Investigation of the Structural and Optical Properties of Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles Synthesized via a Green Route.

We report herein the synthesis of ZnFe2O4 (ZF) nanoparticles via a simple and eco-friendly green route using lemon juice as a reducing agent and fuel. The effect of different calcination temperatures on the particle size and bandgap of grown ZF nanoparticles was investigated. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated using synchrotron x-ray diffraction (S-XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis-DRS), respectively. S-XRD confirmed a spinel F-d3m phase in all four samples calcined at 350°C, 550°C, 750°C and 1000°C. The crystallite size calculated from the Debye-Scherrer equation showed an increase from 14 nm to 20 nm with the increase in calcination temperature. Williamson-Hall (W-H) analysis revealed an increase in the particle size from 16 nm to 21 nm and a decrease in the lattice microstrain from 0.913 × 10-3 to 0.154 × 10-4 with the increase in calcination temperature. The optical bandgap of the ZF nanoparticles obtained from UV-Vis-DRS decreased from 2.265 eV to 2.225 eV with the increase in calcination temperature. The ZF nanoparticles with tunable particle size, lattice microstrain and optical bandgap have potential application in ferrofluid, electromagnetic shielding, photocatalysis, hyperthermia, dye degradation and other areas. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11664-022-09813-2.

Exploring the Interrelation between Urbach Energy and Dielectric Constant in Hf-Substituted BaTiO3.

The variation of dielectric constant (εr) in the low-frequency region (∼106 Hz) in Hf-substituted BaTiO3 has been modelled considering the electronic disorder in the form of Urbach energy (E U) with the help of a Bohr-like model. Optical absorption spectroscopy has been employed in order to estimate E U and also the band gap (E g), which are found to scale systematically with Hf incorporation, whereas dielectric measurements reveal a decrease in the value of εr observed in the frequency range up to 106 Hz with Hf substitution in these prepared samples. The model predicts E U ∝ 1/εr 2 and E g ∝ 1/εr 2, which agrees with the variation of the corresponding experimental values. Thus, the present work contributes to understanding the interconnection between the optical and dielectric properties of such materials and successfully demonstrates the decrease in dielectric constant with increasing disorder.

Possibility of using ultraviolet radiation for disinfecting the novel COVID-19.

The world health organization (WHO) declared novel COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020 and as of now has infected hundreds of millions of people across the globe. Here in this report, we propose the importance of light-based technologies in disinfecting the novel COVID-19, present on the surface of phone, plastic surfaces, wallets, watches, cloths. This article identifies the benefits of repurposing ultraviolet light-based strategies to combat the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. A possible design for the ultraviolet irradiation is also proposed and discussed in short.

Deconvoluting Diffuse Reflectance Spectra for Retrieving Nanostructures' Size Details: An Easy and Efficient Approach.

A new model has been reported here to estimate the mean size and size distribution in nanostructured materials by utilizing a simple and economic diffuse reflectance spectroscopy through spectral line-shape analysis. In the proposed model, a theoretical line shape has been derived by taking into account a size distribution function, which represents a variation in absorption coefficient as a function of size, which in turn depends on the band gap and thus on the excitation photon energy. A fitting of the experimental absorption spectra with the derived line-shape function yields the mean crystallite size and size distribution. The size and size distribution have been successfully estimated from two different silicon nanostructured samples, prepared by metal induced etching. The model has been validated by comparing the estimated values with the sizes estimated using Raman spectroscopy, which is a well-known technique. The two results are not only consistent with each other but are also found to be consistent with the electron microscopy's results, revealing that a technique as simple and as economic as diffuse reflectance spectroscopy can be used to estimate size distribution. In addition, the proposed model can also be used to investigate the homogeneity in the size distribution in a nanostructured sample.

Quantifying the Short-Range Order in Amorphous Silicon by Raman Scattering.

