O material Y2O3:Eu3+ vem sendo usado comercialmente como luminóforo vermelho desde da década de 1960, em uma grande variedade de aplicações devido ao seu elevado rendimento quântico (próximo de 100 %), elevada pureza de cor e boa estabilidade. Portanto, este trabalho propõe um novo método de síntese baseado nos complexos benzenotricarboxilatos (BTC) de terras raras trivalentes (RE3+) dopados com íons Eu3+. O objetivo principal é produzir materiais luminescente RE2O3:Eu3+ a temperatura mais baixa (500 °C) e em escala nanométrica. Os complexos precursores [RE(BTC):Eu3+] e [RE(TLA)·n(H2O):Eu3+], onde RE3+: Y, Gd e Lu; BTC: ácido trimésico (TMA) e ácido trimelítico (TLA) foram calcinados em diferentes temperaturas de 500 a 1000 °C, a fim de obter os materiais luminescentes RE2O3:Eu3+. Os complexos foram caracterizados por análise elementar de carbono e hidrogênio, analise térmica (TG), espectroscopia de absorção no infravermelho (FTIR), difração de raios-X - método do pó (XPD) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (SEM). Todos os complexos são cristalinos e termo estáveis até 460 °C. Dados de fosforescência dos complexos de Y, Gd e Lu mostram que o nível T1 do aníon BTC3- tem energia acima do nível emissor 5D0 do íon Eu3+, indicando que os ligantes podem atuar como sensibilizadores de energia intramolecular. O estudo das propriedades fotoluminescentes dos complexos dopados foi baseado nos espectros de excitação e emissão e curvas de decaimento de luminescência. Ademais, foram determinados os parâmetros de intensidades experimentais (&#937;&#955;), tempos de vida (&#964;), taxas de decaimentos radiativo (Arad) e não-radiativo (Anrad). Os materiais luminescentes RE2O3:Eu3+ foram sintetizados de forma bem sucedida por meio do método benzenotricarboxilatos calcinados a 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 e 1000 °C, apresentando alta homogeneidade química e controle de tamanho de cristalito. Os nanomateriais foram caracterizados pelas técnicas de FTIR, XPD SEM e TEM revelando a obtenção dos materiais C-RE2O3:Eu3+ mesmo a 500 °C. Os dados de XPD dos materiais confirmaram um aumento do tamanho dos cristalitos de 5 até 52 nm (equação de Scherrer) de em função da temperatura de calcinação de 500 a 1000 °C, respectivamente, corroborados pelas técnicas de SEM e TEM. Os espectros de emissão de RE2O3:Eu3+ mostram uma banda larga atribuída a transição interconfiguracional de transferência de carga ligante-metal (LMCT) em 260 nm, i.e. O2-(2p)&#8594Eu3+(4f6). Além disso, foram observadas linhas finas de absorção devido as transições intraconfiguracionais 4f do íon európio (7F0,1&#85945LJ; J: 0, 1, 2, 3 e 4), como esperado. As propriedades fotoluminescentes dos luminóforos foram baseadas nos espectros (excitação e emissão) e curvas de decaimento luminescente. Os parâmetros de intensidade experimental, tempos de vida, assim como as taxas de decaimentos radiativos e não radiativos foram calculados. As propriedades fotônicas dos nanomateriais são consistentes com o sítio de baixa simetria C2 ocupado pelo íon Eu3+ no C-RE2O3:Eu3+, produzindo emissão vermelha dominada pela transição hipersensível 5D0&#85947F2 do íon Eu3+ no sitio C2, ao invés do sítio centrossimétrico S6. Além disso, os nanomateriais Y2O3:Eu3+ exibem características espectroscópicas semelhantes e elevados valores de eficiência quântica (&#951;~91 %), compatível com os luminóforos comerciais disponíveis no mercado. Este novo método pode ser utilizado para o desenvolvimento de novos nanomateriais contendo íons terras raras, assim como outros íons metálicos. / Y2O3:Eu3+ has