Visible-light sensitization of vinyl azides by transition-metal photocatalysis.

PubMed

Farney, Elliot P; Yoon, Tehshik P

2014-01-13

Irradiation of vinyl and aryl azides with visible light in the presence of Ru photocatalysts results in the formation of reactive nitrenes, which can undergo a variety of C-N bond-forming reactions. The ability to use low-energy visible light instead of UV in the photochemical activation of azides avoids competitive photodecomposition processes that have long been a significant limitation on the synthetic use of these reactions. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Patterning of silver nanoparticles on visible light-sensitive Mn-doped lithium niobate photogalvanic crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu Xiaoyan; Ohuchi, Fumio; Hatano, Hideki

2011-08-01

Visible light-induced polarization-dependent photochemical deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been demonstrated using Mn-doped congruent LiNbO{sub 3} (CLN) single crystals. Mn-doped CLN has a strong absorption over a wide region of the visible spectrum that allowed effective visible light irradiation for photochemical deposition. The AgNPs deposition on Mn-doped CLN was compared with that on non-doped congruent LiNbO{sub 3}, and together these further confirmed that the photochemical deposition on LiNbO{sub 3} is caused by the strong photogalvanic effect.

Unpredictable adsorption and visible light induced decolorization of nano rutile for the treatment of crystal violet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Yanling; Liu, Yang; Lu, Dingze; Zheng, Feng; Fang, Pengfei; Zhang, Haining

2017-04-01

Photocatalysts containing different ratios of anatase and rutile are prepared via heat treatment of Degussa P-25 titania. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Bruuauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), ultraviolet-visible light diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), Raman spectra (Raman), positron annihilation lifetime spectra (PAL) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) are applied to investigate the phase composition of the synthesized catalysts. Using crystal violet (CV) as the target pollutant, the unexpected visible light decolorization of rutile is observed. Despite the decreased specific surface area, the as-synthesized rutile samples exhibit much higher adsorption capability of CV than P-25 does, which in turn leads to improved photoreaction efficiency. Since the rutile samples can't absorb the visible light, the degradation under visible light irradiation is attributed to self-sensitization of CV on the surface of rutile.

Visible-light sensitization of TiO2 photocatalysts via wet chemical N-doping for the degradation of dissolved organic compounds in wastewater treatment: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Jia, Baoping; Wang, Qiuze; Dionysiou, Dionysois

2015-05-01

Increased pollution of ground and surface water and emerging new micropollutants from a wide variety of industrial, municipal, and agricultural sources has increased demand on the development of innovative new technologies and materials whereby challenges associated with the provision of safe potable water can be addressed. Heterogeneous photocatalysis using visible-light sensitized TiO2 photocatalysts has attracted a lot of attention as it can effectively remove dissolved organic compound in water without generating harmful by-products. On this note, recent progress on visible-light sensitive TiO2 synthesis via wet chemical N-doping method is reviewed. In a typical visible-light sensitive TiO2 preparation via wet chemical methods, the chemical (e.g., N-doping content and states) and morphological properties (e.g., particle size, surface area, and crystal phase) of TiO2 in as-prepared resultants are sensitively dependent on many experimental variables during the synthesis. This has also made it very difficult to provide a universal guidance at this stage with a certainty for each variable of N-doping preparation. Instead of one-factor-at-a-time style investigation, a statistically valid parameter optimization investigation for general optima of photocatalytic activity will be certainly useful. Optimization of the preparation technique is envisaged to be beneficial to many environmental applications, i.e., dissolved organic compounds removal in wastewater treatment.

Metal-free organic sensitizers for use in water-splitting dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells

DOE PAGES

Swierk, John R.; Méndez-Hernández, Dalvin D.; McCool, Nicholas S.; ...

