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The cubic Sm@CdS quantum dots (QDs) are grown in a glass matrix with good thermal stability for the first time. The band gap of CdS particles embedded in glass is observed to be in the range of 3.8 to 2.4 eV. The present system is compared with CdS/Sm nanocrystals (NCs) doped in a silica-based glass system. The CdS quantum dots, having a size in the range of 3–6 nm, are grown in the silica glass. Structural characterization has been carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), which shows the cubic structure of Sm@CdS quantum dots in glass, whereas the pristine CdS Q-dot glass shows hexagonal structure. The optical characterization of the glasses has been carried out using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. A spectroscopic study showed a shift in optical transmittance due to thermal treatment, i.e., due to the growth of CdS quantum dots in the glass matrix. The semiconductor crystals are uniform in size and distributed evenly in the glass matrix. The size quantization effect has been seen in both systems. There is a drastic change in the optical band gap with the size of the quantum dots. Under natural sunlight, the hydrogen production experiment was conducted, and an increase of 42.5% in the hydrogen evolution rate was observed from 1 wt% Sm3+ doped CdS (3769.2 μmol h−1 g−1) heat-treated at 525 °C when compared to the CdS Q-dot glass with a similar heat treatment temperature (2626 μmol h−1 g−1). Such cubic CdS QD–glass nanocomposites have great significance owing to their potential applications in solar cells, LEDs, and other optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the intricacies of micro-grinding parameter control for hard and brittle materials, with a specific focus on Zirconia ceramics (ZrO2) and Optical Glass (BK7). Given the increasing demand and application of these materials in various high-precision industries, this study aims to provide a comprehensive kinematic analysis of material removal during the micro-grinding process. According to the grinding parameters selected to be analyzed in this study, the ac-max values are between (9.55 nm ~ 67.58 nm). Theoretical modeling of the grinding force considering the brittle and ductile removal phase, frictional effects, the possibility of grit to cut materials, and grinding conditions is very important in order to control and optimize the surface grinding process. This research introduces novel models for predicting and optimizing micro-grinding forces effectively. The primary objective is to establish a micro-grinding force model that facilitates the easy manipulation of micro-grinding parameters, thereby optimizing the machining process for these challenging materials. Through experimental investigations conducted on Zirconia ceramics, the paper evaluates a mathematical model of the grinding force, highlighting its significance in predicting and controlling the forces involved in micro-grinding. The suggested model underwent thorough testing to assess its validity, revealing an accuracy with average variances of 6.616% for the normal force and 5.752% for the tangential force. Additionally, the study delves into the coefficient of friction within the grinding process, suggesting a novel frictional force model. This model is assessed through a series of experiments on Optical Glass BK7, aiming to accurately characterize the frictional forces at play during grinding. The empirical results obtained from both sets of experiments—on Zirconia ceramics and Optical Glass BK7—substantiate the efficacy of the proposed models. These findings confirm the models' capability to accurately describe the force dynamics in the micro-grinding of hard and brittle materials. The research not only contributes to the theoretical understanding of micro-grinding processes but also offers practical insights for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of machining operations involving hard and brittle materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Barium Borophosphate glass system with molar compositions 40P 2 O 5 – 25B 2 O 3 -(35-x) BaO-xV 2 O 5 and 40P 2 O 5 –25B 2 O 3 –35BaO-xV 2 O 5 (x = 0,1,3,5 mol%) was synthesized using melt-quenching method. A comprehensive investigation of the structural and optical properties was conducted to compare the effects of V 2 O 5 as a dopant and as an addition to the glass matrix. The physical parameters were assessed through the measurement of density. The influence of V 2 O 5 introduction on vibrational modes was studied through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The UV–visible absorbance analysis unveiled the existence of multiple valence states of vanadium (V3+, V4+ and V5+). The reduction in bandgap was determined through the utilization of a Tauc plot, while the measurement of the refractive index allowed for the assessment of its variation with the composition of V 2 O 5. Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) was employed to explore the presence of intrinsic defects within the glass matrix and the impact of V 2 O 5 on the emission spectra. Furthermore, CIE chromaticity coordinates of synthesized samples were observed in both the white and blue regions, suggesting their potential application in display devices. Significantly, V 2 O 5 glass doped with 1 mol% displayed chromaticity, characterized by CIE coordinates x = 0.288 and y = 0.386, closely matching the white region as well as the bandpass filter. The introduction of transition metal oxide dopants into borophosphate glass yielded exceptional emission properties. The ability to modify optical properties makes it more promising for these glass materials, particularly for applications like optical filters and displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel‐based optical waveguides have attracted extensive attention in optogenetics, implantable photomedicine, and biosensors due to their excellent biocompatibility and tissue‐like modulus in compared with traditional SiO2‐based rigid optical fibers. However, the existing ion‐induced supramolecular assembly of alginate‐based hydrogel optical fibers commonly lack of long‐term stability due to poor mechanical property accompanied with swollen. In this paper, a novel catalytic surface polymerization method is developed based on a redox reaction mechanism to in situ grow robust and slippery cladding layer on a core poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel fiber by using the alternative H‐bonding poly(N ‐acryloyl glycinamide) (PNAGA) hydrogels. The resultant hydrogel optical fiber with core‐cladding heterogeneous structure can achieve the desirable total reflection condition, leading to good light transmission and low light loss. The PNAGA cladding with robust H‐bonding network endows the hydrogel optical fiber with high stability and outstanding lubrication in humid environment. More importantly, the hydrogel optical fiber possesses good tissue‐like mechanical performance together with excellent biocompatibility, which shows the great advantages for biomedical applications in compared with traditional glass optical fibers. This work will broaden implantable hydrogel optical fibers in material design and structure processibility, promoting the use of hydrogel‐based optical fibers in various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contactless and label-free detection of urea content in aqueous solutions is of great interest in chemical, biomedical, industrial, and automotive applications. In this work, we demonstrate a compact and low-cost instrumental configuration for label-free, reagent-free, and contactless detection of urea dissolved in water, which exploits the absorption properties of urea in the near-infrared wavelength region. The intensity of the radiation transmitted through the fluid under test, contained in a rectangle hollow glass tubing with an optical pathlength of 1 mm, is detected in two