been used as luminophore since the early 1960s, despite the large variety of potential substitute materials tested so far, this luminophore still be used as commercial red-emission luminescent material in large range of applications due excellent quantum efficiency (close to 100 %), high color purity and good stability. Consequently, This work propose a new benzenetricarboxylate (BTC) method, which use Eu3+ ion doped in the trivalent rare earths (RE3+) complexes to produce RE2O3:Eu3+ luminescent materials at lower temperature (500 °C) and nanoscale. The [RE(BTC):Eu3+] and [RE(TLA)·n(H2O):Eu3+] complexes where RE3+: Y, Gd and Lu; BTC: trimesic acid (TMA) and trimellitic acid (TLA) and annealed materials (500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 °C) can be obtained without the need of intricate experimental setup. The complexes were characterized by carbon and hydrogen elemental analysis, thermal analyses (TG), infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XPD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The complexes are crystalline and thermostable up to 460°C. Phosphorescence data of the complexes with Y, Gd and Lu show that the T1 state of the BTC3- anion has energy higher than the 5D0 emitting level of the Eu3+ ion, indicating that the ligands can act as an intramolecular energy sensitizer. The photoluminescence properties of the doped complexes were studied based on the excitation and emission spectra and luminescence decay curves. The experimental intensity parameters (&#937;&#955;), lifetimes (&#964;), radiative (Arad) and non-radiative (Anrad) decay rates were determined and discussed. In addition, the RE2O3:Eu3+ nanomaterials were successfully synthesized with this unprecedented method using the benzenetricarboxylate precursor complexes annealed at 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 °C, with controllable particle size and high chemical homogeneity, crystallite size from 6 to 52 nm (Scherrer\'s equation), confirmed by SEM and TEM images. The nanomaterials characterized by the FTIR, XPD, SEM and TEM techniques revealed that the C-RE2O3:Eu3+ materials were obtained even at 500 °C. The RE2O3:Eu3+ excitation spectra show a broad absorption band assigned to interconfigurational ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) band at 260 nm, i.e. O2-(2p)&#8594;Eu3+(4f6). Besides, it is observed the narrow absorption lines arising from the 4f intraconfigurational transitions of the Eu3+ ion (7F0,1&#8594;5LJ; J : 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4), as expected. The characterization of the photoluminescence properties of the luminophores was also based on the analysis of the emission spectra and luminescence decay curves. The experimental intensity parameters (&#937;&#955;), lifetimes (&#964;), as well as radiative (Arad) and non-radiative (Anrad) decay rates were calculated and discussed. The photonic properties of the luminophores are consistent with the low C2 symmetry site occupied by the Eu3+ ion in the cubic C-type RE2O3:Eu3+, yielding the red emission color, which is dominated by the hypersensitive 5D0&#8594;7F2 transition of the Eu3+ ion in the C2 instead of the centrosymmetric S6 sites. Furthermore, the Y2<O3:Eu3+ nanomaterials prepared by this new method exhibit similar emissions spectral features and high values of emission quantum efficiency (&#951;~91 %), compatible with the commercial phosphors currently available in the market. This novel synthetic method can be used to produce large range of rare earth nanophotonic materials, as well as other metal ions.