2015-01-12

Solar fuel generation requires the efficient capture and conversion of visible light. In both natural and artificial systems, molecular sensitizers can be tuned to capture, convert, and transfer visible light energy. We demonstrate that a series of metal-free porphyrins can drive photoelectrochemical water splitting under broadband and red light (λ > 590 nm) illumination in a dye-sensitized TiO 2 solar cell. Here, we report the synthesis, spectral, and electrochemical properties of the sensitizers. Despite slow recombination of photoinjected electrons with oxidized porphyrins, photocurrents are low because of low injection yields and slow electron self-exchange between oxidized porphyrins. As a result,more » the free-base porphyrins are stable under conditions of water photoelectrolysis and in some cases photovoltages in excess of 1 V are observed.« less

Multi-spectral imaging with infrared sensitive organic light emitting diode

PubMed Central

Kim, Do Young; Lai, Tzung-Han; Lee, Jae Woong; Manders, Jesse R.; So, Franky

2014-01-01

Commercially available near-infrared (IR) imagers are fabricated by integrating expensive epitaxial grown III-V compound semiconductor sensors with Si-based readout integrated circuits (ROIC) by indium bump bonding which significantly increases the fabrication costs of these image sensors. Furthermore, these typical III-V compound semiconductors are not sensitive to the visible region and thus cannot be used for multi-spectral (visible to near-IR) sensing. Here, a low cost infrared (IR) imaging camera is demonstrated with a commercially available digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera and an IR sensitive organic light emitting diode (IR-OLED). With an IR-OLED, IR images at a wavelength of 1.2 µm are directly converted to visible images which are then recorded in a Si-CMOS DSLR camera. This multi-spectral imaging system is capable of capturing images at wavelengths in the near-infrared as well as visible regions. PMID:25091589

Multi-spectral imaging with infrared sensitive organic light emitting diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Do Young; Lai, Tzung-Han; Lee, Jae Woong; Manders, Jesse R.; So, Franky

2014-08-01

Commercially available near-infrared (IR) imagers are fabricated by integrating expensive epitaxial grown III-V compound semiconductor sensors with Si-based readout integrated circuits (ROIC) by indium bump bonding which significantly increases the fabrication costs of these image sensors. Furthermore, these typical III-V compound semiconductors are not sensitive to the visible region and thus cannot be used for multi-spectral (visible to near-IR) sensing. Here, a low cost infrared (IR) imaging camera is demonstrated with a commercially available digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera and an IR sensitive organic light emitting diode (IR-OLED). With an IR-OLED, IR images at a wavelength of 1.2 µm are directly converted to visible images which are then recorded in a Si-CMOS DSLR camera. This multi-spectral imaging system is capable of capturing images at wavelengths in the near-infrared as well as visible regions.

Visible light alters yeast metabolic rhythms by inhibiting respiration.

PubMed

Robertson, James Brian; Davis, Chris R; Johnson, Carl Hirschie

2013-12-24

Exposure of cells to visible light in nature or in fluorescence microscopy often is considered to be relatively innocuous. However, using the yeast respiratory oscillation (YRO) as a sensitive measurement of metabolism, we find that non-UV visible light has a significant impact on yeast metabolism. Blue/green wavelengths of visible light shorten the period and dampen the amplitude of the YRO, which is an ultradian rhythm of cell metabolism and transcription. The wavelengths of light that have the greatest effect coincide with the peak absorption regions of cytochromes. Moreover, treating yeast with the electron transport inhibitor sodium azide has similar effects on the YRO as visible light. Because impairment of respiration by light would change several state variables believed to play vital roles in the YRO (e.g., oxygen tension and ATP levels), we tested oxygen's role in YRO stability and found that externally induced oxygen depletion can reset the phase of the oscillation, demonstrating that respiratory capacity plays a role in the oscillation's period and phase. Light-induced damage to the cytochromes also produces reactive oxygen species that up-regulate the oxidative stress response gene TRX2 that is involved in pathways that enable sustained growth in bright visible light. Therefore, visible light can modulate cellular rhythmicity and metabolism through unexpectedly photosensitive pathways.

Visible light-driven water oxidation promoted by host-guest interaction between photosensitizer and catalyst with a high quantum efficiency.

PubMed

Li, Hua; Li, Fei; Zhang, Biaobiao; Zhou, Xu; Yu, Fengshou; Sun, Licheng

2015-04-08

A highly active supramolecular system for visible light-driven water oxidation was developed with cyclodextrin-modified ruthenium complex as the photosensitizer, phenyl-modified ruthenium complexes as the catalysts, and sodium persulfate as the sacrificial electron acceptor. The catalysts were found to form 1:1 host-guest adducts with the photosensitizer. Stopped-flow measurement revealed the host-guest interaction is essential to facilitate the electron transfer from catalyst to sensitizer. As a result, a remarkable quantum efficiency of 84% was determined under visible light irradiation in neutral aqueous phosphate buffer. This value is nearly 1 order of magnitude higher than that of noninteraction system, indicating that the noncovalent incorporation of sensitizer and catalyst is an appealing approach for efficient conversion of solar energy into fuels.

