V. F. Tkachenko

Potassium and ammonium dihydrogen phosphates activated with thallium: Growth and luminescence and scintillation properties

The conditions for the growth of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP) crystals with concentrations of the thallium activator in the initial solution of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 wt % are investigated. It is shown that the character of incorporation and distribution of thallium in the KDP and ADP lattices is limited, apparently, by the difference in the ionic radii of K+, NH4+, and Tl+ cations and the charge state of prismatic {100} and pyramidal {101} growth planes. Doping of KDP and ADP with thallium (to 0.1 and 1.0 wt %, respectively) does not deteriorate the structural quality of these crystals. The dependence of the lattice parameters a and c on the thallium impurity concentration is investigated. The absorption bands of thallium in the KDP:Tl+ and ADP:Tl+ crystals peak at 218 and 215 nm, respectively, while the photoluminescence band peaks at 280 nm for both types of crystals. The relative light yield upon excitation of scintillations by α particles (Pu239) and β particles (Bi207) is measured.

Production of Y3Al5O12 and Y2O3 nanopowders for optical ceramics

The physical and technical conditions for reproducible production of nanodispersed yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12, YAG) and yttrium oxide (Y2O3) powders by chemical coprecipitation have been investigated. It is established that the obtained YAG nanopowders have enhanced reactivity, which significantly decreases the temperature range of interaction in the Y2O3-Al2O3 system in comparison with ceramic synthesis. It is shown that vacuum heat treatment may lead to reversible transformation of the YAG crystal structure from cubic to tetragonal.The physical and technical conditions for reproducible production of nanodispersed yttrium aluminum garnet (Y{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12}, YAG) and yttrium oxide (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) powders by chemical coprecipitation have been investigated. It is established that the obtained YAG nanopowders have enhanced reactivity, which significantly decreases the temperature range of interaction in the Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} system in comparison with ceramic synthesis. It is shown that vacuum heat treatment may lead to reversible transformation of the YAG crystal structure from cubic to tetragonal.

Production of Y{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12} and Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanopowders for optical ceramics

The physical and technical conditions for reproducible production of nanodispersed yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12, YAG) and yttrium oxide (Y2O3) powders by chemical coprecipitation have been investigated. It is established that the obtained YAG nanopowders have enhanced reactivity, which significantly decreases the temperature range of interaction in the Y2O3-Al2O3 system in comparison with ceramic synthesis. It is shown that vacuum heat treatment may lead to reversible transformation of the YAG crystal structure from cubic to tetragonal.The physical and technical conditions for reproducible production of nanodispersed yttrium aluminum garnet (Y{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12}, YAG) and yttrium oxide (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) powders by chemical coprecipitation have been investigated. It is established that the obtained YAG nanopowders have enhanced reactivity, which significantly decreases the temperature range of interaction in the Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} system in comparison with ceramic synthesis. It is shown that vacuum heat treatment may lead to reversible transformation of the YAG crystal structure from cubic to tetragonal.

Growth of large KDP single crystals for UV spectrum range

The influence of various technological parameters of crystallization (acidity of growth solutions, crystallization temperature, growth rate, degree of solution purification) on the optical absorption of large KDP single crystals has been studied in the UV range of the spectrum. It is shown that the method of solvent recirculation with the use of the starting material with the microimpurity content not exceeding 5 × 10−5 wt % and solution ultrafiltration under the optimum crystallization conditions (tcr = 80°C, Vcr ∼ (0.8–1.6) × 10−6 cm/s, pH 4) enables one to grow KDP single crystals with cross sections up to 300 × 300 mm2 and the transmission in the vicinity of the fundamental absorption edge λ = 200 nm) equal to 86%.

Optimization of the structural quality of sapphire rods grown by the Stepanov method in a reducing atmosphere

Historically, the Stepanov method has been used for growing long shaped sapphire crystals (rods, tubes, and ribbons) for practical design. The recent intense development of this technique was stimulated by sapphire applications in optics and electronics; thus, the optical and structural quality of these crystals is of great importance. The results of studying the structural quality of sapphire rods up to 18 mm in diameter grown under optimized conditions are reported.

Hydrodynamic conditions for growth of large KDP crystals

Three-dimensional mass transfer is simulated. The factors determining the hydrodynamic conditions for efficient mass transfer in growth of large KDP single crystals (cross sections up to 45 × 45 cm2) from solutions in a real 300-l-crystallizer are established. The conditions for the motion of the supersaturated solution to the surface of a growing crystal in the direction opposite to that of gravitation are attained. The growth mode developed provides growth rates that are five times higher of large high-quality optical KDP crystals.