Polímeros dopados com complexos de terras raras são materiais vantajosos na produção de filmes para várias aplicações no campo da luminescência. Neste estudo de polímeros luminescentes obtidos a partir de polímeros como o policarbonato (PC) e o poli(9-vinilcarbazol) (PVK), os filmes dopados com o complexo diaquatris (tenoiltrifluoroacetonato) de európio (III) [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2] foram preparados e suas propriedades térmicas e luminescentes no estado sólido relatadas. O comportamento térmico foi investigado por uso de calorimetria diferencial exploratória (DSC) e análise termogravimétrica (TGA). Devido à adição de complexo terras raras [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2] na matriz de PC e PVK, foram observadas alterações no comportamento térmico, relativo à transição vítrea e estabilidade térmica. As emissões finas características do íon Eu3+ decorrentes das transições 5DO &rarr; 7FJ (J = 0-4) indicaram a incorporação de íons de Eu3+ nos polímeros. Os filmes mostraram que a intensidade de emissão luminescente aumenta com o aumento da concentração de terras raras na matriz polimérica acompanhado por uma diminuição na estabilidade térmica. / Polymers doped with rare earth complexes are advantaged in film production for many applications in the luminescent field. In this study luminescent polymer obtained from polycarbonate (PC) and poly (9-vinylcarbazole) films doped with diaquatris (thenoyltrifluoroacetonate) europium (III) complex [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2] were prepared and their calorimetric and luminescent properties in the solid state are reported. The thermal behavior was investigated by differential scannig calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). Due of the addition of rare earth [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2] into PC and PVK matrices, changes were observed in the thermal behavior concerning the glass transition and thermal stability. Characteristic broadened narrow bands arising from de 5DO &rarr; 7FJ transitions (J = 0-4) of Eu3+ ion indicate the incorporation of the Eu3+ ions into those polymers. The luminescent films show enhancement emission intensity with an increase in the rare earth concentration in polymeric matrix accompanied by decrease in thermal stability.

A investigação das propriedades ópticas e sua relação com as propriedades magnéticas dos semicondutores é de grande interesse para a comunidade científica, em virtude da enorme demanda por novas tecnologias e funcionalidades que podem surgir dessas pesquisas. Os calcógenos de európio são semicondutores intrinsecamente magnéticos, transparentes na região visível do espectro eletromagnético e integráveis em matrizes de silício e nitreto de gálio, sendo assim fortes candidatos a aplicações tecnológicas envolvendo magnetismo e óptica. Neste trabalho são investigados os espectros de absorção e fotoluminescência dos calcógenos de európio, com base no modelo 4f -> 5d(\'t IND. 2g\') da transição óptica de dipolo elétrico, o qual mostrou-se totalmente adequado para a descrição da absorção óptica nos calcógenos de európio em função do campo magnético aplicado, explicando a presença de linhas de absorção estreitas e dicróicas nos espectros em campo alto e a forma larga dos espectros de absorção em campo nulo. Nos espectros de fotoluminescência do EuTe, entretanto, foram detectados estados eletrônicos não contemplados pelo modelo 4f -> 5d(\'t IND. 2g\') , em especial uma banda de emissão denominada \'MX IND. 0\', acoplada a modos vibracionais da rede. Uma linha zero-fônon correspondente a uma transição que não produz fônons pôde ser bem definida e a partir do deslocamento dessa linha em função do campo magnético foi possível detectar inequivocamente a formação de polarons magnéticos no EuTe pela primeira vez; o raio polarônico foi estimado como R = 3.6a, onde a é o parâmetro de rede e a energia de ligação desse polaron foi estimada em \'E IND. p\' = 45 meV, um resultado que foi confirmado através de medidas do deslocamento da linha zero-fônon em função da temperatura. Adicionalmente procurou-se identificar o estado eletrônico associado à emissão \'MX IND. 0\': a partir de medidas da intensidade da fotoluminescência em função da potência de excitação foi possível sugerir que a emissão \'MX IND. 0\' provem de