Immobilization of TiO2 Nanoparticles on Chlorella pyrenoidosa Cells for Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalysis

PubMed Central

Cai, Aijun; Guo, Aiying; Ma, Zichuan

2017-01-01

TiO2 nanoparticles are immobilized on chlorella cells using the hydrothermal method. The morphology, structure, and the visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of the prepared chlorella/TiO2 composite are investigated by various methods. The chlorella/TiO2 composite is found to exhibit larger average sizes and higher visible-light intensities. The sensitization of the photosynthesis pigment originating from chlorella cells provides the anatase TiO2 with higher photocatalytic activities under the visible-light irradiation. The latter is linked to the highly efficient charge separation of the electron/hole pairs. The results also suggest that the photocatalytic activity of the composite remains substantial after four cycles, suggesting a good stability. PMID:28772899

In Situ Formation of an Azo Bridge on Proteins Controllable by Visible Light.

PubMed

Hoppmann, Christian; Maslennikov, Innokentiy; Choe, Senyon; Wang, Lei

2015-09-09

Optical modulation of proteins provides superior spatiotemporal resolution for understanding biological processes, and photoswitches built on light-sensitive proteins have been significantly advancing neuronal and cellular studies. Small molecule photoswitches could complement protein-based switches by mitigating potential interference and affording high specificity for modulation sites. However, genetic encodability and responsiveness to nonultraviolet light, two desired properties possessed by protein photoswitches, are challenging to be engineered into small molecule photoswitches. Here we developed a small molecule photoswitch that can be genetically installed onto proteins in situ and controlled by visible light. A pentafluoro azobenzene-based photoswitchable click amino acid (F-PSCaa) was designed to isomerize in response to visible light. After genetic incorporation into proteins via the expansion of the genetic code, F-PSCaa reacts with a nearby cysteine within the protein generating an azo bridge in situ. The resultant bridge is switchable by visible light and allows conformation and binding of CaM to be regulated by such light. This photoswitch should prove valuable in optobiology for its minimal interference, site flexibility, genetic encodability, and response to the more biocompatible visible light.

Judgments of eye level in light and in darkness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoper, Arnold E.; Cohen, Malcolm M.

1986-01-01

Subjects judged eye level in the light and in the dark by raising and lowering themselves in a dental chair until a stationary target appeared to be at the level of their eyes. This method reduced the possibility of subjects' using visible landmarks as reference points for setting eye level during lighted trials, which may have contributed to artificially low estimates of the variability of this judgment in previous studies. Chair settings were 2.5 deg higher in the dark than in the light, and variability was approximately 66 percent greater in the dark than in the light. These results are discussed in terms of possible interactions of two separate systems, one sensitive to the orientations of visible surfaces and the other sensitive to bodily and gravitational information.

Inactivation of bacterial biofilms using visible-light-activated unmodified ZnO nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aponiene, Kristina; Serevičius, Tomas; Luksiene, Zivile; Juršėnas, Saulius

2017-09-01

Various zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are widely used for photocatalytic antibacterial applications. Since ZnO possesses a wide bandgap, it is believed that only UV light may efficiently assist bacterial inactivation, and diverse crystal lattice modifications should be applied in order to narrow the bandgap for efficient visible-light absorption. In this work we show that even unmodified ZnO nanorods grown by an aqueous chemical growth technique are found to possess intrinsic defects that can be activated by visible light (λ = 405 nm) and successfully applied for total inactivation of various highly resistant bacterial biofilms rather than more sensitive planktonic bacteria. Time-resolved fluorescence analysis has revealed that visible-light excitation creates long-lived charge carriers (τ > 1 μs), which might be crucial for destructive biochemical reactions achieving significant bacterial biofilm inactivation. ZnO nanorods covered with bacterial biofilms of Enterococcus faecalis MSCL 302 after illumination by visible light (λ = 405 nm) were inactivated by 2 log, and Listeria monocytogenes ATCL3C 7644 and Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilms by 4 log. Heterogenic waste-water microbial biofilms, consisting of a mixed population of mesophilic bacteria after illumination with visible light were also completely destroyed.

