A. Çetin

Luminescence behavior and Raman characterization of jade from Turkey.

Results are presented for the cathodoluminescence (CL), radioluminescence (RL) and thermoluminescence (TL) of jade from Turkey. Jade samples show broad band luminescence from green to red, which, using lifetime-resolved CL, reveals seven overlapping emissions, of which two are dominant. Green emission obtained using spatially resolved CL was associated with Mn(2+) and emission bands centered near at 480 and 530 nm were attributed to (3)P(0)-(3)H(4) and (1)D(2)-(3)H(4) transitions of Pr(3+), respectively. Different shifts of the peak-wavelengths for 326 and 565 nm were observed with varying jade compositions. The incorporation of the larger K ion causes non-linear variations of the cell dimensions and therefore changes in the Fe-O band distance. We suggest that stress of the jade structure can be linked to the luminescence emission at 326 nm. Raman spectra have also been recorded in order to provide an unequivocal identification of the type of jade. The mechanism for the luminescence of the jade is considered.

Spectral, electron microscopic and chemical investigations of gamma-induced purple color zonings in amethyst crystals from the Dursunbey-Balıkesir region of Turkey

Amethyst crystals on matrix specimens from the Dursunbey-Balıkesir region in Turkey have five representative purple color zonings: dark purple, light purple, lilac, orchid, and violet. The purple color zonings have been analyzed with optical absorption spectra in the visible wavelength region, chemical full trace element analyses (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy), and scanning electron microscopic images with high magnification. It can be proposed that the production of the purple color in amethyst crystals is due to three dominant absorption bands centered at 375, 530, and 675 nm, respectively. In addition, the purple color zonings are also due to four minor absorption bands centered at 435, 480, 620, and 760 nm. X-ray diffraction graphics of the investigated amethyst crystals indicate that these crystals are composed of a nearly pure alpha-quartz phase and do not include any moganite silica phase and/or other mineral implications. Trace element analyses of the amethyst crystals show five representative purple color zonings, suggesting that the absorption bands can be mainly attributed to extrinsic defects (chemical impurities). However, another important factor that influences all structural defects in amethyst is likely to be the gamma irradiation that exists during amethyst crystallization and its inclusion in host materials. This gamma irradiation originates from the large underlying intrusive granitoid body in the region of amethyst formation. Irradiation modifies the valence values of the impurity elements in the amethyst crystals. It is observed that the violet-colored amethyst crystals have the most stable and the least reversible coloration when exposed to strong light sources. This situation can be related to the higher impurity content of Fe (2.50 ppm), Co (3.1 ppm), Ni (38 ppm), Cu (17.9 ppm), Zn (10 ppm), Zr (3.9 ppm), and Mo (21.8 ppm).

Amethyst and morion quartz gemstone raw materials from Turkey: color saturation and enhancement by gamma, neutron and beta irradiation

Color-enhancement investigations without using heating treatment from dull or pale to ideal saturation and/or changes to the formation of the rarer attractive colors are widely conducted to revalue abandoned gem material sources in the world. Such an investigation is carried out on pale or dull purple-colored amethyst and smoky-colored morion samples, which are two important gem species of the crystalline quartz (SiO2) mineral that are currently abandoned in natural deposits in Turkey because of their unattractive coloration. The results of color enhancements observed on these samples, after irradiation with artificial gamma, neutron and beta beams, were examined by comparing with samples with the ideal color saturation and also with colorless samples, using optical absorption (OA) and radioluminescence (RL) spectroscopy. The ICP-AES analyses reveal that the main impurity elements of over 100 ppm in abundance in these quartz species are aluminum, iron and titanium for amethyst, and aluminum, iron, titanium and manganese for morion. The OA spectra indicate that vivid purple coloration of amethyst is due to the transmittance at about 395–420 nm band gap as a result of absorbance peaks at 375, 480 and 530 nm. These absorbances may be related to the unusual oxidized small proportions of certain impurity ions, after being exposed mainly to gamma irradiation, such as Al(IV) from the total aluminum, Ti(V) from the total titanium and Fe(IV) from the total iron, respectively. However, the RL spectroscopy of amethyst samples before and after they were exposed to artificial gamma, neutron and beta radiation beams demonstrates that the ions most affected by irradiation are Fe(IV) first and Al(IV) and Ti(V) second, and these ions represent the RL peaks at 600, 720 and 495 nm, respectively. The OA spectra indicate that dark smoky coloration in morion is due to a lack of transmittance at the visible region as a result of the absorbance peaks at 375, 450–490, 620 and 730 nm. These absorbances also may be related to the unusual oxidized small proportions of certain impurity ions by irradiation, such as Al(IV) from the total aluminum, Ti(V) from the total titanium and Mn(III) from the total manganese, respectively. In addition, the buoyancies of these absorbance peaks in the visible region produce the color hues between light smoky and dark smoky colorations in morion samples. These oxidized ion states are more resistant and stable against environmental destructive conditions in comparison with amethyst. Thus, the dark smoky coloration of morion becomes dull or pale after relatively longer periods. But, the RL spectroscopy of morion before and after being exposed to gamma, neutron and beta irradiation beams demonstrates that the most induced ions from the irradiation are Mn(III) and Al(IV) first and Ti(V) second. These ions represent the RL peaks at about 400, 720 and about 500 nm, respectively.

Radioluminescence Properties of Copper- and Terbium-Implanted Strontium Titanate

ABSTRACT In this study, the effects of Cu and Tb implantation on the radioluminescence (RL) properties of unimplanted and Cu- and Tb-implanted SrTiO3 (STO) crystals were investigated. The changes induced by heavy ion implants of the surface clearly modify the initial strong RL signals seen near 400–750 nm. During heating there are step increases in intensity at the RL spectrum near 60, 40, and 82 K for unimplanted and Cu- and Tb-implanted samples, respectively.

The Investigation of Kinetic Characterization of Sea Salt via Thermoluminescence Method

The calculation of the kinetic parameters of a thermoluminescence material (kinetic order (b), activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s)) by using the thermoluminescence (TL) method is extremely important in determining the kinetic characterization of the materials. Sodium Chloride (NaCl) is an inorganic salt. It is a crystal well known for its luminescent properties, with a simple cubic structure and its band gap is rather large (~ 8.5 eV). In this work, it was reported the TL response of the material in the range of 50– 400 o C and calculated kinetic parameters of sea salt. Two glow peaks were observed at 100 o C and 235 o C in the TL glow curve of sea salt with a heating rate 2 o C/s after X-ray irradiation. The T m -T stop method was used to determine the overlapping peaks under the main peak at 100 o C. With the computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) method, the peak analysis was performed. In addition, kinetic parameters were calculated using various heating rates and peak shape. The b = 1.5, E = 0.88 eV and s = 1.7x10 11 s -1 values were calculated using the peak shape method.