estados eletrônicos ligados a defeitos da rede e foi possível estimar a concentração desses defeitos como menor que 0.1 ppm. / Investigation of optical properties and their relation to magnetic properties of semiconductors is of great interest to scientific community, due to the large demand for new technologies and features that can arise from these studies. Europium chalcogenides are intrinsically magnetic semiconductors, transparent in the visible region of electromagnetic spectrum and integrable into silicon and gallium nitride matrices, beeing strong candidates for technological applications involving magnetism and optics. The present study investigates absorption and photoluminescence spectra of europium chalcogenides, based on the 4f -> 5d(t2g) model of the electric dipole optical transition, which proved to be entirely appropriate to describe polarized optical absorption in europium chalcogenides as a function of magnetic field, explaining the presence of narrow dichroic lines at high fields and the broad shape of the zero-field absorption spectrum. However, in photoluminescence spectra of EuTe, electronic states not covered by the 4f -> 5d(t2g) model were detected, in particular an emission band labeled MX0, which is coupled to vibrational modes of the lattice. A transition without production of phonons, corresponding to a zero-phonon line, could be well resolved and from the displacement of the zero-phonon line as a function of magnetic field the formation of magnetic polarons in EuTe could be detected unambiguously for the first time. The polaronic radius is estimated as R = 3:6a, where a is the lattice parameter, and the polaron binding energy is estimated as Ep = 45 meV, a result that was confirmed by measurements of zero-phonon line displacement as a function of temperature. Additionally, we sought to identify the electronic state associated with MX0 emission: from measurements of the photoluminescence intensity as a function of excitation power, it was possible to suggest that MX0 emission comes from an electronic state coupled to lattice defects of low concentration, which we estimate to be of less than 0.1 ppm.

The sorption of humic acid (HA) and HA size fractions onto magnetite has been studied. There is considerable irreversibility in the interaction of the humic with the magnetite surface, but the presence of Eu3+ ions has no effect on the sorption of humic onto magnetite. The magnitude of the sorption to magnetite increases with HA fraction size for all ionic strengths between 0.01 and 3 mol dm-3. Increasing ionic strength also increases sorption. Asymmetric Flow Field Flow Fractionation analysis of HA sorption to magnetite after 1 day revealed preferential sorption of lower molecular weight material. Eu3+ sorption onto magnetite was studied as a function of Eu concentration, which showed an increase in relative sorption as Eu concentration decreased. The behaviour of Eu3+ in ternary (HA/Eu3+/magnetite) systems is heavily influenced by HA, and from the data there is direct evidence for ternary complex formation. Larger HA size fractions retain more Eu3+ in solution than the smaller fractions. The binding strengths of HA size fractions were determined through ion exchange resin experiments: generally the larger fractions (> 10 kDa) showed stronger binding than the smaller components, but the unfractionated sample showed the strongest binding.First order dissociation rate constants have been determined for the whole HA and HA size fractions. The dissociation rate constants are independent of HA fraction size, but the larger species bind more Eu non-exchangeably. Time series ultrafiltration of Eu3+/whole humic mixtures has shown a shift in the distribution of metal ions to larger size fractions after a few days. Two ternary system kinetic speciation models have been developed to predict the behaviour of HA and Eu3+ in ternary systems. The two differ in their description of the multi-component behaviour of the binary HA-mineral interaction. The first assumes a single HA species and two surface binding sites and was found to perform better overall than the second, which has a single surface sorption site and two HA species in solution. The exchangeable binding strengths for the different HA samples calculated from both models showed similarities to those measured experimentally.