Visible absorption properties of radiation exposed XR type-T radiochromic film.

PubMed

Butson, Martin J; Cheung, Tsang; Yu, Peter K N

2004-10-07

The visible absorption spectra of Gafchromic XR type-T radiochromic film have been investigated to analyse the dosimetry characteristics of the film with visible light densitometers. Common densitometers can use photospectrometry, fluorescent light (broad-band visible), helium neon (632 nm), light emitting diode (LED) or other specific bandwidth spectra. The visible absorption spectra of this film when exposed to photon radiation show peaks at 676 nm and 618 nm at 2 Gy absorbed doses which shift to slightly lower wavelengths (662 nm and 612 nm at 8 Gy absorbed dose) at higher doses. This is similar to previous models of Gafchromic film such as MD-55-2 and HS but XR type-T also includes a large absorption at lower visible wavelengths due to 'yellow' dyes placed within the film to aid with visible recognition of the film exposure level. The yellow dye band pass is produced at approximately 520 nm to 550 nm and absorbs wavelengths lower than this value within the visible spectrum. This accounts for the colour change from yellow to brown through the added absorption in the red wavelengths with radiation exposure. The film produces a relatively high dose sensitivity with up to 0.25 OD units per Gy change at 672 nm at 100 kVp x-ray energy. Variations in dose sensitivity can be achieved by varying wavelength analysis.

Dynamic Features for Iris Recognition.

PubMed

da Costa, R M; Gonzaga, A

2012-08-01

The human eye is sensitive to visible light. Increasing illumination on the eye causes the pupil of the eye to contract, while decreasing illumination causes the pupil to dilate. Visible light causes specular reflections inside the iris ring. On the other hand, the human retina is less sensitive to near infra-red (NIR) radiation in the wavelength range from 800 nm to 1400 nm, but iris detail can still be imaged with NIR illumination. In order to measure the dynamic movement of the human pupil and iris while keeping the light-induced reflexes from affecting the quality of the digitalized image, this paper describes a device based on the consensual reflex. This biological phenomenon contracts and dilates the two pupils synchronously when illuminating one of the eyes by visible light. In this paper, we propose to capture images of the pupil of one eye using NIR illumination while illuminating the other eye using a visible-light pulse. This new approach extracts iris features called "dynamic features (DFs)." This innovative methodology proposes the extraction of information about the way the human eye reacts to light, and to use such information for biometric recognition purposes. The results demonstrate that these features are discriminating features, and, even using the Euclidean distance measure, an average accuracy of recognition of 99.1% was obtained. The proposed methodology has the potential to be "fraud-proof," because these DFs can only be extracted from living irises.

Observations of the earth using nighttime visible imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, J. L.

1983-01-01

The earth as viewed from space in visible light at night reveals some features not easily discernible during the day such as aurora, forest fires, city lights and gas flares. In addition, those features having a high albedo such as snow and ice can be identified on many moonlit nights nearly as well as they can in sunlight. The Air Force DMSP satellites have been operating in the visible wavelengths at night since the mid 1960s. Most all other satellites having optical sensors are incapable of imaging at night. Imaging systems having improved light sensitivity in the visible portion of the spectrum should be considered when planning future earth resources satellite missions in order to utilize nighttime as well as daytime visual observations.

Using lead chalcogenide nanocrystals as spin mixers: a perspective on near-infrared-to-visible upconversion.

PubMed

Nienhaus, Lea; Wu, Mengfei; Bulović, Vladimir; Baldo, Marc A; Bawendi, Moungi G

2018-03-01

The process of upconversion leads to emission of photons higher in energy than the incident photons. Near-infrared-to-visible upconversion, in particular, shows promise in sub-bandgap sensitization of silicon and other optoelectronic materials, resulting in potential applications ranging from photovoltaics that exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit to infrared imaging. A feasible mechanism for near-infrared-to-visible upconversion is triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals (NCs). Here, the long lifetime of spin-triplet excitons in the organic materials that undergo TTA makes upconversion possible under incoherent excitation at relatively low photon fluxes. Since this process relies on optically inactive triplet states, semiconductor NCs are utilized as efficient spin mixers, absorbing the incident light and sensitizing the triplet states of the TTA material. The state-of-the-art system uses rubrene with a triplet energy of 1.14 eV as the TTA medium, and thus allows upconversion of light with photon energies above ∼1.1 eV. In this perspective, we review the field of lead sulfide (PbS) NC-sensitized near-infrared-to-visible upconversion, discuss solution-based upconversion, and highlight progress made on solid-state upconversion devices.

