Trivalent zirconium and hafnium ions in yttria-based transparent ceramics
Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of transparent yttria-based ceramics with zirconium and hafnium additives contain signals with close parameters due to paramagnetic Zr3+ and Hf3+ ions, which have similar ground-state electron configurations of [Kr]4d1 and [Xe]5d1, respectively.
Properties of transparent Re3+: Y2O3 ceramics doped with tetravalent additives
Abstract Neodymium or ytterbium-doped transparent yttrium oxide ceramics with different tetravalent sintering additives (ZrO 2 , HfO 2 , or CeO 2 ) were fabricated from nanopowders produced by laser ablation method. Phase composition and distribution of dopants in the synthesized nanopowders and ceramics were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) spectroscopy. The tetravalent additives led to a decrease in grain size and an improvement in transmittance at the lasing wavelengths. However, an excess of tetravalent ions led to the formation of dispersed scattering volumes. We observed particles with modulated composition for nanopowder of Nd:Y 2 O 3 doped by 10 mol% HfO 2 . The estimations based on Rayleigh light scattering showed that the maximum size of the dispersed scattering volume is below 20 nm.
Recalculation of Mass Defects
THE well-known mass defect curve of the old nuclear scheme calculated with regard to α-particles and protons presented a difficulty with its minimum of binding energy for tin and an increasing portion between tin and lead. On the other hand, the mass defect values against protons give a rather smoothly decreasing curve.1 As has already been pointed out,2 the number of α-particles must be considerably reduced from the point of view of the new scheme, which does not admit any electrons in nuclei, but only neutrons and protons (presumably joined as α-particles). The curve of mass defect against protons and neutrons (perhaps with a single ‘central’ α-particle) is very similar to the old curve against protons, but decreases less rapidly. Clearly the new mass defect values relatively to α-particles, neutrons and protons must lie somewhere between the old values computed relative to protons and α-particles respectively (because the number of α-particles is decreased). We may emphasise that this new mass defect curve shows no increasing portion between tin and lead. For illustration we give two typical values: Old: 50Sn124 = 31α + 12&#38;epsiv;; mass defect = 0.158 (in mass units); 82Pb208 = 52α + 22&#38;epsiv;; mass defect = 0.035. New: 50Sn124= 25α + 24ω (ω = neutron); mass defect = 0.304; 82Pb208 = 41α + 44ω; mass defect = 0.366.