spectral bands. Two low-cost, low-power LEDs with emission spectra centered at λ = 1450 nm and λ = 2350 nm are used as readout sources. The photodetector is positioned on the other side of the tubing, in front of the LEDs. The detection performances of a photodiode and of a thermal optical power detector have been compared, exploiting different approaches for LED driving current modulation and photodetected signal processing. The implemented detection system has been tested on urea–water solutions with urea concentrations from 0 up to 525 mg/mL as well as on two samples of commercial diesel exhaust fluid ("AdBlue™"). Considering the transmitted intensity in presence of the urea–water solution, at λ = 1450 nm and λ = 2350 nm, normalized to the transmitted intensity in presence of water, we demonstrate that their ratio is linearly related to urea concentration on a wide range and with good sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the effects of annealing in a vacuum on the structural, electrical, thermoelectric, optical and properties of a glass/ITO (40 nm)/Cu (5 nm)/Ni (10 nm)/ITO (40 nm) multilayer prepared on glass substrates at room temperature using the Radio Frequency (RF) sputtering technique. The effect of annealing in a vacuum is investigated. The structures of the ICNI were analyzed using X-Ray Reflectivity (XRR) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the electrical and optical properties were characterized using the four-point probe measurement method and a UV–Vis-NIR spectrometer, respectively. The influence of the annealing temperature in a vacuum on transmittance, structural integrity, electrical behavior, energy band gap, resistivity, Seebeck coefficient, and figure of merit were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A melt quenching technique was used for the preparation of xBaO–(30-x)TeO2–35Bi2O3–33B2O3–2V2O5 (5 ≤ x ≤ 25 mol%) glasses. The structural modifications are studied by X-ray diffraction, DSC, optical, infrared spectroscopy, and Raman as a function of BaO mol%. The progressive incorporation of BaO mol% in the BTBiBV glasses decreases the optical band gap values as the number of free electrons increases with the creation of additional NBOs. The FTIR spectra of the prepared glasses consist of BO3 trigonal and BO4 tetrahedral units while TeO2 changes to TeO3 andTeO4 structural units. The Raman spectra shows that the replacement of BaO with TeO2 decreases the concentration of Te–O–Te linkages within the volume of host glass, which increases the concentration of Ba–O–Te linkages along with BO3 units. Due to this, the overall glass formers connectivity decreases which intern to the creation of NBOs. Moreover, the research highlighted that BTBiBV-5 glasses have exceptional optical properties making them promising materials for photonics, optoelectronics, and optical communication device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of micro-crystallization (based on annealing time and temperature) on near-infrared (NIR)-shielding properties of Li 0.09 K 0.23 WO 3 doped glass was investigated. The tungsten bronze doped glass was prepared by a facile melt-quenching technique. Structure and optical properties of the glass and glass-ceramics were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Raman, and UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometry, respectively. Increasing the annealing temperature increases in the range from 400 °C to 500 °C, the tungsten-functional unit Li 0.09 K 0.23 WO 3 structure, which is responsible for NIR-shielding, changes the structural state from amorphous state to crystalline state gradually. Thus, the NIR-shielding properties of glass are significantly enhanced. Furthermore, annealing glass samples at 450 °C, during timeframe from 2 h to 8 h, causes crystallization and grain growth of the functional units, thus NIR-shielding property of the glasses is enhancing. It worth to be mentioned, that the increase of annealing temperature and time duration causes excessive grain growth in the glass matrix, which leads to decreasing of the optical transmittance in the visible light wavelength region. We have found, that the glass sample annealing temperature is at 450 °C with treatment time of 6 h yields the best results. In such manner the optical transmittance at λ = 1500 nm wavelength is 16.5 % and the highest transmittance of visible light wavelength region reaches 65 %. We conclude, that the NIR-shielding properties are adjustable and can be tailored by annealing temperature and time duration, which is expected to enhance the design and vary visual aspects of energy-saving windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Dy3+ doped niobiosilicate luminescent glasses have been prepared by high temperature melting using the chemical composition of 35SiO 2 –35Nb 2 O 5 –10Na 2 O–20K 2 O-xDy 2 O 3 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 mol%). Results of differential scanning calorimetry (DCS) show that the glass matrix has good thermal stability. Presence of [SiO 4 ] and [NbO 6 ] structural units in the glass was confirmed by FTIR and Raman spectral analyses. Results of UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectra show that Dy3+ doped optical glass can be excited by ultraviolet light, and the transmittance curve displays the high transmittance of the glass. Photoluminescence (PL) analysis reveals that there are three emission peaks: 4F 9/2 → 6H 15/2 (blue light), 4F 9/2 → 6H 13/2 (yellow light), and 4F 9/2 → 6H 11/2 (red light); the highest intensity of the samples is obtained at x = 0.8 mol%, and the variable temperature emission spectrum shows that the emission intensity at 423 K remains above 78.85 % that of room temperature. The CIE chrominance coordinate diagram determines that the chrominance coordinate value is close to the standard white light, the correlation color temperature calculation proves that it is located in the cold white light region. The decay curve can be fitted with the double exponential attenuation equation. The above results show that Dy3+ doped niobiosilicate glass has the potential to be used as W-LED material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A melt quenching technique was used for the preparation of xBaO–(30-x)TeO2–35Bi2O3–33B2O3–2V2O5 (5 ≤ x ≤ 25 mol%) glasses. The structural modifications are studied by X-ray diffraction, DSC, optical, infrared spectroscopy, and Raman as a function of BaO mol%. The progressive incorporation of BaO mol% in the BTBiBV glasses decreases the optical band gap values as the number of free electrons increases with the creation of additional NBOs. The FTIR spectra of the prepared glasses consist of BO3 trigonal and BO4 tetrahedral units while TeO2 changes to TeO3 andTeO4 structural units. The Raman spectra shows that the replacement of BaO with TeO2 decreases the concentration of Te–O–Te linkages within the volume of host glass, which increases the concentration of Ba–O–Te linkages along with BO3 units. Due to this, the overall glass formers connectivity decreases which intern to the creation of NBOs. Moreover, the research highlighted that BTBiBV-5 glasses have exceptional optical properties making them promising materials for photonics, optoelectronics, and optical communication device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a timeline of the innovation, development, and clinical adoption of ureteroscopy, a procedure used for the treatment of kidney stones. The journey of flexible ureteroscopes began 70 years ago and has since seen rapid advancements in technology. These advancements include the development of tip-deflection mechanisms, working channels, and improvements in image quality. The article also discusses issues that have emerged, such as the susceptibility of the optics to laser energy and the management of irrigation and intrarenal pressure. Additionally, it highlights efforts to optimize ergonomics and the development of robotic systems for performing ureteroscopy. The article concludes by stating that the future holds further advancements in the field of ureteroscopy. [Extracted from the article]