Scatter Measurements Made With Ultraviolet Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anthon, Erik W.

1985-09-01

The quality of optical surfaces is generally evaluated by how much light (normally visible light) is scattered by the surface. Most optical glasses and many coating materials are completely opaque to ultraviolet light (253.7 nm). Ultraviolet light tends to scatter much more than visible light. Scatter measurements made with ultraviolet light are therefore very sensitive and the scatter from second surfaces and from the interior (bulk) of the optical material is eliminated by the opacity. A novel scattermeter that operates with ultraviolet light has been developed. The construction and operation of this scattermeter will be described. Cleaning soon becomes the limiting factor when measuring the surfaces with very low level of scatter. Sensitivity to repeated cleaning has been investigated. Different surfaces are compared and uniformity of surfaces is measured by mapping a surface area with an x-y stage. Polished glass surfaces generally have much higher scatter than natural glass surfaces (fire polished, drawn or floated surfaces). Very low scatter levels have been found on thin drawn glass.

Visualization of light propagation in visible Chinese human head for functional near-infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ting; Gong, Hui; Luo, Qingming

2011-04-01

Using the visible Chinese human data set, which faithfully represents human anatomy, we visualize the light propagation in the head in detail based on Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation is verified to agree with published experimental results in terms of a differential path-length factor. The spatial sensitivity profile turns out to seem like a fat tropical fish with strong distortion along the folding cerebral surface. The sensitive brain region covers the gray matter and extends to the superficial white matter, leading to a large penetration depth (>3 cm). Finally, the optimal source-detector separation is suggested to be narrowed down to 3-3.5 cm, while the sensitivity of the detected signal to brain activation reaches the peak of 8%. These results indicate that the cerebral cortex folding geometry actually has substantial effects on light propagation, which should be necessarily considered for applications of functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

One-pot ultrasonic-assisted method for preparation of Ag/AgCl sensitized ZnO nanostructures as visible-light-driven photocatalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naghizadeh-Alamdari, Sara; Habibi-Yangjeh, Aziz; Pirhashemi, Mahsa

2015-02-01

Ultrasonic-assisted method was applied for preparation of Ag/AgCl sensitized ZnO nanostructures by one-pot procedure in water without using any post preparation treatments. The resultant nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, EDX, SEM, DRS, XPS, BET, and PL techniques. In the nanocomposites, ZnO and AgCl have wurtzite hexagonal and cubic crystalline phases, respectively and their surface morphologies remarkably change with increasing mole fraction of silver chloride. The EDX and XPS techniques show that the prepared samples are extremely pure. Ability of the nanocomposites for absorption of visible-light irradiation enhanced with increasing AgCl content. Photocatalytic examination of the nanocomposites was carried out using aqueous solution of methylene blue under visible-light irradiation. The degradation rate constant on the nancomposite rapidly increases with mole fraction of silver chloride up to 0.237. Enhancing activity of the nanocomposite was attributed to its ability for absorbing visible light and separation of electron-hole pairs. Furthermore, influence of ultrasonic irradiation time, calcination temperature, catalyst weight, pH of solution, and scavengers of reactive species on the degradation activity was investigated and the results were discussed. Finally, the photocatalyst has good activity after five successive cycles.

High-Performance Visible-Blind UV Phototransistors Based on n-Type Naphthalene Diimide Nanomaterials.

PubMed

Song, Inho; Lee, Seung-Chul; Shang, Xiaobo; Ahn, Jaeyong; Jung, Hoon-Joo; Jeong, Chan-Uk; Kim, Sang-Wook; Yoon, Woojin; Yun, Hoseop; Kwon, O-Pil; Oh, Joon Hak

