Yoke Khin Yap

Recent development of nonlinear optical borate crystals: key materials for generation of visible and UV light

Abstract The development of nonlinear optical (NLO) borate crystals for generation of visible and UV light is reviewed. We first discussed on the basic principles of laser frequency conversion. Then, we examine the trends in research on NLO crystals. The background and present status of NLO borate crystals are summarized. The main considerations are focused on the discussion of crystals like CsLiB 6 O 10 (CLBO), Gd x Y 1− x Ca 4 O(BO 3 ) 3 (GdYCOB) and K 2 Al 2 B 2 O 7 (KAB). Properties of related materials like β-BaB 2 O 2 (BBO), LiB 3 O 5 (LBO), KBe 2 BO 3 F 2 (KBBF), Sr 2 Be 2 BO 7 (SBBO), CsB 3 O 5 (CBO), GdCa 4 O(BO 3 ) 3 (GdCOB) and YCa 4 O(BO 3 ) 3 (YCOB) are included for comparison. We aim to provide a complete view of developing a new NLO borate material for actual laser applications. This review covers various aspects including the search for new materials, the growth of bulk crystals, the characterization of crystal properties as well as the development of new techniques to overcome obstacles in actual laser application, namely, thermal dephasing and laser-induced damage. Finally, perspectives on NLO borate crystals and all-solid-state UV lasers are evaluated.

A New Nonlinear Optical Borate Crystal K2Al2B2O7 (KAB)

A new nonlinear optical (NLO) borate crystal K2Al2B2O7 (Potassium Aluminum Borate, KAB) has been discovered. The structure has been established by 4-axis X-ray diffraction methods. The material crystallizes in the trigonal space group P321 with a = 8.5657(9) A, C = 8.463(2) A and Z = 3. KAB possesses a space arrangement similar to Sr2Be2B2O7 (SBBO). A KAB crystal with a dimensions of 30×15×1 mm3 was grown using the Top-Seeded Solution Growth (TSSG) method. The optical properties of KAB were measured.

Rheological Properties and Chemical Bonding of Asphalt Modified with Nanosilica

AbstractThe objective of this study is to evaluate the rheological properties and chemical bonding of nano-modified asphalt binders blended with nanosilica. In this study, the nanosilica was added to the control asphalt at contents of 4% and 6% based on the weight of asphalt binders. Superpave binder and mixture tests were utilized in this study to estimate the characteristics of the nano-modifed asphalt binder and mixture. The rotational viscosity (RV), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending beam rhometer (BBR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), asphalt pavement analyzer (APA), dynamic modulus (DM) and flow number (FN) tests were used to analyze rheological properties and chemical bonding changes of the nano-modified asphalt binder and the performance of the nano-modified asphalt mixture. In addition, the performance of nano-modified asphalt after rolling thin-film oven (RTFO) short-term and pressure-aging vessel (PAV) long-term aging was assessed as well...

In situ observation of size-scale effects on the mechanical properties of ZnO nanowires

In this investigation, the size-scale in mechanical properties of individual [0001] ZnO nanowires and the correlation with atomic-scale arrangements were explored via in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoindentation (NI) systems. The Youngs modulus was determined to be size-scale-dependent for nanowires with diameter, d, in the range of 40 nm ≤ d ≤ 110 nm, and reached the maximum of ∼ 249 GPa for d = 40 nm. However, this phenomenon was not observed for nanowires in the range of 200 nm ≤ d ≤ 400 nm, where an average constant Youngs modulus of ∼ 147.3 GPa was detected, close to the modulus value of bulk ZnO. A size-scale dependence in the failure of nanowires was also observed. The thick ZnO nanowires (d ≥ 200 nm) were brittle, while the thin nanowires (d ≤ 110 nm) were highly flexible. The diameter effect and enhanced Youngs modulus observed in thin ZnO nanowires are due to the combined effects of surface relaxation and long-range interactions present in ionic crystals, which leads to much stiffer surfaces than bulk wires. The brittle failure in thicker ZnO wires was initiated from the outermost layer, where the maximum tensile stress operates and propagates along the (0001) planes. After a number of loading and unloading cycles, the highly compressed region of the thinner nanowires was transformed from a crystalline to an amorphous phase, and the region near the neutral zone was converted into a mixture of disordered atomic planes and bent lattice fringes as revealed by high-resolution images.

