:Mn4+

Mn4+-doped fluorides are popular phosphors for warm-white lighting, converting blue light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into red light. However, they suffer from droop, that is, decreasing performance at increasing power, limiting their applicability for high-power applications. Previous studies highlight different causes of droop. Here, a unified picture of droop of Mn4+-doped K2TiF6, accounting for all previously proposed mechanisms, is provided. Combining continuous-wave and pulsed experiments on samples of different Mn4+ content with kinetic Monte Carlo modeling, the contributions of absorption bleach, thermal quenching, and Auger quenching at different excitation densities, are quantified. This work contributes to understanding the fundamental limitations of these materials and may inspire strategies to make Mn4+-doped fluorides more efficient in high-power applications

YAG:Ce 3+ Phosphor: From Micron-Sized Workhorse for General Lighting to a Bright Future on the Nanoscale

The renowned yellow phosphor yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with trivalent cerium has found its way into applications in many forms: as powder of micron sized crystals, as a ceramic, and even as a single crystal. However, additional technological advancement requires providing this material in new form factors, especially in terms of particle size. Where many materials have been developed on the nanoscale with excellent optical properties (e.g., semiconductor quantum dots, perovskite nanocrystals, and rare earth doped phosphors), it is surprising that the development of nanocrystalline YAG:Ce is not as mature as for these other materials. Control over size and shape is still in its infancy, and optical properties are not yet at the same level as other materials on the nanoscale, even though YAG:Ce microcrystalline materials exceed the performance of most other materials. This review highlights developments in synthesis methods and mechanisms and gives an overview of the state of the art morphologies, particle sizes, and optical properties of YAG:Ce on the nanoscale

Eu3+ Sensitization via Nonradiative Interparticle Energy Transfer Using Inorganic Nanoparticles

Phosphors have been used successfully for both research and commercial applications for decades. Eu3+-doped materials are especially promising, because of their extremely stable, efficient, and narrow red emission lines. Although these emission properties are ideal for lighting applications, weak absorption in the blue spectral range has until now prevented the use of Eu3+-based phosphors in applications based on blue light-emitting diodes. Here, we demonstrate a sensitization mechanism of Eu3+ based on interparticle Förster resonance energy transfer (IFRET) between lanthanide-doped inorganic nanocrystals (NCs). Compared to co-doping different lanthanides in the same host crystal, IFRET allows an independent choice of host lattices for Eu3+ and its sensitizer while potentially greatly reducing metal-to-metal charge transfer quenching. We demonstrate IFRET between NCs, resulting in red Eu3+ emission upon blue excitation at 485 nm using LaPO4:Tb/LaPO4:Eu and LaPO4:Tb/YVPO4:Eu NC mixtures. These findings pave the way toward engineering blue-sensitized line emitters for solid-state lighting applications

Saturation Mechanisms in Common LED Phosphors

Commercial lighting for ambient and display applications is mostly based on blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) combined with phosphor materials that convert some of the blue light into green, yellow, orange, and red. Not many phosphor materials can offer stable output under high incident light intensities for thousands of operating hours. Even the most promising LED phosphors saturate in high-power applications, that is, they show decreased light output. The saturation behavior is often poorly understood. Here, we review three popular commercial LED phosphor materials, Y3Al5O12 doped with Ce3+, CaAlSiN3 doped with Eu2+, and K2SiF6 doped with Mn4+, and unravel their saturation mechanisms. Experiments with square-wave-modulated laser excitation reveal the dynamics of absorption and decay of the luminescent centers. By modeling these dynamics and linking them to the saturation of the phosphor output intensity, we distinguish saturation by ground-state depletion, thermal quenching, and ionization of the centers. We discuss the implications of each of these processes for LED applications. Understanding the saturation mechanisms of popular LED phosphors could lead to strategies to improve their performance and efficiency or guide the development of new materials

YAG:Ce 3+ Phosphor: From Micron-Sized Workhorse for General Lighting to a Bright Future on the Nanoscale

The renowned yellow phosphor yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with trivalent cerium has found its way into applications in many forms: as powder of micron sized crystals, as a ceramic, and even as a single crystal. However, additional technological advancement requires providing this material in new form factors, especially in terms of particle size. Where many materials have been developed on the nanoscale with excellent optical properties (e.g., semiconductor quantum dots, perovskite nanocrystals, and rare earth doped phosphors), it is surprising that the development of nanocrystalline YAG:Ce is not as mature as for these other materials. Control over size and shape is still in its infancy, and optical properties are not yet at the same level as other materials on the nanoscale, even though YAG:Ce microcrystalline materials exceed the performance of most other materials. This review highlights developments in synthesis methods and mechanisms and gives an overview of the state of the art morphologies, particle sizes, and optical properties of YAG:Ce on the nanoscale