Die Verfügbarkeit von Metallen in der Geo- und Biosphäre wird durch deren chemische Form, die Speziation, bestimmt. Zur Analyse der Speziation gibt es eine Vielzahl von Techniken. Für spektroskopische Methoden sind untersuchbare Konzentrationsbereiche unter anderem durch entsprechende Detektionsgrenzen eingeschränkt. Vor allem für niedrige Konzentrationen (< 10 µM), wie sie für viele natürliche Systeme von Bedeutung sind, ist die Lumineszenzspektroskopie ein geeignetes Werkzeug. Die Zerlegung spektroskopischer Daten von komplexen Systemen stellt eine zusätzliche Herausforderung dar. Zur Extraktion spektraler Informationen individueller chemischer Spezies werden moderne mathematische Verfahren verwendet. Die so erhaltene spektroskopische Charakterisierung kann zur strukturellen und thermodynamischen Interpretation genutzt werden. In dieser Arbeit wurde die parallele Faktoranalyse (PARAFAC) zur Auswertung spektroskopischer Datensätze genutzt. Diese Technik wurde hier erstmals auf Uranyl(VI)-Systeme angewendet, wodurch eine umfassende lumineszenzspektroskopische Charakterisierung der Uranyl(VI)-Hydrolyse generiert wurde. Zusätzlich wurde der bestehende PARAFAC-Algorithmus (N-way Toolbox) erweitert. Damit wird die Zerlegung auf chemisch interpretierbare Ergebnisse beschränkt und eine direkte Extraktion thermodynamischer Daten ermöglicht. Für die mononuklearen Hydrolysespezies konnten korrigierte Komplexstabilitätskonstanten vorgeschlagen werden, wodurch entsprechende Speziationsrechnungen belastbarer werden. Die extrahierten spektralen Eigenschaften einzelner Spezies wurden anschließend sorgfältig analysiert. Dazu wurden quantenmechanische sowie semiempirische Ansätze genutzt. Neben einerValidierung der angenommenen Speziesbezeichnung wurde dadurch erstmals eine fundierte lumineszenzspektroskopische Signal-Struktur-Beziehung für die Uranyl(VI)-Hydrolyse generiert. Die entwickelten Algorithmen wurden im Rahmen der Arbeit auf komplexere Systeme des Uranyl(VI) und Europium(III) übertragen und deren Gültigkeit nachgewiesen. So konnten neue Erkenntnisse zur Lumineszenzlöschung des Uranyl(VI)-Ions und der Europium(III)-Hydrolyse gewonnen werden. Zudem wurde eine Strategie zur einfachen und akkuraten Bestimmung der Anzahl von Bindungsstellen am Beispiel des Proteins Calmodulin vorgestellt. Der aufgezeigte breite Anwendungsbereich wird zusätzlich durch die erfolgreiche Übertragung der SpecConst-Erweiterung auf andere spektroskopische Techniken (am Beispiel der UV-vis Spektroskopie) erweitert. Die vorgestellten Werkzeuge verbessern die Auswertung spektroskopischer Daten und erweitern das damit verbundene Verständnis komplexer umweltrelevanter Systeme.:Danksagung I Abkürzungen IV 1 Motivation 1 2 Einleitung und Hintergrund 4 2.1 Speziation 4 2.1.1 Hydrolyse 6 2.2 Uran 7 2.2.1 Uranyl(VI) 13 2.3 Optische Spektroskopie 14 2.3.1 Absorptionsspektroskopie 15 2.3.2 Lumineszenz 16 2.3.3 Uranyl(VI)-Lumineszenz 18 3 Material und Methoden 24 3.1 Chemikalien 24 3.2 Komplexbezeichnung 25 3.3 Probenvorbereitung 26 3.4 Absorptionsspektroskopie 27 3.5 Lumineszenzspektroskopie 27 3.5.1 Continuous Wave Spektroskopie 27 3.5.2 Zeitaufgelöste laserinduzierte Fluoreszenzspektroskopie 30 3.6 Datenauswertung - PARAFAC 34 3.7 Extrapolation auf Standardbedingungen 38 