It is hard to overstate the utility of lasers in modern technology. Optical-fiber-based lasers are of particular value thanks to their combination of small form factors, afforded by the coilability of the thin strands of fiber, and high beam-quality output. The optical fiber geometry also possesses a relatively high surface-area-to-volume ratio, rendering thermal management somewhat more straightforward than in other bulk laser types. Regardless, the generation of heat during the lasing process can still be problematic for a myriad of reasons, and conventional methods of thermal management do not comport with the potential compactness and elegance of fiber lasers as technological solutions. This Perspective summarizes recent advances in glass science and optical fiber engineering to support the provocative premise that heat generation in future laser systems can be entirely managed by a combination of fiber materials and novel laser physics. Letting the fiber manage heat itself would have significant impacts on enhancing system performance while greatly reducing size, weight, power-consumption, and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the automotive industry, there has been considerable focus on developing various sensors for engine oil monitoring. However, when it comes to monitoring the condition of brake fluid, which is crucial for ensuring safety, there has been a lack of a secure online method for this monitoring. This study addresses this gap by developing a hybrid silica nanofiber mat, or an aerogel integrated with an optical fiber sensor, to monitor brake fluid condition. The incorporation of silica nanofibers in this hybrid enhances the sensitivity of the optical fiber glass surface by at least 3.75 times. Furthermore, creating an air gap between the glass surface of the optical fiber and the nanofibers boosts sensitivity by at least 5 times, achieving a better correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.98). In the case of silica aerogel, the sensitivity is enhanced by 10 times, but this enhancement relies on the presence of the established air gap. The air gap was adjusted to range from 0.5 mm to 1 mm, without any significant change in the measurement within this range. The response time of the developed sensor is a minimum of 15 min. The sensing material is irreversible and has a diameter of 2.5 mm, making it easily replaceable. Overall, the sensor demonstrates strong repeatability, with approximately 90% consistency, and maintains uncertainty levels below 5% across specific ranges: from 3% to 6% for silica aerogel and from 5% to 6% for silica nanofibers in the presence of an air gap. These findings hold promise for integrating such an optical fiber sensor into a car's electronic system, enabling the direct online monitoring of brake fluid quality. Additionally, the study elucidates the effect of water absorption on the refractive index of brake fluid, as well as on the silica nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four glass systems of Nd2O3- doped borate/phosphate glasses with nominal compositions of (58-x)B2O3 + 25P2O5 + 7BaO + 10Li2O + xNd2O3:(0 (BPBLN0) ≤ x ≤ 3 (BPBLN3)) molar percentage were obtained by ordinary melt-quench approach. Physical properties, XRD measurements, and UV–Vis spectroscopy for these glass blocks were investigated. Also, the influence of the insertion of Nd3+ ions in structured glass on gamma-ray attenuation competence has been examined at selected photon energy (283.5 keV (137Cs)–2506 keV (60Co) via FLUKA code and Phy-X/PSD online platform. XRD patterns pinpointed a loss of ordered crystalline structure and verified the amorphous state of the glass blocks. Density (ρglass) of enhanced from 2.71 to 2.86 g/cm3. The optical-energy-gap (Eg) diminished from 4.12 to 3.91 eV and 3.45 eV to 3.20 eV for direct and indirect transitions, respectively. The Urbach-energy (EU) values were ranged from 0.74 eV for BPBLN0 to 0.35 eV for BPBLN3 glass. Mass-attenuation-coefficient was increased as Nd+3 ions increased in glass structure as: (BPBLN3)MAC > (BPBLN2)MAC > (BPBLN1)MAC > (BPBLN0)MAC. At incoming photon energy, E = 2506 keV, the half-value-layer were decreased as Nd+3 ions increased in glass structure as HVL = 6.603 cm, 6.510 cm, 6.392 cm, and 6.227 cm for BPBLN0, BPBLN1, BPBLN2, and BPBLN3 samples, respectively. The effective-atomic-number (Zeff) followed the trend: (BPBLN3)Zeff > (BPBLN2)Zeff > (BPBLN1)Zeff > (BPBLN0)Zeff. These outcomes confirmed that BPBLN-glass systems have the prospective to be regarded as suitable materials for applications involving optical and radiation attenuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on municipal solid waste (MSW) ash as a main raw material, three novel borosilicate glasses with the composition of 70 waste + 20 borax + 10 Na2O + x ZrO2, where x = 0, 0.1 or 0.3 (wt. %),were prepared by the traditional melting-annealing technique. The prepared glasses were analyzed by EDX analysis, revealing the rich compositions of the prepared glasses correlated to the MSW ash used by 70 wt.% in preparing glasses. Some optical, chemical and radiation shielding properties of the prepared glasses were investigated. Either Zr addition or 80 kGy of gamma radiation revealed improvement of the glasses optical transmittance and chemical durability in neutral dis H2O, alkaline 0.1 N NaOH and acidic 0.1 N HCl leaching media for 70 days. Electron spin resonance (ESR) revealed the same spectra before and after irradiation, referring to the prevention of free radical formation by irradiation. The shielding parameters were measured by the experimental gamma spectroscopy (NaI detector) and the theoretical Phy-X/PSD software e.g., linear attenuation coefficients (LAC) and the findings revealed high unanimity among them at photon energies 0.662, 1.173 and 1.333 MeV. Another shielding parameters were also studied e.g., mass attenuation coefficients (MAC), effective atomic number (Zeff), effective electron density (Neff) and effective conductivity (Ceff). Presence of various metal oxides and the host trigonal BO3 and tetrahedral BO4 and SiO4 units, and ZrO2 provide the glasses compactness and effectual stability against ionizing irradiation. The prepared borosilicate glasses have highly strong and compacted structures that can inhibit the passage of radiation photons, because of the variety of many glass network formers, intermediates and modifiers present in the used waste ash. The results indicate the highly economic benefit of the prepared glasses, where the useless MSW ash are used mainly by 70 wt.% to produce effective borosilicate glass systems for promising radiation shielding purposes, especially 0.3 Zr borosilicate glass that has the best radiation shielding properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical characteristics of glasses have become an increasingly established and developing aspect. This article presents the optical characteristics of the Ln3+ ion in lead sodium fluoroborate glass, which has the composition 10 PbO-19 NaF-70 B2O3-1.0 Ln2O3 (where Ln=Eu and Tb, all in mol.%). Glass samples were processed using the conventional melt-quenched approach, and the glassy nature was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction patterns. The optical absorption spectra of PbO-NaF-B2O3 glasses with Eu3+ ions exhibit distinct absorption bands that were assigned to the transitions 7F0→5L6, 5D3, 5D2, and 7F1→5D1. Judd-Ofelt (JO) factors (Ω2, Ω4, Ω6) were determined from the absorption spectra. By using least square fit analysis, oscillator strength (f) was evaluated and presented. Regarding the three J-O parameters (Ω2, Ω4 and Ω6), Ω2, that is related to structural adjustments in the area of the Ln3+ ion, indicates slow adjustments of the covalent surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of copper (Cu) doping content on zinc oxide with varied weight percentages and the dispersion of Cu-doped ZnO (CZO) by adding polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), coated on a glass substrate, through a physical assessment and optical property and thermal insulation testing. CZO NPs were synthesized by using the sol–gel method with a zinc acetate precursor. