Tarja Volotinen

Effect of embedding Fe3O4 nanoparticles in silica spheres on the optical transmission properties of three-dimensional magnetic photonic crystals

Magnetic and optical properties of three-dimensional fcc-structured magnetic photonic crystals (MPCs), consisting of SiO2 spheres, in the size range 260-680 nm, embedded with 0-6.4 wt % Fe3O4 nanop ...

Illumination performance and energy saving of a solar fiber optic lighting system.

The illumination performance and energy savings of a solar fiber optic lighting system have been verified in a study hall--corridor interior. The system provides intensive white light with a high luminous flux of 4500 lm under 130000 lx direct sun radiation at a 10 m fiber distance from the sun-tracking light collector. The color temperature that describes the light color perceived is 5800 ± 300 K, i.e. close to the direct sunlight outside, and the color rendering index (86), that describes how well colors are rendered under the light source, is higher for the solar lights than for the supplementary fluorescent lights (77). Thus this high quality solar lighting improves the visibility of all kinds of objects compared to the fluorescent lights. Annual lighting energy savings of 19% in Uppsala, Sweden and 46% in southern Europe were estimated for a study hall interior, as well as 27% and 55% respectively in an interior illuminated 16 h per day all days of a year.

Benefits of glass fibers in solar fiber optic lighting systems.

The transmission properties and coupling of solar light have been studied for glass core multimode fibers in order to verify their benefits for a solar fiber optic lighting system. The light transportation distance can be extended from 20 m with plastic fibers to over 100 m with the kind of glass fibers studied here. A high luminous flux, full visible spectrum, as well as an outstanding color rendering index (98) and correlated color temperature similar to the direct sun light outside have been obtained. Thus the outstanding quality of solar light transmitted through these fibers would improve the visibility of all kinds of objects compared to fluorescent and other artificial lighting. Annual relative lighting energy savings of 36% in Uppsala, Sweden, and 76% in Dubai were estimated in an office environment. The absolute savings can be doubled by using glass optical fibers, and are estimated to be in the order of 550 kWh/year in Sweden and 1160 kWh/year in Dubai for one system of only 0.159 m(2) total light collecting area. The savings are dependent on the fiber length, the daily usage time of the interior, the type of artificial lighting substituted, the system light output flux, and the available time of sunny weather at the geographic location.

Water tests on optical fibers

It is a general assumption that water itself, rather than impurities of water solutions, is dangerous for standard optical fibers. In this review paper, a summary of the results on water test conditions, made by COST 246 Action, is given, and the factors affecting the test results of strength and fatigue tests, are discussed. A fiber may have very different strength degradation in water depending on the chemical conditions, such as, ion concentration of the water, test vessel material, temperature etc.

Enhanced photoresponse of inkjet printed ZnO thin films induced by chemically capped CdS nanoparticles by dip coating

Monodispersed CdS nanoparticles (NP) are dip coated on porous ZnO thin film deposited by inkjet printing. Optical absorption characteristics of the composite films show that the composite exhibits two main peaks centered at 355 nm due to the absorption at UV region from ZnO, and 433 nm arising from CdS NP. On UV radiations the electrical conductivity of CdS/ZnO composite thin film with 5 dip cycles is found to be enhanced more than three orders magnitude compared with that of the ZnO which we attribute to be the effect of interfacial charge transfer. Also, the UV photoresponse of ZnO shows pronounced enhancement after CdS capping.

Reliability of optical fibers and components: achievements and conclusions of COST 246

Short summary of the achievements and conclusions of the European research action COST 246, titled Materials and Reliability of Passive Optical Components and Fiber Amplifiers in Telecommunications Networks, which was current during 1993 - 1998, is given.