4 Ergebnisse und Diskussion 40 4.1 Methodenentwicklung 40 4.1.1 Exponentielle Einschränkung für PARAFAC - ’ExpConst’ 40 4.1.2 Speziationseinschränkung für PARAFAC - ’SpecConst’ 42 4.1.3 Spektrenzerlegung 45 4.2 Validierung der Methoden am Beispiel der Uranyl(VI)-Hydrolyse 51 4.2.1 Hydrolyse von 10−5 M Uranyl(VI) 51 4.2.2 Hydrolyse von 10−8 M Uranyl(VI) 62 4.2.3 Absorptionsspektroskopie der Uranyl(VI)-Hydrolyse 72 4.3 Übertragung der Methoden auf komplexere Uranyl(VI)-Systeme 75 4.3.1 Das Uranyl(VI)-Carbonat-System 75 4.3.2 Das Uranyl(VI)-Halogenid-System 79 4.4 Übertragung der Methoden auf Europium(III)-Systeme 86 4.4.1 Die Europium(III)-Hydrolyse 86 4.4.2 Interaktion von Europium(III) mit Calmodulin 94 5 Zusammenfassung 103 Literaturverzeichnis 106 Abbildungsverzeichnis 131 Tabellenverzeichnis 134 Publikationen im Rahmen dieser Arbeit i Konferenzbeiträge iii Eidesstattliche Erklärung iv Versicherung v

Hexagonales ß-NaREF4 und Strontiumchlorapatit (Sr5(PO4)3Cl) haben sich als Wirtsgitter für Ionen der Lanthanoide bewährt und bilden die Basis für eine Reihe von (Nano-)Materialien mit hervorragenden Lumineszenzeigenschaften. Die Struktur der ß- Natriumseltenerdtetrafluoride leitet sich von der des natürlich vorkommenden Minerals Gagarinit (NaCaYF6) ab. In der hier vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Synthese von Nanopartikeln mit Gagarinitstruktur und der Zusammensetzung ß-Na1,5- x/2MExRE1,5- x/2F6 (ME = Ca2+, Sr2+) untersucht, sowie deren Dotierung mit dreiwertigen Lanthanoidionen. Es wird gezeigt, dass die Nukleations- und Wachstumsmechanismen von Nanopartikeln mit Gagarinitstruktur grundsätzlich den bekannten Mechanismen bei ß-NaREF4-Nanopartikeln entsprechen. Es wird ferner gezeigt, dass beim Übergang von ß-NaREF4 zu ß-Na1,5- x/2MExRE1,5- x/2F6 (ME = Ca oder Sr) eine Stabilisierung der kubischen a-Phase von NaREF4 und eine Verringerung der Anzahl an Keimen der ß-Phase auftritt. Zusätzlich werden durch den Einbau von Sr2+ die Gitterparameter vergrößert, wodurch sich a-NaSrGdF6 ideal als Schalenmaterial zur Umhüllung von ß-NaREF4- Kernen der leichten Lanthanoide eignet. Die Ergebnisse der Röntgenfluoreszenzanalyse und die spektroskopische Untersuchung von ß-Na1,5- x/2SrxEu1,5- x/2F6-Nanopartikeln legen nahe, dass das Erdalkaliion die Natrium- und Seltenerdionen auf der 1f-Position im Kristallgitter von ß-NaREF4 ersetzt. Die Ergebnisse der Fluoreszenzspektroskopie des Eu3+-dotierten Materials zeigen insbesondere, dass der Einbau von Sr2+-Ionen die lokale Symmetrie der optisch aktiven Eu3+-Ionen erhöht. Weiterhin wird gezeigt, dass sich Sr5(PO4)3Cl-Nanopartikel mithilfe von Phosphatsalzen organischer Basen auch in dem von der NaREF4-Nanopartikelsynthese bekannten Lösungsmittelgemisch Ölsäure/Octadecen herstellen lassen. Durch Variation der Anionenkonzentrationen, Einbau von verschiedenen Dotierungsionen und Anwendung von Kern-Schale-Synthesemethoden lassen sich Nanopartikel mit Apatitstruktur in unterschiedlichen Größen und Morphologien herstellen. Neben kleinen sphärischen Partikeln können durch geeignete Wahl der genannten Parameter sowohl entlang der c-Achse elongierte Stäbchen gewonnen werden, als auch in c-Richtung gestauchte, plättchenförmige Partikel, die sich entlang dieser Achse in langen Ketten anordnen.