2018-04-11

This study investigates the performance of single-crystalline nanomaterials of wide-band gap naphthalene diimide (NDI) derivatives with methylene-bridged aromatic side chains. Such materials are found to be easily used as high-performance, visible-blind near-UV light detectors. NDI single-crystalline nanoribbons are assembled using a simple solution-based process (without solvent-inclusion problems), which is then applied to organic phototransistors (OPTs). Such OPTs exhibit excellent n-channel transistor characteristics, including an average electron mobility of 1.7 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , sensitive UV detection properties with a detection limit of ∼1 μW cm -2 , millisecond-level responses, and detectivity as high as 10 15 Jones, demonstrating the highly sensitive organic visible-blind UV detectors. The high performance of our OPTs originates from the large face-to-face π-π stacking area between the NDI semiconducting cores, which is facilitated by methylene-bridged aromatic side chains. Interestingly, NDI-based nanoribbon OPTs exhibit a distinct visible-blind near-UV detection with an identical detection limit, even under intense visible light illumination (for example, 10 4 times higher intensity than UV light intensity). Our findings demonstrate that wide-band gap NDI-based nanomaterials are highly promising for developing high-performance visible-blind UV photodetectors. Such photodetectors could potentially be used for various applications including environmental and health-monitoring systems.

Photometry in the dark: time dependent visibility of low intensity light sources.

PubMed

Poelman, Dirk; Smet, Philippe F

2010-12-06

This paper aims at describing the perceived brightness of persistent luminescent materials for emergency signage. In case of emergency, typically, a fully light adapted person is left in the dark, except for the emergency sign. The available photometric models cannot describe visibility of such light source, as they do not consider the slow dark adaptation of the human eye. The model proposed here fully takes into account the shift from photopic to scotopic vision, the related shift in spectral sensitivity and the dark adaptation. The resulting metric is a 'visibility index' and preliminary tests show that it more realistically describes the perceived brightness of persistent luminescent materials than the common photometric standards.

A self-sacrifice template route to iodine modified BiOIO3: band gap engineering and highly boosted visible-light active photoreactivity.

PubMed

Feng, Jingwen; Huang, Hongwei; Yu, Shixin; Dong, Fan; Zhang, Yihe

2016-03-21

The development of high-performance visible-light photocatalysts with a tunable band gap has great significance for enabling wide-band-gap (WBG) semiconductors visible-light sensitive activity and precisely tailoring their optical properties and photocatalytic performance. In this work we demonstrate the continuously adjustable band gap and visible-light photocatalysis activation of WBG BiOIO3via iodine surface modification. The iodine modified BiOIO3 was developed through a facile in situ reduction route by applying BiOIO3 as the self-sacrifice template and glucose as the reducing agent. By manipulating the glucose concentration, the band gap of the as-prepared modified BiOIO3 could be orderly narrowed by generation of the impurity or defect energy level close to the conduction band, thus endowing it with a visible light activity. The photocatalytic assessments uncovered that, in contrast to pristine BiOIO3, the modified BiOIO3 presents significantly boosted photocatalytic properties for the degradation of both liquid and gaseous contaminants, including Rhodamine B (RhB), methyl orange (MO), and ppb-level NO under visible light. Additionally, the band structure evolution as well as photocatalysis mechanism triggered by the iodine surface modification is investigated in detail. This study not only provides a novel iodine surface-modified BiOIO3 for environmental application, but also provides a facile and general way to develop highly efficient visible-light photocatalysts.

Inactivation of carotenoid-producing and albino strains of Neurospora crassa by visible light, blacklight, and ultraviolet radiation.

PubMed Central

Blanc, P L; Tuveson, R W; Sargent, M L

1976-01-01

Suspensions of Neurospora crassa conidia were inactivated by blacklight (BL) radiation (300 to 425 nm) in the absence of exogenous photosensitizing compounds. Carotenoid-containing wild-type conidia were less sensitive to BL radiation than albino conidia, showing a dose enhancement factor (DEF) of 1.2 for dose levels resulting in less than 10% survival. The same strains were about equally sensitive to shortwave ultraviolet (UV) inactivation. The kinetics of BL inactivation are similar to those of photodynamic inactivation by visible light in the presence of a photosensitizing dye (methylene blue). Only limited inactivation by visible light in the absence of exogenous photosensitizers was observed. BL and UV inactivations are probably caused by different mechanisms since wild-type conidia are only slightly more resistant to BL radiation (DEF = 1.2 at 1.0% survival) than are conidia from a UV-sensitive strain (upr-1, uvs-3). The BL-induced lethal lesions are probably no cyclobutyl pyrimidine dimers since BL-inactivated Haemophilus influenzae transforming deoxyribonucleic acid is not photoreactivated by N. crassa wild-type enzyme extracts, whereas UV-inactivated transforming deoxyribonucleic acid is photoreactivable with this treatment. PMID:128556

Simulating visibility under reduced acuity and contrast sensitivity.

