Ultra-high-resolution detection of Pb2+ ions using a black phosphorus functionalized microfiber coil resonator

A black phosphorus (BP) functionalized optical fiber sensor based on a microfiber coil resonator (MCR) for Pb2+ ion detection in an aquatic environment is presented and experimentally demonstrated. The MCR-BP sensor is manufactured by winding a tapered microfiber on a hollow rod composed of a low-refractive-index polycarbonate (PC) resin with the BP deposited on the internal wall of the rod. Based on the propagation properties of the MCR, the chemical interaction between the Pb2+ ions and the BP alters the refractive index of the ambient environment and thus results in a detectable shift in the transmission spectrum. The resonance wavelength moves towards longer wavelengths with an increasing concentration of Pb2+ ions, and the sensor has an ultra-high detection resolution of 0.0285 ppb (parts per billion). The temperature dependence is 106.95 pm/°C due to the strong thermo-optic and thermal-expansion effect of the low-refractive-index PC resin. In addition, the sensor shows good stability over a period of 15 days. The local pH also influences the sensor, with the resonance wavelength shift increasing as pH approaches a value of 7 but then decreasing as the pH value increases further due to the effect of the BP layer by H+ and OH− ions. The sensor shows the potential for high-resolution detection of Pb2+ ions in a liquid environment with the particular advantages of having a simple structure, ease of fabrication, low cost, low loss, and simple interrogation

Deactivation Effects of Tb3+ on Ho3+ Emission in Fluoroindate Glasses for 3.9 μm Laser Applications

A series of Ho3+/Tb3+ co-doped fluoroindate glasses with good thermal stability have been synthesized to study the deactivation effects of Tb3+ on the Ho3+: 3.9 μm emission. Efficient 3.9 μm emission enhancement is obtained under excitation by an 888 nm laser diode (LD). The Judd-Ofelt (J-O) intensity parameters and radiative properties are calculated to evaluate the spectroscopic properties. Possible energy transfer processes resulting in emission reinforcement are discussed. A higher spontaneous transition probability and larger peak emission cross section are achieved with the inclusion of Tb3+. This analysis supports the conclusion that Ho3+/Tb3+ co-doped fluoroindate glass is a potentially useful laser material for highly efficient 3.9 μm fiber lasers

Praseodymium Mid-Infrared Emission In AlF3-Based Glass Sensitized By Ytterbium

Broadband emission was obtained over 2.6 to 4.1 μm (Pr3+: 1G4→3F4, 3F3) in AlF3-based glass samples doped with different concentrations of praseodymium and 1 mol% ytterbium using a 976 nm laser pump. An efficient energy transfer process from Yb3+: 2F5/2 to Pr3+: 1G4 was analyzed through emission spectra and fluorescence lifetime values. The absorption and emission cross-sections were calculated by Füchtbauer-Ladenburg and McCumber theories and a positive gain can be obtained when P\u3e0.3. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work represents the first report of broadband mid-infrared emission of Pr3+ in an AlF3-based glass. The results show that praseodymium doped AlF3-based glass sensitized by ytterbium could be a promising candidate for fiber lasers operating in mid-infrared region

Recent advances in luminescence and lasing research in ZBYA glass

In the last few decades, fluoride glasses have attracted a growing interest due to their unique advantages compared to multi-component oxide glasses. Among them, the most studied and widely used were fluorozirconate glasses, represented by ZrF4–BaF2–LaF3–AlF3–NaF (ZBLAN) glasses. However, compared with ZBLAN glasses, a kind of fluorozirconate glass with the components ZrF4–BaF2–YF3–AlF3 (ZBYA) has higher thermal and chemical stability. In this paper, we first introduce the advantages of ZBYA glasses compared to ZBLAN glasses. Then we review and discuss recent advances in research on luminescence and lasing in ZBYA glass and fiber. These studies suggest that ZBYA glass has strong potential for use as a gain medium material in high power mid-infrared fiber lasers

Direct Femtosecond Laser Inscription of High-Order Bragg Gratings in Fluoroaluminate Glass Fiber