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the CZO showed that the solid solubility limit was below 5 mol% without a secondary phase. A field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) micrograph demonstrated that the particle size of CZO was in nanoscale with the packing of a quasi-spherical shape. The UV-Vis-NIR reflectance spectra of the powder showed that 1 mol% CZO has the highest near-infrared (NIR) reflectivity in the wavelength 780–2500 nm, with great visible light transmission. The CZO NPs were loaded in acrylic copolymer in different weight percentages ranging from 25 wt% to 75 wt%, the film thickness of the coating was varied from 5 µm to 100 µm, and PVP was added into this nanocomposite polymer to disperse through an ultrasonication method. The results showed that the highest loading of CZO powder in a polymer at 75 wt% in 100 µm of thickness with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a dispersant showed better sample dispersion and retained good transparency to the naked eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical glass is an isotropic amorphous solid material; due to its excellent performance, it has been widely used in various fields. However, during the milling process, the optical glass will have defects such as edge break damage and cracks on the surface, import and export, and side edges; these defects seriously affect the application of optical glass. In order to study the formation mechanism of defects such as edge break damage and cracks during optical glass processing and experimental and theoretical study of optical glass milling using ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling (UVAM), the edge break damage depth model of the export edge collapse was established. The results show that the main reason for the edge break damage is that the optical glass will crack on the subsurface during processing; the propagation of these cracks causes the amorphous material to tear and crumble. By comparing and analyzing the results of ultrasonic vibration milling and ordinary milling, ultrasonic vibration can significantly reduce this phenomenon, and it is found that the cutting depth and feed per tooth have a great influence on the export edge break damage value, and the influence of spindle speed is less. In addition, when the amplitude of the ultrasonic wave is applied, not only the import and export edge break damage phenomenon can be significantly improved, but also the surface quality can be significantly improved. Therefore, the application of ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling to the processing of optical glass can improve the surface and edge quality, which is help improve the application range of optical glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single particle tracking (SPT) combined with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFm) is an outstanding approach to decipher mechanisms on the cell membrane at the nanoscale. Multicolor configurations, needed to investigate interactions, are still hindered by several challenges. This work systematically and quantitatively analyzes the impact of necessary elements of SPT‐TIRFm setups on the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), which must be optimized especially in dynamic studies needing minimally invasive dyes for biomolecule labeling. Autofluorescence originating from commonly used optical glass results in the dominant limiting factor in TIRFm, and a cover glass material is tested yielding significant SNR improvements in multichannel TIRFm. Moreover, methodologies are optimized for reducing fluorophore photobleaching in multicolor implementations requiring simultaneous stabilization of multiple dyes. The developed strategies are applied to the fast p75NTR receptors labeled by two fluorophores on the membrane of living cells, achieving reliable, simultaneous two‐color SPT, contrary to configurations using standard cover glasses. This work highlights the importance of optical materials suitable for microscopy and with reduced autofluorescence for increasing sensitivity toward ultimate spatiotemporal resolutions. In particular, the present protocols can pave the way for multicolor super‐resolved localization and tracking of single molecules by TIRFm, greatly expanding the potential of SPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to determine the variation in the properties of cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin films deposited on a p-type Si substrate by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique at four different working powers (70 W, 80 W, 90 W, and 100 W). The substrate temperature, working pressure, and deposition time during the deposition process were kept constant at 220 °C, 0.46 Pa, and 30 min, respectively. To study the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the CdTe films grown under the mentioned experimental conditions, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and optical spectroscopy were used. For a better analysis of the films' structural and optical properties, a group of films were deposited onto optical glass substrates under similar deposition conditions. The electrical characterisation of Ag/CdTe/Al "sandwich" structures was also performed using current–voltage characteristics in the dark at different temperatures. The electrical measurements allowed the identification of charge transport mechanisms through the structure. New relevant information released by the present study points towards 90 W RF power as the optimum for obtaining a high crystallinity of ~1 μm nanostructured thin films deposited onto p-Si and optical glass substrates with optical and electrical properties that are suitable for use as absorber layers. The obtained high-quality CdTe nanostructured thin films are perfectly suitable for use as absorbers in CdTe thin-film photovoltaic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SmO 3/2 -TiO 2 -H f O 2 (STH) glasses system was successfully prepared using the aerodynamic levitation technique. XRD analysis confirms that the obtained samples are amorphous. Raman spectra demonstrate that the maximum phonon energy is 1060 cm−1. DSC measurements reveal that the addition of H f O 2 , with its high melting point, increases both T x and T g. The maximum ΔT reaches 75.7 °C, and the density of the glass increases from 5.0548 to 5.1097 g/cm3. When the H f O 2 content is kept constant, a decrease in Sm 2 O 3 content and an increase in TiO 2 content lead to a decrease in T g and T x , with a corresponding increase in density. The glass exhibits a maximum Vickers hardness of 8.102 GPa, which can be attributed to the high dissociation energy of Sm 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , and H f O 2. Furthermore, both ST and STH glasses show excellent resistance to acid and alkali corrosion. Additionally, the refractive index contribution of each oxide follows the order: TiO 2 > HfO 2 > Sm 2 O 3. The refractive index increases with increasing TiO 2 and H f O 2 content. