Search

Droplets microfluidics is broadening the range of Lab on a Chip solutions that, however, still suffer from the lack of an adequate level of integration of optical detection and sensors. In fact, droplets are currently monitored by imaging techniques, mostly limited by a time-consuming data post-processing and big data storage. This work aims to overcome this weakness, presenting a fully integrated opto-microfluidic platform able to detect, label and characterize droplets without the need for imaging techniques. It consists of optical waveguides arranged in a Mach Zehnder's configuration and a microfluidic circuit both coupled in the same substrate. As a proof of concept, the work demonstrates the performances of this opto-microfluidic platform in performing a complete and simultaneous sequence labelling and identification of each single droplet, in terms of its optical properties, as well as velocity and lengths. Since the sensor is realized in lithium niobate crystals, which is also highly resistant to chemical attack and biocompatible, the future addition of multifunctional stages into the same substrate can be easily envisioned, extending the range of applicability of the final device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The aim of this paper is to present a review on some aspects and applications of ion exchange process in glasses, ferroelectric and polymers in the fields of optics, nanotechnology, gas sensors and chemical strengthening. The formation of nanoparticles in ion-exchanged glasses, as effect of ion or laser irradiation, is discussed. A discussion on the potentialities of ion exchange process in comparison to ion implantation in optical devices and nanotechnology is also introduced. Analytical techniques applied to the study of the ion exchange process are illustrated. The studies of ion exchange process in "Natural materials" constitute the content of a specific paragraph, for applications in water cleaning. Some initial considerations on the "old age" of this technique are introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron doping of lithium niobate crystals by thermal diffusion is a well-established technique for the realization of spatially confined photorefractive stages in integrated optical devices. In this paper we present an innovative method able to realize depth-resolved holographic measurements inside the iron-diffused layer, so that in-depth profiles of the main photorefractive parameters can be derived without the need of any waveguide. By means of this technique it is possible to achieve a better knowledge of the influence of different surface treatments on the photorefractive performances of iron-diffused layers and to link them to the results of other depth-resolved characterization techniques in the framework of microscopic models of photorefractivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-doped X-cut lithium niobate crystals were prepared by means of thermal diffusion from thin film varying in a systematic way the process parameters such as temperature and diffusion duration. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry was exploited to characterize the iron in-depth profiles. The evolution of the composition of the Fe thin film in the range between 600°C and 800°C was studied, and the diffusion coefficient at different temperatures in the range between 900°C and 1050°C and the activation energy of the diffusion process were estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photorefractive properties of LiNbO are closely related to the defect structure which strongly depends on the conditions of sample preparation. By means of micro-Raman scattering measurements we investigate the influence of the thermal treatment in the preparation of Fe-diffused waveguides. We underline the role of intrinsic defects and discuss the mechanism of incorporation of iron in the lattice. We especially emphasize the specific role of three phonon modes which are able to separately probe the Li, Nb or O sublattice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a feasiblity study of a new method for enhancing the continuously phase matched second harmonic generation in 2D PPLN optical waveguides fabricated using the off-center Czochralski technique and proton-exchange. We show that a periodic variation of the nonlinear coefficient along the transverse coordinate permits for efficient energetic exchanges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has recently been shown that lustre decoration of medieval and Renaissance pottery consists of silver and copper nanoparticles dispersed in the glassy matrix of the ceramic glaze. Here the findings of an X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) study on lustred glazes of shards belonging to 10th and 13rd century pottery from the National Museum of Iran are reported. Absorption spectra in the visible range have been also measured in order to investigate the relations between colour and glaze composition. Gold colour is mainly due to Ag nanoparticles, though Ag+, Cu+ and Cu2+ ions can be also dispersed within the glassy matrix, with different ratios. Red colour is mainly due to Cu nanoparticles, although some Ag nanoparticles, Ag+ and Cu+ ions can be present. The achievement of metallic Cu and the absence of Cu2+ indicate a higher reduction of copper in red lustre. These findings are in substantial agreement with previous results on Italian Renaissance pottery. In spite of the large heterogeneity of cases, the presence of copper and silver ions in the glaze confirms that lustre formation is mediated by a copper- and silver-alkali ion exchange, followed by nucleation and growth of metal nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the optical characterization of periodically poled lithium niobate crystals grown through the Czochralski off-center technique. The optical diffraction technique pointed out that refractive index changes occur at the border domain. Their effect on the second harmonic generation is therefore investigated by numerical analysis in order to predict the conversion efficiency of the grown crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu-alkali ion exchange in silicate glasses gives rise to a peculiar copper distribution, with the presence of both the Cu2+ and Cu+ oxidation states. Grazing incidence X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry were performed on different ion-exchanged samples. The results show that the Cu2+/Cu+ ratio is strongly depth-dependent. The relative presence of the two species throughout the exchanged region turns out to be governed by their different diffusion regimes, while the chemistry of the red-ox process is shown to play a minor role. A phenomenological model is proposed to describe the diffusion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag- and Er-doped glass films have been synthesized with a combined sol-gel and ion-exchange route. The introduction of silver as erbium sensitizer in the film was obtained by ion exchanging Er-doped SiO2-Al2O3-Na2O sol-gel films. The films were subsequently annealed under controlled atmosphere to induce the migration and aggregation of the metal ions. Films showed different Er3+ photoluminescence behaviors depending on silver concentration and aggregation state. The interaction between erbium ions and Ag centers has been investigated and enhancement of the excitation cross section due to the silver sensitizing effect has been demonstrated. The developed synthesis also allowed the realization of erbium-doped channel waveguides by a selective Na-Ag ion-exchange process . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lustre is one of the most important decorative techniques of the Medieval and Renaissance pottery of the Mediterranean basin, capable of producing brilliant metallic reflections and iridescence. Following the recent finding that the colour of lustre decorations is mainly determined by copper and silver nanoclusters dispersed in the glaze layer, the local environment of copper and silver atoms has been studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy on original samples of gold and red lustre. It has been found that, in gold lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the silver nanocluster dispersion, silver is only partially present in the metallic form and copper is almost completely oxidised. In the red lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the copper nanocluster dispersion, only a fraction of copper is present in the metallic form. EXAFS measurements on red lustre, carried out in the total electron yield mode to probe only the first 150 nm of the glaze layer, indicated that in some cases lustre nanoclusters may be confined in a very thin layer close to the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: Lithium niobate crystals doped with erbium by the ion exchange process were studied by means of extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The study of the local atomic order allowed the determination of the erbium environment in the crystal matrix and the investigation on the role of preparation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and secondary-ion mass spectrometry techniques have been used to investigate the two-step process involved during waveguide fabrication in LiNbO[sub 3] using Zn-vapour diffusion. Compositional analysis (O, Nb, Li and Zn) in the two steps has been characterised. RBS analysis reveals that the first step, involving a heating of the substrate under a metallic Zn atmosphere, gives rise to a partial exchange between the Nb and Li ions from the crystals and the Zn from the vapour source. The second treatment at higher temperature in an open atmosphere diffuses the Zn deeper into the substrate, thus forming an optical waveguide, while the Nb and Li ions recover their bulk values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]