R. Udayabhaskar

Synthesis and concentration dependent antibacterial activities of CuO nanoflakes

We report, synthesis and antibacterial activities of CuO nanoflakes. CuO nanoparticles are prepared at room temperature through sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction studies show the particles are monoclinic (crystalline) in nature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images clearly show that the prepared particles are flake like in structure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra exhibits three different bands that correspond to the Au and Bu modes. Antibacterial studies were performed on Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas liquefaciens bacterial strains. Among these bacterial strains, S. flexneri and B. subtilis are most sensitive to copper oxide nanoparticles than the positive control (Penicillin G) and S. typhimurium strain shows the less sensitive. Results show that sensitivity is highly dependent on the concentrations of CuO nanoflakes.

Enhanced multi-phonon Raman scattering and nonlinear optical power limiting in ZnO:Au nanostructures

We report the synthesis of ZnO:Au hetero structures, their Raman scattering and optical power limiting efficiencies. ZnO:Au nanostructures with flower-like morphology were obtained by the self-assembly of ZnO nano entities using Au nanoparticles as seeds. Compared to ZnO nanostructures, ZnO:Au nanocomposites show enhanced UV emission and decrease in green emission. Increases in the intensities of Raman bands and multiphonon Raman bands of nano ZnO are observed substantially in the nanocomposites. Raman results further indicate that lattice vibrations of semiconductors are sensitive to the presence of metal nanoparticles. Open aperture Z-scan measurements carried out at 532 nm using 5 ns laser pulses reveal metal nanoparticle induced changes in the optical limiting properties of the nanocomposites.

Room temperature synthesis and optical studies on Ag and Au mixed nanocomposite polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer films.

Optical properties of silver, gold and bimetallic (Au:Ag) nanocomposite polymer films which are prepared by chemical method have been reported. The experimental data was correlated with the theoretical calculations using Mie theory. We adopt small change in the theoretical calculations of bimetallic/mixed particle nanocomposite and the theory agrees well with the experimental data. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as reducing and capping agent. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study reveals the presence of different functional groups, the possible mechanism that leads to the formation of nanoparticles by using PVP alone as reducing agent. Optical absorption spectra of Ag and Au nanocomposite polymers show a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band around 430 and 532 nm, respectively. Thermal annealing effect on the prepared samples at 60 °C for different time durations result in shift of SPR band maximum and varies the full width at half maximum (FWHM). Absorption spectra of Au:Ag bimetallic films show bands at 412 and 547 nm confirms the presence of Ag and Au nanoparticles in the composite.

Preparation, optical and non-linear optical power limiting properties of Cu, CuNi nanowires

Metallic nanowires show excellent Plasmon absorption which is tunable based on its aspect ratio and alloying nature. We prepared Cu and CuNi metallic nanowires and studied its optical and nonlinear optical behavior. Optical properties of nanowires are theoretically explained using Gans theory. Nonlinear optical behavior is studied using a single beam open aperture z-scan method with the use of 5 ns Nd: YAG laser. Optical limiting is found to arise from two-photon absorption.

Microstructure and enhanced exciton-phonon coupling in Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles.

We report the microstructure and exciton-phonon coupling properties of Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles. Particles are prepared through sol-gel method at room temperature. Doping of Fe(3+) induces strain in the host lattice. Microstructural properties are analysed through Williamson-Hall analysis. Optical absorption studies show strong free excitonic absorption band at 369 nm. The photoluminescence (PL) studies reveal that ultraviolet, blue and green emission bands are located at 380, 445 and 500 nm respectively. Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibits only ultraviolet and blue emission bands. Increase of Fe concentration makes green emission gradually disappeared. Gaussian fitted photoluminescence spectra show the emission is composed of free exciton (FX) recombination and its higher orders of longitudinal optical (LO) phonon replicas. Doping induced blue shift in FX peak and also increases the exciton-phonon coupling.

Sol–gel prepared Cu2O microspheres: linear and nonlinear optical properties

We report the simple sol–gel based synthesis of size-tunable monodispersed crystalline Cu2O microspheres (CMS) and the measurement of their linear and nonlinear optical properties. Optical absorption spectra show a broad plasmonic absorption band extending from 350 to 1100 nm in general agreement with calculations based on Mie theory, despite the relatively large micron size of the particles. Z-scan measurements (532 nm, 5 ns pulses) reveal that Cu2O microspheres are efficient optical limiters, comparable in strength to nanocarbons and metal/semiconductor nanoparticles. The effective two-photon absorption coefficients are numerically calculated from measured data. These can be tuned systematically by varying the particle size.

Spectroscopic and fiber optic ethanol sensing properties Gd doped ZnO nanoparticles

We report the structural, optical and gas sensing properties of prepared pure and Gd doped ZnO nanoparticles through solgel method at moderate temperature. Structural studies are carried out by X-ray diffraction method confirms hexagonal wurtzite structure and doping induced changes in lattice parameters is observed. Optical absorption spectral studies shows red shift in the absorption peak corresponds to band-gap from 3.42 eV to 3.05 eV and broad absorption in the visible range after Gd doping is observed. Scanning electron microscopic studies shows increase in particle size where the particle diameters increase from few nm to micrometers after Gd doping. The clad modified ethanol fiber-optic sensor studies for ethanol sensing exhibits best sensitivity for the 3% Gd doped ZnO nanoparticles and the sensitivity get lowered incase of higher percentage of Gd doped ZnO sample.

Role of micro-strain and defects on band-gap, fluorescence in near white light emitting Sr doped ZnO nanorods

We report tunable band gap (red shift in band gap) of ZnO driven by the Sr doping. It is observed that enhanced white light like luminescence from Sr doped ZnO nanorods. Raman studies have carried out to get insight of phonon related vibrational properties. Dopant induced local vibrational mode appeared after Sr incorporation has been identified from Raman studies. Photoluminescence studies show that doped ZnO nanorods fluorescence covers the entire visible region apart from the characteristic exciton related UV luminescence. Crystallite size variation, defects formation, and relaxation of micro strain after doping shows a strong dependence on the luminescence of the prepared samples. The increase in luminescence with increasing dopant concentration is attributed to doping induced changes in crystallinity, micro strain, and defects formation in the samples.

Tuning optical and three photon absorption properties in graphene oxide-polyvinyl alcohol free standing films

We report the optical and nonlinear optical properties of graphene oxide (GO)-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) free standing films. The composite polymer films were prepared in ex-situ method. The variation in optical absorption spectra and optical constants with the amount of GO loading was noteworthy from the optical absorption spectroscopic studies. Nonlinear optical studies done at 532 nm using 5 ns laser pulses show three photon absorption like behaviour. Both steady state and time resolved fluorescence studies reveal that the GO was functioning as a pathway for the decay of fluorescence from PVA. This is attributed to the energy level modifications of GO through hydroxyl groups with PVA. Raman spectroscopy also supports the interaction between GO and PVA ions through OH radicals.

Surfactant assisted control on optical, fluorescence and phonon lifetime in α-Bi2O3 microrods

We report preparation of pure and surfactant added α-Bi2O3 microrods through simple chemical method at moderate temperature. Cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) is used as a surfactant. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) measurements were carried out to understand the effect of surfactant (CTAB) on structural, phonon and optical properties of the prepared material. It is observed that the crystallite size, optical band gap and the structural defects (oxygen vacancies) decreases due to the effect of surfactant. Raman spectral studies exhibit various phonon modes of Bi2O3 and also decrease in the FWHM of the phonon modes is observed after the addition of CTAB.