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the ratio of each oxide to optimize the values of V m , OPD, and α O 2− for a positive effect on the refractive index. The transmittance of STH glass is approximately 70 %, and the internal transmittance is 90 %. This indicates good transmittance even without considering reflection. The glass has a maximum refractive index of 2.343 and an Abbe number υ d in the range of 17.06–18.02, meeting the dispersion requirements of commercial optical glasses. These results suggest that STH glass is a highly refractive optical glass with promising potential for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ge x Sb 30-x Se 70 : x = 30, 25, 15, 10 glass films were prepared by thermal evaporation technique. The surface morphology of glass films was studied by atomic force microscopy. The samples exhibited surface roughness with a root mean square value falling within the 0.89–1.47 nm range. The optical properties were precisely characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the 4.13–0.77 eV spectral range. The Cody-Lorentz dispersion model was used to fit the data across the entire spectral range and extract the optical functions of glass films. It has been observed that the refractive index, n values rise with increasing energy, reaching a peak, and then experience a subsequent decline. The refractive index values exhibit a rising trend with an increase in Sb content. The optical bandgap, E g opt was found to follow a decreasing pattern with a decrease in Ge content. The refractive index dispersion curve was analyzed using the Wemple and DiDomenico single oscillator model in the lower absorption spectral region. It has been observed the values of oscillator energy, E o, and static refractive index, n 0, exhibit a pattern consistent with that of E g opt , and n, respectively. The optical properties, such as the high-frequency dielectric constant, carrier concentration, plasma frequency, and optical conductivity were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical glass BK7 is an amorphous crown glass widely used in the aviation industry and high-power laser equipment due to its mechanical and optical properties. With the hard surface and brittle nature, the grinding process is one of the standard machining methods of BK7. Fracture is a dominant mechanism in removing brittle materials, which causes surface and sub-surface defects in the workpiece. Prediction of the depth of sub-surface damage (SSD) that has occurred allows the optimal reduction or even elimination of sub-surface defects in the finish grinding stage. This research aimed to comprehensively investigate the multifaceted influence of seven pertinent parameters on the depth of sub-surface damage (SSD) and surface roughness (SR) resulting from the grinding process. More specifically, it delved into the effects of the grinding wheel's movement direction under varying contact conditions, including angular grinding, vertical grinding, and face grinding, focusing on three critical aspects: the maximum undeformed chip thickness, depth of sub-surface damage, and resulting surface roughness. The contact conditions between the grinding wheel and the workpiece were systematically classified into four groups based on predetermined input parameters to facilitate in-depth analysis. Subsequently, the resulting outputs were evaluated and compared across these diverse contact conditions. The comparative examination between theoretical equations and experimental findings unveiled a maximum deviation of 10 % in SSD depths and 15.61 % in SR estimations. Furthermore, this study's experimental assessments identified nonlinear and monotonic relationships between the depth of SSD, surface roughness, and the maximum undeformed chip thickness (h m). The experimental relationships and the measured results notably highlighted observed discrepancies of 4.27 %, 10 %, and 10 % for the respective parameters (SSD, surface roughness, and h m). • The effect of the spiral speed on the surface and subsurface defects had not been evaluated with the cup grinding wheel. • Maximum undeformed chip thickness (h m) relations were modified based on the grinding conditions. • The SSD depth and the SR value in four grinding conditions with cup wheels were theoretically and experimentally evaluated. • The SR values and SSD depth can be changed according to the workpiece radius based on the grinding conditions. • Monotonic non-linear relations are obtained based on the experimenral results to calculate SSD depth in terms of SR value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effect of an experimental borosilicate glass on the mechanical and optical behavior of 5Y-PSZ zirconia and comparing it to commercial glaze and as-sintered. Disc-shaped specimens of a 5Y-PSZ (Zpex Smile) were prepared and sintered (1550 °C, 2 h). The zirconia discs were randomly divided according to the surface treatment: as-sintered (C), commercial glaze (G), and experimental borosilicate glass (SL). Glaze and experimental glass powders were mixed with building liquids and applied to zirconia with a brush. G specimens were fired at 950 °C and SL at 1200 °C. An extended dwell time of 20 min was applied to both groups. Biaxial flexural strength, roughness (Ra and Rz), translucency (TP 00), color alteration (ΔE 00), Vickers hardness, fracture toughness, residual stresses, and x-ray diffraction analyses were conducted. Statistical analyses were performed with Weibull statistics, Kruskal-Wallis, or ANOVA tests (α = 5%). SL yielded the highest flexural strength (799.35 MPa), followed by G (662.34 MPa), and C (485.38 MPa). The fracture origin of SL specimens was in the bulk zirconia, while G and C showed fractures starting at the surface. As-sintered reached the highest fracture toughness and hardness. Glaze and borosilicate glass provided surface compressive stresses. Borosilicate glass application led to phase transformation (t→m). SL and G showed the lowest roughness. TP 00 and ΔE 00 were similar among groups. Borosilicate glass improved strength without harming the optical properties of third-generation zirconia. Toughness and roughness provided by the experimental glass were similar to those from commercial glaze. • Experimental borosilicate glass improved the flexural strength of 5Y-PSZ. • Borosilicate glass application led to phase transformation (t→m) of 5Y-PSZ. • Glaze and borosilicate glass produced similar translucency and color alteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum trioxide/indium/silver/indium/molybdenum trioxide layers were evaporated on the polyethylene terephthalate and glass substrates using thermal evaporation coating machine. In this study, we compare the electrical, optical, and topological properties of dielectric/metal/dielectric fabricated on the polyethylene terephthalate substrate and glass substrate. In this way, the influence of dielectric and metal thicknesses on the electroptical behavior and topological properties of the transparent conductive film are studied. Furthermore, the influence of the substrate temperature on the physical properties of prepared thin films is investigated. The results show that by increasing molybdenum trioxide film thickness, the sheet resistance increases. We find that the prepared thin films on the glass substrate has high optical transmittance with respect to its on the polyethylene terephthalate substrate. We also find that by increasing the substrate temperature, figure of merit decreases. It means that the maximum figure of merit is achieved at the room substrate temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For high‐efficiency optical quantum technology platforms, bonding rare‐earth doped crystals on glass are of great interest, enabling the enhancement of the optical guided mode interaction with the active rare‐earth ions. Optical coherence lifetimes and stable operation are operated at very low temperature (3–4 K). Bonding should be preferably performed without adding any intermediate sticking layer in order not to hamper the optical mode distribution and propagation. Directly bonded Y2SiO5 crystal on a borosilicate glass is shown and the bonding mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcogenide glasses with less optical losses are highly demanded as optical materials for micro lense, waveguide and fiber devices. However, it is still challengeable to reduce the optical losses in infrared