Quantification of the short-range order in amorphous silicon has been formulized using Raman scattering by taking into account established frameworks for studying the spectral line-shape and size dependent Raman peak shift. A theoretical line-shape function has been proposed for representing the observed Raman scattering spectrum from amorphous-Si-based on modified phonon confinement model framework. While analyzing modified phonon confinement model, the term "confinement size" used in the context of nanocrystalline Si was found analogous to the short-range order distance in a-Si thus enabling one to quantify the same using Raman scattering. Additionally, an empirical formula has been proposed using bond polarizability model for estimating the short-range order making one capable to quantify the distance of short-range order by looking at the Raman peak position alone. Both the proposals have been validated using three different data sets reported by three different research groups from a-Si samples prepared by three different methods making the analysis universal.

Amplification or cancellation of Fano resonance and quantum confinement induced asymmetries in Raman line-shapes.

Fano resonance is reported here to be playing a dual role by amplifying or compensating for the quantum confinement effect induced asymmetry in Raman line-shape in silicon (Si) nanowires (NWs) obtained from heavily doped n- and p-type Si wafers respectively. The compensatory nature results in a near symmetric Raman line-shape from heavily doped p-type Si nanowires (NWs) as both the components almost cancel each other. On the other hand, the expected asymmetry, rather with enhancement, has been observed from heavily doped n-type SiNWs. Such a system (p- & n-) dependent Raman line-shape study has been carried out by theoretical line-shape analysis followed by experimental validation through suitably designed experiments. A dual role of Fano resonance in n- and p-type nano systems has been observed to modulate Raman spectra differently and reconcile accordingly to enhance and cease the Raman spectral asymmetry respectively. The present analysis will enable one to be more careful while analyzing a symmetric Raman line-shape from semiconductor nanostructures.

Room-Temperature Magneto-dielectric Effect in LaGa0.7Fe0.3O3+γ; Origin and Impact of Excess Oxygen.

We report an observation of room-temperature magneto-dielectric (RTMD) effect in LaGa0.7Fe0.3O3+γ compound. The contribution of intrinsic/resistive sources in the presently observed RTMD effect was analyzed by measuring direct-current (dc) magnetoresistance (MR) in four-probe geometry and frequency-dependent MR via impedance spectroscopy (MRIS). Present MRIS analysis reveals that at frequencies corresponding to grain contribution (≥1 × 106 Hz for present sample), the observed MD phenomenon is MR-free/intrinsic, whereas at lower probing frequencies (<1 × 106 Hz), the observed MD coupling appears to be MR-dominated possibly due to oxygen excess, that is, due to coexistence of Fe3+ and Fe4+. The magnetostriction is anticipated as a mechanism responsible for MR-free/intrinsic MD coupling, whereas the MR-dominated part is attributed to hopping charge transport along with Maxwell-Wagner and space charge polarization. The multivalence of Fe ions in LaGa0.7Fe0.3O3+γ was validated through iodometric titration and Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure measurements. The excess of oxygen, that is, coexistence of Fe3+ and Fe4+, was understood in terms of stability of Fe4+ by means of "bond-valence-sum" analysis and density functional theory-based first-principles calculations. The cation vacancies at La/Ga site (or at La and Ga both) were proposed as the possible origin of excess oxygen in presently studied compound. Present investigation suggests that, to justify the intrinsic/resistive origin of MD phenomenon, frequency-dependent MR measurements are more useful than measuring only dc MR or comparing the trends of magnetic-field-dependent change in dielectric constant and tan δ. Presently studied Fe-doped LaGaO3 can be a candidate for RTMD applications.

Extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements on asymmetric bipolar pulse direct current magnetron sputtered Ta(2)O(5) thin films.

Tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) thin films have been deposited on fused silica substrates using a novel asymmetric bipolar DC magnetron sputtering technique under a mixed ambient of oxygen and argon. Films have been prepared at different oxygen-to-argon ratios, and the sputtering ambient and optical properties of the films have been investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry, while the structural analysis of the films has been carried out by grazing incidence x-ray diffraction and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements. The concentration of oxygen and tantalum in the Ta2O5 films has been estimated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The variation of the optical constants of the films with changes in deposition parameters has been explained in the light of the change in average Ta-O bond lengths and oxygen coordination around Ta sites as obtained from EXAFS measurements. The trend in variation of the oxygen-to-tantalum ratio in the films obtained from RBS measurement, as a function of oxygen partial pressure used during sputtering, is found to follow the trend in variation of the oxygen coordination number around Ta sites obtained from EXAFS measurement.