Structural and thermoluminescence properties of lithium borate glass matrices under UV and beta radiation.

In the present work, glass samples in the (100 - x)B2O3-xLi2O binary system, with x varying from 30 to 50 mol%, were prepared using the conventional melting and moulding method, with the main objective of evaluating the thermoluminescence response when exposing these materials to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Complementary analysis based on density, optical absorption on the UV-visible region (UV-vis absorbance), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on the medium region, X-ray diffraction, and differential thermal analysis measurements were performed. Thermoluminescence measurements of vitreous samples showed glow curves with at least one peak with a maximum temperature of ~170°C after exposure to UV radiation in the temperature range 50-250°C. Samples were also exposed to beta radiation in the temperature range 25-275°C, also showing single peaks with a maximum temperature of ~150°C.

Development of Tunable Ferroelectric Ceramic Capacitors.

Ferroelectric perovskite ceramics with a high dielectric constant, low loss, high tunability, and high electric breakdown are ideal for nonlinear transmission lines (NLTLs) to generate radio frequency (RF) signals at high-power levels. To achieve the required properties, a comprehensive study of the material phase transitions and the optimal ratio adjustment between the chemical elements in the perovskite crystal structure is required. The advancement of this solid-state technology is the most promising optimization for NLTLs in developing high-power (>100 MW) devices with high tunability (>60%) and high repetition rate (>1 kHz) for soliton generation. The barium strontium zirconium titanate (BSZT) ceramic compositions were synthesized and characterized to maximize material tunability. The composition Ba0.97Sr0.03Zr0.2Ti0.8O3 exhibited a high permittivity (>12200), low loss tangent (< 0.01), and an exceptional tunability of the order of 79% at an electric field of 10 kV/cm near the phase temperature transition at 300 K. Ferroelectric ceramic is an outstanding material with promising characteristics for producing RF signals in an NLTL, and here, the BSZT is considered for this application.