Ultra‐Small YPO ₄ ‐YAG:Ce Composite Nanophosphors with a Photoluminescence Quantum Yield Exceeding 50%

International audienc

Eu3+ Sensitization via Nonradiative Interparticle Energy Transfer Using Inorganic Nanoparticles

Phosphors have been used successfully for both research and commercial applications for decades. Eu3+-doped materials are especially promising, because of their extremely stable, efficient, and narrow red emission lines. Although these emission properties are ideal for lighting applications, weak absorption in the blue spectral range has until now prevented the use of Eu3+-based phosphors in applications based on blue light-emitting diodes. Here, we demonstrate a sensitization mechanism of Eu3+ based on interparticle Förster resonance energy transfer (IFRET) between lanthanide-doped inorganic nanocrystals (NCs). Compared to co-doping different lanthanides in the same host crystal, IFRET allows an independent choice of host lattices for Eu3+ and its sensitizer while potentially greatly reducing metal-to-metal charge transfer quenching. We demonstrate IFRET between NCs, resulting in red Eu3+ emission upon blue excitation at 485 nm using LaPO4:Tb/LaPO4:Eu and LaPO4:Tb/YVPO4:Eu NC mixtures. These findings pave the way toward engineering blue-sensitized line emitters for solid-state lighting applications

Saturation Mechanisms in Common LED Phosphors

Commercial lighting for ambient and display applications is mostly based on blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) combined with phosphor materials that convert some of the blue light into green, yellow, orange, and red. Not many phosphor materials can offer stable output under high incident light intensities for thousands of operating hours. Even the most promising LED phosphors saturate in high-power applications, that is, they show decreased light output. The saturation behavior is often poorly understood. Here, we review three popular commercial LED phosphor materials, Y3Al5O12 doped with Ce3+, CaAlSiN3 doped with Eu2+, and K2SiF6 doped with Mn4+, and unravel their saturation mechanisms. Experiments with square-wave-modulated laser excitation reveal the dynamics of absorption and decay of the luminescent centers. By modeling these dynamics and linking them to the saturation of the phosphor output intensity, we distinguish saturation by ground-state depletion, thermal quenching, and ionization of the centers. We discuss the implications of each of these processes for LED applications. Understanding the saturation mechanisms of popular LED phosphors could lead to strategies to improve their performance and efficiency or guide the development of new materials

Virtual histology of cortical thickness and shared neurobiology in 6 psychiatric disorders

Importance Large-scale neuroimaging studies have revealed group differences in cortical thickness across many psychiatric disorders. The underlying neurobiology behind these differences is not well understood. Objective To determine neurobiologic correlates of group differences in cortical thickness between cases and controls in 6 disorders: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), bipolar disorder (BD), major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia. Design, Setting, and Participants Profiles of group differences in cortical thickness between cases and controls were generated using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. Similarity between interregional profiles of cell-specific gene expression and those in the group differences in cortical thickness were investigated in each disorder. Next, principal component analysis was used to reveal a shared profile of group difference in thickness across the disorders. Analysis for gene coexpression, clustering, and enrichment for genes associated with these disorders were conducted. Data analysis was conducted between June and December 2019. The analysis included 145 cohorts across 6 psychiatric disorders drawn from the ENIGMA consortium. The numbers of cases and controls in each of the 6 disorders were as follows: ADHD: 1814 and 1602; ASD: 1748 and 1770; BD: 1547 and 3405; MDD: 2658 and 3572; OCD: 2266 and 2007; and schizophrenia: 2688 and 3244. Main Outcomes and Measures Interregional profiles of group difference in cortical thickness between cases and controls. Results A total of 12 721 cases and 15 600 controls, ranging from ages 2 to 89 years, were included in this study. Interregional profiles of group differences in cortical thickness for each of the 6 psychiatric disorders were associated with profiles of gene expression specific to pyramidal (CA1) cells, astrocytes (except for BD), and microglia (except for OCD); collectively, gene-expression profiles of the 3 cell types explain between 25% and 54% of variance in interregional profiles of group differences in cortical thickness. Principal component analysis revealed a shared profile of difference in cortical thickness across the 6 disorders (48% variance explained); interregional profile of this principal component 1 was associated with that of the pyramidal-cell gene expression (explaining 56% of interregional variation). Coexpression analyses of these genes revealed 2 clusters: (1) a prenatal cluster enriched with genes involved in neurodevelopmental (axon guidance) processes and (2) a postnatal cluster enriched with genes involved in synaptic activity and plasticity-related processes. These clusters were enriched with genes associated with all 6 psychiatric disorders. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, shared neurobiologic processes were associated with differences in cortical thickness across multiple psychiatric disorders. These processes implicate a common role of prenatal development and postnatal functioning of the cerebral cortex in these disorders