chalcogenide glasses with opaque visible light. Herein, an improved 3D distribution of scattering sources is established in this study to test and compare the concentration and distribution of defects in As 38 S 62 , Ge 28 Sb 12 Se 60 and As 40 Se 60 chalcogenide glasses. Furthermore, by comparing the scattering images of serial As 40 Se 60 glass prepared under various melting, quenching and annealing temperatures, the preparation process was optimized to reduce its scattering loss. In addition, this study introduced a scheme that could be widely applied to optimize processing of other infrared glasses and devices glass to reduce their scattering losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel on-chip optical sensing system using ion exchange technology and phase-shifted Bragg grating design. The sensor geometry has been optimized using a finite difference time domain (FDTD) solver to achieve maximum sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM). The proposed design offers high sensitivity to changes in refractive index and low fabrication costs. The ion exchange process used to create the sensor allows for precise refractive index control, optimizing the sensor's sensitivity and FOM. A graded-index waveguide and a phase-shifted Bragg grating structure also contribute to the sensor's high sensitivity. The proposed sensor design was tested for water-based sensing applications, achieving a FOM of 227.63 and a 343.1 nm/RIU sensitivity. These values are significantly higher than those reported for other Bragg grating sensors, highlighting the potential of the proposed design for high-performance sensing applications. The sensor's high sensitivity and low fabrication costs make it a promising technology for future sensing and monitoring applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In micro-abrasive water jet polishing (MAWJP) technology, where abrasive particles serve as polishing tools, particles tend to form large clusters, leading to increased nozzle wear and diminished material polishing quality. Achieving a polishing solution with good dispersion stability is crucial for enhancing polishing accuracy and minimizing nozzle wear. Therefore, this study employed three dispersants with distinct dispersion mechanisms to examine the impact of each dispersant's concentration on the dispersion stability of the polishing solution across various abrasive concentrations. Through experimentation, the optimal dispersant type and concentration ratio of abrasive to dispersant were determined, and the effect of the selected dispersant on jet polishing performance was validated. The results of the dispersion stability experiment indicated that, in comparison to Na(PO3)6 and polyethylene glycol (PEG), the polishing solution containing 1.0–2.0 wt% phosphoric ester compounds exhibited a more stable dispersion effect (zeta potential < −50 mV) and superior dispersibility, characterized by a smaller average particle size. Furthermore, K9 optical glass was subjected to fixed-point and local polishing using phosphoric ester compounds as the dispersant. The fixed-point polishing experiment revealed that, at a dispersant concentration of 1.0 wt% and an abrasive concentration of 20 wt%, a smooth and symmetrical material removal profile could be achieved. In the local polishing experiment, the reduction rate of the root mean square of the surface roughness (RMS) increased from 54.33% to 82.24%, and the reduction rate of peak-to-valley height difference in surface (PV) increased from 38.84% to 68.97%. In conclusion, the incorporation of a dispersant proves effective in enhancing the dispersion stability of the polishing solution and dispersibility of the abrasive particles, thereby improving the surface quality of the materials in MAWJP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper centers on an exploration of optical glasses with high transmittance within the infrared spectrum at wavelength of 1 060 nm, while concurrently demonstrating full absorption within the ultraviolet and visible spectral ranges. The paper analyzes the present state of glasses demonstrating necessary transmittance at IR range, considering their inherent strengths and limitations. In this context, an R2O–PbO–SiO2 glass system with Cr2O3–Mn2O3 colorants system emerges as the subject of this research. Research was conducted to comprehensively assess the impact of this colorant system on the glass spectral characteristics, while considering the potentially detrimental influence of FeO. The principles underlying the industrial production of these glasses are systematically elucidated and presented. It was discovered that using gas heating during the cooling phase of glass melting resulted in the disruption of the spectral homogeneity of the glass, ultimately leading to defective product outcomes. Implementing the methodology of gasless temperature reduction (inertial cooling process) before glass pouring has created a favorable environment for producing high‐quality items. Glass samples from the laboratory tests were obtained, and the researched glass was integrated into serial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dy3+-embedded glasses have been widely considered for light-emitting diode applications as well as optical display devices. Based on this importance, the present study investigates the structural and photoluminescence characteristics of Dy3+-embedded zincfluoroborophosphate glasses. These glasses with molar composition of 35H3BO3 + 10NH4H2PO4 + 25BaCO3 + (5 − N)La2O3 + 25ZnF2 + NDy2O3 (BPBaLaZfDyN), where N = 2.0, 1.0, 0.5, 0.1, and 0.05, were fabricated by the melt and quenching procedure. FTIR spectra show the existence of fundamental groups such as BO3 and BO4 units, phosphates as well as OH groups. The criterion of metallization, optical electronegativity and basicity of the fabricated glasses was investigated and presented. The three phenomenological Judd–Ofelt (JO) parameters were estimated with the aid of optical absorption of oscillator strengths by using well-known theoretical JO model and in turn estimated the essential radiative characteristics of excited fluorescent states of Dy3+ ion. Dy3+:BPBaLaZfDy glasses reveal the luminescence levels at 840 nm (infrared: 4F9/2 → 6H7/2), 754 nm (infrared: 4F9/2 → 6H9/2), 664 nm (weak red: 4F9/2 → 6H11/2), 485 nm (blue: 4F9/2 → 6H15/2) and 576 nm (yellow: 4F9/2 → 6H13/2), exciting at 350 nm. Among different concentrations, 0.5 mol% (BPBaLaZfDy0.5) glass exhibits relatively more intense emission for 4F9/2 → 6H15/2,13/2,11/2 transitions. From emission data, colour chromaticity coordinates, yellow/blue emission intensity ratio, colour purity and correlated colour temperatures have been determined. The decay times for BPBaLaZfDy glasses were measured with 350 nm excitation and noticed that the radiative de-excitation from 4F9/2 → 6H13/2 state. The fluorescence lifetime values decrease (659 μs to 389 μs) with increase (0.05 to 2.0 mol%) in Dy3+ content. The analysis of the present work confirms the preference of BPBaLaZfDy glasses for the fabrication of optical display components as well as white light luminescence devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn2+‐activated metal halides are widely reported in multi‐functional optoelectronic applications. However, Mn2+‐related optical thermometry is seldom discussed. In this work, all‐inorganic Cs3CdBr5 nanocrystals (NCs) are precipitated in glass. Incorporation of Mn2+ acts as a nucleation agent to promote the growth and improve the optical properties of Cs3CdBr5 NCs embedded in glass with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 66%. It is found that [MnBr4]‐[MnBr4] structural units are strongly coupled in Cs3Cd1‐xMnxBr5 NCs, leading to efficient energy transfer from a single [MnBr4] unit to [MnBr4]‐[MnBr4] couples and subsequent green‐red dual‐band emission with the same excitation spectra. The temperature‐dependence of green emission