This letter reports the fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) within in-house fabricated fluoroaluminate (AlF3) glass fibers using femtosecond (fs) laser inscription at 800 nm. The grating strength of the FBGs was investigated for different pulse energies and different orders, and a 3rd-order FBG with Bragg wavelength at 1557 nm was found to have the highest reflectivity of 99.5%. In addition, the reflectivity of the mid-IR grating peaks for different orders was also studied, and a 2nd-order FBG with a reflectivity of 98.8% was obtained at 2864 nm. Finally, the temperature characteristics of a mid-IR FBG were studied between 30 °C and 150 °C, showing a linear wavelength dependence and an excellent stability for the refractive index modulation. Such highly reflectivity FBGs in AlF3 fiber have significant potential for applications in the development of compact all-fiber mid-IR fiber lasers

Inhibition of TRF2 Accelerates Telomere Attrition and DNA Damage in Naïve CD4 T Cells During HCV Infection

T cells play a crucial role in viral clearance and vaccine responses; however, the mechanisms that regulate their homeostasis during viral infections remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the machineries of T-cell homeostasis and telomeric DNA damage using a human model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We found that naïve CD4 T cells in chronically HCV-infected patients (HCV T cells) were significantly reduced due to apoptosis compared with age-matched healthy subjects (HSs). These HCV T cells were not only senescent, as demonstrated by overexpression of aging markers and particularly shortened telomeres; but also DNA damaged, as evidenced by increased dysfunctional telomere-induced foci (TIF). Mechanistically, the telomere shelterin protein, in particular telomeric repeat binding factor 2 (TRF2) that functions to protect telomeres from DNA damage, was significantly inhibited posttranscriptionally via the p53-dependent Siah-1a ubiquitination. Importantly, knockdown of TRF2 in healthy T cells resulted in increases in telomeric DNA damage and T-cell apoptosis, whereas overexpression of TRF2 in HCV T cells alleviated telomeric DNA damage and T-cell apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report revealing that inhibition of TRF2 promotes T-cell telomere attrition and telomeric DNA damage that accelerates T-cell senescent and apoptotic programs, which contribute to naïve T-cell loss during viral infection. Thus, restoring the impaired T-cell telomeric shelterin machinery may offer a new strategy to improve immunotherapy and vaccine response against human viral diseases

2.9 µm lasing from a Ho³⁺/Pr³⁺ co-doped AlF₃-based glass fiber pumped by a 1150 nm laser

Ho3+/Pr3+ co-doped AlF3-based glass fibers were fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method based on the matrix glass composition of AlF3-BaF2-CaF2-YF3-SrF2-MgF2-LiF-ZrF4-PbF2. Under the pump of a 1150 mW Raman fiber laser, a 2.9 µm laser was observed in a 19 cm long Ho3+/Pr3+ co-doped AlF3-based glass fiber with an output power of 173 mW and a slope efficiency of 10.4%. Ho3+/Pr3+ co-doped AlF3-based glasses were fabricated to investigate the deactivation effects of Pr3+ ions on the Ho3+:5I7 level. Our results showed that the Ho3+/Pr3+ co-doped AlF3-based glass fibers are potential gain media for ~2.9µm lasers

Infrared-laser and upconversion luminescence in Ho³⁺-Yb³⁺ codoped tellurite glass microsphere

In this letter, Ho3+-Yb3+ codoped tellurite glasses were fabricated using the melting-quenching method to produce optical microsphere cavities. A 980 nm excitation laser was coupled into the microsphere through a fiber taper, providing lasing at around 2.0 μm and upconversion luminescence in the visible (380-780 nm)

Ultra-broadband near-infrared photoluminescence in Er³⁺-Ni²⁺co-doped transparent glass ceramics containing nano-perovskite KZnF₃

In this article, ultra-broadband photoluminescence in near-infrared is achieved in KZnF3 glass ceramics doped with Er3+and Ni2+ ions. Er3+-Ni2+ co-doped fluorosilicate glass and glass ceramics embedded with perovskite nanocrystals were fabricated and efficient energy transfer (ET) from Er3+ to Ni2+ ions was confirmed by luminescence spectra and decay curves. In the glass ceramic samples, Ni2+ ions were effectively sensitized by Er3+, and ultra-broadband photoluminescence from 1400 to 2300 nm was observed when a 980 nm laser was used as a pump, as shown in Fig. 1. The temperature and humidity stability of the glass ceramic samples was characterized from the measured transmittance. These results demonstrated that Ni2+-Er3+ co-doped glass ceramics have significant potential for application in optical communication and broadband amplifiers