Origins of Thermodynamically Stable Superhydrophobicity of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Coatings

Superhydrophobic surfaces are attractive as self-cleaning protective coatings in harsh environments with extreme temperatures and pH levels. Hexagonal phase boron nitride (h-BN) films are promising protective coatings due to their extraordinary chemical and thermal stability. However, their high surface energy makes them hydrophilic and thus not applicable as water repelling coatings. Our recent discovery on the superhydrophobicity of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) is thus contradicting with the fact that BN materials would not be hydrophobic. To resolve this contradiction, we have investigated BNNT coatings by time-dependent contact angle measurement, thermogravimetry, IR spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. We found that the wettability of BNNTs is determined by the packing density, orientation, length of nanotubes, and the environmental condition. The origins of superhydrophobicity of these BNNT coatings are identified as (1) surface morphology and (2) hydrocarbon adsorbates on BNNTs. Hydrocarbon molecules adsorb spontaneously on the curved surfaces of nanotubes more intensively than on flat surfaces of BN films. This means the surface energy of BNNTs was enhanced by their large curvatures and thus increased the affinity of BNNTs to adsorb airborne molecules, which in turn would reduce the surface energy of BNNTs and make them hydrophobic. Our study revealed that both high-temperature and UV-ozone treatments can remove these adsorbates and lead to restitution of hydrophilic BN surface. However, nanotubes have a unique capability in building a hydrophobic layer of adsorbates after a few hours of exposure to ambient air.

High-power fourth- and fifth-harmonic generation of a Nd:YAG laser by means of a CsLiB 6 O 10

High pulse energies of nanosecond-level fourth- and fifth-harmonic (4omega and 5omega) generation of a Nd:YAG laser have been obtained with a CsLiB(6)O(10) (CLBO) nonlinear crystal. 500 mJ of 4omega output with a conversion efficiency of 50% from the second-harmonic input was generated. 5omega output at 213 nm of as high as 230 mJ was obtained by sum-frequency generation of the 266- and 1064-nm beams, corresponding to a 10.4% conversion efficiency of the initial fundamental input energy. The characteristics of the CLBO crystal that permit this effective frequency conversion are discussed.

Superhydrophobicity of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Grown on Silicon Substrates

Partially vertical aligned boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) on Si substrates are found to be superhydrophobic in contrast to boron nitride (BN) thin films. While the hexagonal-phase BN films are partially wetted by water with advancing contact angle of about 50 degrees , partially vertically aligned BNNTs can achieve superhydrophobic state with advancing water contact angle exceeding 150 degrees . Our results show that the pH value of water does not affect the wetting characteristics of BNNTs. Since BN is chemically inert, resistive to oxidation up to 900 degrees C, and transparent to visible-UV light, BNNTs could potentially be useful as self-cleaning, transparent, insulating, anticorrosive coatings under rigorous chemical and thermal conditions.

Formation of single crystalline ZnO nanotubes without catalysts and templates

Oxide and nitride nanotubes have gained attention for their large surface areas, wide energy band gaps, and hydrophilic natures for various innovative applications. These nanotubes were either grown by templates or multistep processes with uncontrollable crystallinity. Here the authors show that single crystal ZnO nanotubes can be directly grown on planar substrates without using catalysts and templates. These results are guided by the theory of nucleation and the vapor-solid crystal growth mechanism, which is applicable for transforming other nanowires or nanorods into nanotubular structures.

Influence of negative dc bias voltage on structural transformation of carbon nitride at 600 °C

Carbon nitride (CN) thin films were prepared at 600 °C by rf plasma pulsed laser deposition. As we increased the magnitude of the negative dc bias voltage, the CN bonds were transformed from a mixture of sp2 C–N and sp3 C–N states into a CN phase predominated by tetrahedral CN bonds. A biasing threshold of this transformation occurred due to the annihilation of the graphite microstructure, which coincided with a threshold of significant nitrogen incorporation. We found that suppression of graphite supersaturation appeared to be important for the formation of the tetrahedral sp3 C–N bonds. The nitrogen content of these films is stable upon annealing at 800 °C in vacuum.

Recent development of nonlinear optical borate crystals for UV generation

Abstract Recent development of high-power solid-state UV radiation by nonlinear optical (NLO) borate crystals is reviewed. The performance of such UV light sources has rapidly improved in the past five years because of the superior NLO properties of CsLiB6O10 (CLBO) crystals. The performance of such UV light sources also depends on the reliability of the NLO crystals. The relation between the bulk laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT), dislocation density and UV absorption of CsLiB6O10 (CLBO) was investigated. A newly developed synthesis process allows the growth of CLBO crystals with LIDT 2.5-fold higher than those grown by the conventional top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) technique. High-quality CLBO possesses lower dislocation density and smaller absorption of UV light ( λ=266 nm ) than conventional CLBO. Reduction of the dislocation density can suppress absorption of UV light that helps to enhance the resistance of CLBO to laser-induced damages, to alleviate thermal dephasing during high-power generation of UV light and thus strengthen the reliability of CLBO for UV light generation.