from the [MnBr4] unit and red emission from the [MnBr4]‐[MnBr4] couples results in high Sa (0.0241 K−1 at 168 K) and Sr (3.0346% K−1 at 74 K) from Cs3Cd1‐xMnxBr5 NCs embedded in glasses. These results pave the way for novel Mn2+‐activated metal halide NCs for high‐sensitive temperature sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision glass molding (PGM) is an efficient process used for batch manufacturing of high-precision glass optical elements. In this process, nickel phosphide (Ni–P) alloy is commonly utilized as a mold material due to its superior turning properties. However, the Ni–P mold suffers from issues such as diffusion of phosphorus elements, poor wear resistance, and easy peeling of the DLC coating during molding. To address these problems, the current study proposes enhancing the molding performance of mold by depositing a composite coating layer of Ti/Ti-DLC onto the surface of Ni–P using the filtered cathodic vacuum arc technology (FCVA). The effects of different flow rates of C 2 H 2 on Ti-DLC coatings were analyzed in terms of composition, microstructure, mechanical, tribological, and molding properties. The results revealed that as the C 2 H 2 flow rate increased, the Ti content of coatings decreased from 13.56 to 2.17 at.%. Additionally, the film microstructure transformed from TiC polycrystalline composite films to nanocrystalline amorphous composite films and finally to amorphous films. The Ti-DLC coatings with a nanocrystalline composite structure exhibited excellent overall performance when Ti content is 7.75 at.%. These coatings are suitable as protective coatings for microstructured array mold and demonstrate good stability at a molding temperature of 500 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to prepare modified glassy barriers of the composition (70 − x) mol% B2O3 + 20 mol% Na2O + 10 mol% BaO + x mol% La2O3 for use as radiation shielding materials. The cooling method has been considered for the sample's preparation process. The structural properties were investigated using density and Infrared Spectroscopy. The hardness of the prepared glasses was studied. The optical transmittance and absorbance of the prepared glasses was measured using optical spectra measurements. The prepared samples were exposed to a parallel beam of gamma rays emitted from different radioactive sources. Moreover, the shielding properties were evaluated experimentally and theoretically. The resulting value of the proposed programs is largely in line with the experimental values. The results prove that the studied glass has a largely shielding behavior for gamma rays by increasing lanthanum and vice versa for neutrons. In addition, it has been observed that the absorbance of glass samples and hardness values increase with increasing lanthanum content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of chemical elements in the composition of optical glasses on the quantitative characteristics of their attenuation of X-ray and gamma radiation is analyzed. The method of calculating the mass coefficients of radiation attenuation (MCRA) with quantum energy ranging from 0.2 to 3.0 MeV for oxides as glass components is proposed. The chemical elements and their oxides in the glass composition, which make the main contribution to their values of the linear coefficient of radiation attenuation (LCRA) with different quantum energies, E, are identified. In the field of quantum energies ranging from 0.2 to about 1.0 MeV, oxides such as PbO, Ta2O5, Gd2O3, La2O3, BaO, Sb2O3 (due to its low concentration, its contribution to LCRA is usually negligible), CdO, Nb2O5, ZrO2, and Y2O3 have a strong effect (in decreasing order) on the LCRA values of glasses. It is shown that in the field of E values ranging from 0.2 to about 1.0 MeV, elements (or their oxides) can be very different from each other in terms of their MCRA values, and glasses of different compositions, in terms of their LCRA values, while at E > 1.0 MeV, both the first and second coefficients change approximately equally with an increase in the energy of radiation quanta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides a comprehensive list of upcoming conferences and events focused on glass and glass science. These conferences are being held in various countries such as the UK, Portugal, France, USA, Germany, and South Korea. The topics covered in these conferences range from industrial furnaces and boilers to glass craft and bead expo, photonics, sustainable materials, and glass processing automation. The document also includes contact information for each event, making it a valuable resource for individuals interested in these topics. [Extracted from the article]

Many commercial optical glasses exhibit thermorheologically simple behavior, which allows the application of the time-temperature superposition principle within the temperature range from the glass transition temperature (Tg) to the deformation point (At). However, the molding temperature is set above At in cases involving significant deformation during glass molding press, such as with large-aperture concave meniscus lenses. Additionally, stress relaxation is observed in optical glasses even at temperatures below Tg. Nevertheless, the applicability of the time-temperature superposition principle to optical glasses within the temperature range below Tg and above At has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, in this study, uniaxial compression creep tests were conducted over a wide temperature range from approximately Tg - 20 °C to At + 50 °C using three types of commercial optical glasses to evaluate their thermo-viscoelastic properties. The results revealed that when the creep functions at each test temperature were shifted along a logarithmic time axis, they formed a smooth single curve (master curve), indicating the applicability of the time-temperature superposition principle. Moreover, while the shift factors for all glasses exhibited Arrhenius behavior within the temperature range of Tg to At, in two types of glasses, they exhibited a curved change below Tg and above At. Therefore, applying the Williams–Landel–Ferry (WLF) equation to approximate these shift factors revealed that they could be well approximated across the entire test temperature range. However, when applying the WLF equation to optical glass, limiting the temperature to a range higher than Tg - 30 °C was necessary. To express the shift factor over a wide temperature range of several hundred degree Celsius, from room temperature to molding temperature, it was practical to use the multi-linear Narayanaswamy equation, in which the apparent activation energies vary near At.

This study proposes a new strategy for achieving rapid volumetric heating of moldable low-dielectric-loss glass over a wide temperature range using only microwave sources. As a proof of concept, both multi-physics modeling and experimental demonstration of microwave heating (MWH) of Pyrex 7740 glass are performed. The results reveal that there is an activation threshold of 400 °C for this glass, i.e., below this threshold the glass is mainly heated by SiC molds through interfacial heat transfer, while above it the glass can be directly heated by 2.45-GHz MWs through volumetric dielectric loss. As a result, the glass preform can attain an internal temperature of 727 °C (well above its transition point) within a short MWH process (130 s), at a low level of specific energy consumption (6.43 kW h/kg). The average volumetric heating rate of the glass is estimated as 5.44 °C/s, which outperforms the reported rates (2.00−3.60 °C/s) in previous precision glass molding (PGM) studies. Furthermore, the temperature difference in the entire glass can be minimized through MWH combined with post-annealing. With the demonstrated capabilities of instantaneous, volumetric, and selective heating, the proposed MWH strategy holds great promise in PGM and many other glass thermoforming sectors.