A literature review on the topic of ferroic and multiferroic solid solutions of BaTiO3, SrTiO3 and EuTiO3 forms the first part of this master thesis. The second part describes the experimental preparation and evaluation of the properties of samples of europium strontium titanates - EuxSr1-xTiO3. First, the high temperature solid state synthesis was carried out and relative density and open porosity of the sintered samples were evaluated. The sintered samples showed open porosity higher than 10%. The reasons for this behavior were evaluated and described from the point of view of experimental conditions and thermodynamical calculations. Finally, electric and dielectric properties of selected samples were measured. These results show that these samples are insulators and their residual conductivity is caused probably by oxygen vacancies, arising from the synthesis in a strongly reducing atmosphere of pure hydrogen.

No description available.

This thesis studies different Eu optical centers in MgS:Eu and CaS:Eu thin films produced by Chemically Controlled Pulse Laser Deposition (CCPLD) and evaluates their suitability for the development of spectral storage devices of the future. The produced thin films consist of one or more optically active layer(s), MgS:Eu, CaS:Eu or a similar material, and a corresponding ZnS capping layer that functions as a protecting barrier for the other layers and preserves their composition and integrity. Given that the synthesis of the materials used to produce the multilayer structures in this work proved a great challenge, careful attention was given to the optimization of all fabrication parameters. Mass Spectrometry was used during the deposition of the thin films and the data obtained resulted on improvements and optimization of the deposition process. Scanning electron microscopy studies of these thin films were conducted to study degradation upon long-term storage. Microscopy results show that the morphology of the produced thin films is correlated to the growth environment during deposition and deterioration of the deposited materials could be initiated by nano-gaps and cracks in the capping layer of the thin films. In addition to optical centers in MgS:Eu and CaS:Eu, new centers were created by changing the thin film growth environment inside a hi-vacuum chamber, modifying the composition of the ablation target material, or both. For example, introducing O2, or alternatively HCl, inside the CCPLD chamber while producing MgS:Eu thin films results in the formation of impurity associated centers across lattice sites throughout the deposited structures. In another method of impurity doping studied, Cl- and Na+ were introduced into the MgS:Eu and CaS:Eu lattices by mixing trace amounts of the impurity ions into these materials in polycrystalline form and making this mixture a deposition target by hi-pressure cold compression technique. The introduction of these impurity ions will alter the crystal field environment around the Eu ions thus creating new optical centers with a shift in energy of their characteristic Zero Phonon Line. After extensive characterization of the optical properties of the thin films produced, laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy and absorption spectroscopy measurements confirm that they are suitable candidates to be used in conjunction with power-gated spectral holeburning technique and could potentially provide ultrahigh, terabits per square inch, storage densities. / Physics

The hydride oxides LiLnEuH2−xO2 (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm) were synthesized by reaction of the lanthanide sesquioxides with europium monoxide, europium dihydride and lithium hydride under inert conditions at 750 °C as black powders. They crystallize in the tetragonal K2NiF4-type structure (space group: I4/mmm) with a mixed Ln3+/Eu2+ occupation. The crystal structures of the europium representatives LiLaEuH2−xO2 and LiLaEuD2−xO2 were analyzed by powder neutron diffraction data at short wavelengths (λ=70 pm). Hydrogen (deuterium) and oxygen atoms occupy distinct crystallographic sites with considerable vacancy concentrations on the hydrogen positions (a=363.80(8) pm, c=1323.3(3) pm, c/a=3.637 for LiLaEuH1.26(4)O2 and a=363.43(5) pm, c=1321.6(2) pm, c/a=3.636 for LiLaEuD1.41(2)O2). Moving from the mixed Ln/Eu occupation in LiLnEuH2O2 to Ln=Eu2+, we obtained the mixed-anionic phase LiEu2H3O, which crystallizes in the same structure type with a=370.04(2) pm, c=1317.32(8) pm and c/a=3.560.