Various lanthanides-doped and plasmonic nanoparticles (Nps) included oxide glasses with tunable optical properties are advantageous for miniaturized solid-state lasers and white light-emitting displays making. Thus, the absorption and emission characteristics of a new type of Dy2O3/Sm2O3-doped strontium–aluminate–telluro-borate glasses (prepared using the melt-quenching approach and characterized comprehensively) were customized by inserting copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONps) and silver nanoparticles (AgNps). XRD analysis of the samples showed their amorphous nature. HRTEM images displayed the dispersion of CuO/AgNps in the disordered matrix. Intense yellow (4F9/2 → 6H11/2) and blue (4F9/2 → 6H13/2) luminescence from Dy3+ were observed at 386-nm excitation. The observed enhancement in the luminescence intensity was mainly due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-mediated strong local field effect and energy transfer processes, wherein the synergism of CuO/AgNps played a significant role. Judd–Ofelt model calculation revealed approximately 23-fold improvement in the spectroscopic quality factor. Additionally, the CIE coordinates were shifted from the yellowish–orange to greenish–yellow region. The proposed glasses may be useful for practical applications such as in multicolor lasing and optical amplification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Second harmonic generation (SHG) in glass optical fibers calls for creating a second order susceptibility in the fiber glass and for achieving phase matching between the pump and the second harmonic signal. The latter is very challenging when using ultrashort pulses, given that the group velocities of the pump and the second harmonic should also be matched. We have shown in previous work that it is possible to achieve simultaneous modal phase matching (MPM) and group velocity matching (GVM) when the pump and the second harmonic are propagating in the LP01 and LP02 modes, respectively, in high GeO2-content double-clad optical fibers. However, simultaneous MPM and GVM can only be obtained in optical fibers with dedicated designs and within very tight geometrical tolerances. In this paper, we show that instead of considering the matching of phase and group velocities separately, we can consider a more general or "effective" phase matching approach, in which we consider all the dispersion terms up to the second order in the expressions of the propagation constants of the pump and second harmonic signals. This allows introducing the pulse duration as a controllable parameter that helps to enforce the said effective phase matching in fibers with designs that deviate by as much as 10% from the target, while providing for temporal walk-off lengths in excess of several centimeters. The impact of this finding goes beyond SHG only and can be applied to other ultrashort laser pulse-based nonlinear optical processes in fibers and waveguides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borate antimony glass doped with vanadium oxide V2O5 encoded into a [BSV glass system] was prepared with the traditional melt quenching technique. The Nickel ferrite [NiFe2O4] was prepared using Flash auto-combustion and mixed at a fixed ratio of 0.05 gm into the glass matrix to form a BSV- composite glass system [BSV / NiFe2O4], which was also prepared using the traditional melt quenching technique. The X-Ray diffraction pattern was used to characterize the glass samples and indicated their amorphous structure, with different structure phases for different levels of V2O5 content. Ranging from 200 to 1100 nm, UV–Vis spectroscopy was used to study the optical properties of the samples. The glass was found to absorb electromagnetic waves with wavelengths lower than 500 nm, while the energy gap decreased from 2.46 eV for 0.1 mol% V2O5 to 2.39 eV for 0.5 wt% V2O5. The Urbach energy also had the same behavior, and decreasing from 0.226 to 0.217 eV. On the other hand, the refractive index increased when V2O5 was added. The thermal characteristics of a [BSV / NiFe2O4] system, such as, glass transition temperature T G , onset temperature T X , crystallization temperature T C and melting temperature T m , were studied using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter. Using continuous and pulsed laser radiation, a [BSV-0.1 V2O5 / NiFe2O4] sample was exposed to laser irradiation to observe its effect on the optical features of the glass. Laser irradiation significantly changed the absorbance spectrum, while the energy gap decreased as time increased. The pulsed laser was found to have a more power-full and uniform effect compared to continuous laser. Time-dependent density function theory was used to optimize the geometrical structure of the glass and study the effect of the formation of 4- coordinate boron atoms on its properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-refractive index glasses are used to produce glass lenses by the precision optical Glass Mold Press (GMP) process and have been extensively studied because of increased demand for their application in telecommunications, optical lenses, and cameras. Borate glasses containing Ta 2 O 5 , Nb 2 O 5 , La 2 O 3 and Gd 2 O 3 have mainly been used as materials for GMP because of their excellent optical properties and low production cost. This study conducted a systematic investigation of the B 2 O 3 –La 2 O 3 –Ta 2 O 5 –SiO 2 quaternary glass system for precision GMP applications. The glass forming range of the quaternary system was studied using (B 2 O 3 +SiO 2)–La 2 O 3 –Ta 2 O 5 and changes in physical and thermal properties such as refractive index, density and glass transition temperature of the obtained glasses were examined. Compositional dependent structural changes were also inspected by Raman spectroscopy and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, to determine the compositions' effect on thermal and optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrow-band blue luminescence materials are desirable in full color display with wide color gamut. Divalent rare earth europium doped luminescence materials show excellent optical properties as promising backlit materials in display. However, narrow-band blue luminescence materials are still lacking. Herein, novel blue emitting Eu2+: CsCaCl 3 NCs are precipitated in the glasses, and effects of EuCl 3 doping concentration and heat-treatment conditions on the growth behavior and optical properties of Eu2+: CsCaCl 3 NCs precipitated in glasses are investigated. Doping concentration of EuCl 3 in glass and the heat-treatment condition can effectively regulate the Eu2+/Eu3+ molar ratio in glasses, size of Eu2+: CsCaCl 3 NCs, and effective doping concentration of Eu2+ ions in CsCaCl 3 NCs formed in the glasses. Besides, effect of phase separation on glass transmittance is explored to improve the glass optical properties. Upon incorporation of Eu2+ ions into CsCaCl 3 NCs in glasses, blue photoluminescence at 435 nm with full width at half maximum of 22 nm and color purity of ∼97.2 % is realized, and concomitantly, photoluminescence lifetimes are extended and quantum efficiency are significantly improved. These results demonstrate that Eu2+: CsCaCl 3 NCs doped glasses are promising blue emitting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this clinical study was to assess the impact of a non-invasive selective blue-filtering photochromic lens coating Crizal Prevencia on the treatment and response of benign essential blepharospasm (BEB). Patients and methods: Twenty-four patients were recruited in the outpatient clinic of the Medical University of Vienna in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study design. Blink frequencies were assessed in patients with BEB before and 14 days after intervention with either a filtering ophthalmic lens or a placebo lens, respectively. Outcome parameters include sub-group analysis of a blink frequency under six different conditions: three photopic conditions, one resting condition, one reading condition, and one video game condition. Results: From 24 recruited patients, 15 patients were available for final analysis. Comparing the optical blue filtering lens to placebo, showed a reduced blink frequency in specific subtests, but not compared to baseline. Discussion: In conclusion, optical filtering glasses might have a beneficial effect on BEB and provide a non-invasive therapeutic add-on option, in addition to botulinum neurotoxin therapy, for patients with BEB and should necessarily be further investigated in a multicenter setting, resulting in larger sample sizes to gain valid information about the effect of photochromic blue filter glasses in BEB. Clinical trial registration: https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00032135, DRKS00032135. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]