PubMed

Thompson, William B; Legge, Gordon E; Kersten, Daniel J; Shakespeare, Robert A; Lei, Quan

2017-04-01

Architects and lighting designers have difficulty designing spaces that are accessible to those with low vision, since the complex nature of most architectural spaces requires a site-specific analysis of the visibility of mobility hazards and key landmarks needed for navigation. We describe a method that can be utilized in the architectural design process for simulating the effects of reduced acuity and contrast on visibility. The key contribution is the development of a way to parameterize the simulation using standard clinical measures of acuity and contrast sensitivity. While these measures are known to be imperfect predictors of visual function, they provide a way of characterizing general levels of visual performance that is familiar to both those working in low vision and our target end-users in the architectural and lighting-design communities. We validate the simulation using a letter-recognition task.

Simulating Visibility Under Reduced Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Thompson, William B.; Legge, Gordon E.; Kersten, Daniel J.; Shakespeare, Robert A.; Lei, Quan

2017-01-01

Architects and lighting designers have difficulty designing spaces that are accessible to those with low vision, since the complex nature of most architectural spaces requires a site-specific analysis of the visibility of mobility hazards and key landmarks needed for navigation. We describe a method that can be utilized in the architectural design process for simulating the effects of reduced acuity and contrast on visibility. The key contribution is the development of a way to parameterize the simulation using standard clinical measures of acuity and contrast sensitivity. While these measures are known to be imperfect predictors of visual function, they provide a way of characterizing general levels of visual performance that is familiar to both those working in low vision and our target end-users in the architectural and lighting design communities. We validate the simulation using a letter recognition task. PMID:28375328

Visible-light system for detecting doxorubicin contamination on skin and surfaces.

PubMed

Van Raalte, J; Rice, C; Moss, C E

1990-05-01

A portable system that uses fluorescence stimulated by visible light to identify doxorubicin contamination on skin and surfaces was studied. When activated by violet-blue light in the 465-nm range, doxorubicin fluoresces, emitting orange-red light in the 580-nm range. The light source to stimulate fluorescence was a slide projector with a filter to selectively pass short-wave (blue) visible light. Fluorescence was both observed visually with viewing spectacles and photographed. Solutions of doxorubicin in sterile 0.9% sodium chloride injection were prepared in nine standard concentrations ranging from 2 to 0.001 mg/mL. Droplets of each admixture were placed on stainless steel, laboratory coat cloth, pieces of latex examination glove, bench-top absorbent padding, and other materials on which antineoplastics might spill or leak. These materials then were stored for up to eight weeks and photographed weekly. The relative ability of water, household bleach, hydrogen peroxide solution, and soap solution to deactivate doxorubicin was also measured. Finally, this system was used to inspect the antineoplastic-drug preparation and administration areas of three outpatient cancer clinics for doxorubicin contamination. Doxorubicin fluorescence was easily detectable with viewing spectacles when a slide projector was used as the light source. The photographic method was sensitive for doxorubicin concentrations from 2.0 to 0.001 mg/mL. Immersion of study materials in bleach for one minute eliminated detectable fluorescence. Doxorubicin contamination is detectable for at least eight weeks in the ambient environment. Probable doxorubicin contamination was detected in two of the three clinics surveyed. A safe, portable system that uses fluorescence stimulated by visible light is a sensitive method for detecting doxorubicin on skin and surfaces.

Visualization under ultraviolet light enhances 100-fold the sensitivity of peroxidase-stained blots.

PubMed

Domingo, A; Marco, R

1989-10-01

As described in this article, visualization and/or photography under uv light of 4-chloro-1-naphthol-developed, peroxidase-marked immunoblots allows an increase in sensitivity of more than 100 times over the apparent staining results observable under normal visible white light. This increase in sensitivity can be obtained with the minimal additional requirement of an uv lamp, with the actual chloronaphthol staining procedure remaining unaltered and thereby allowing the monitoring of specific reactions with much smaller quantities of antigen or antibodies. Substantial shortening of the procedure is another advantage, making it possible to complete in 20 min or even less a procedure usually requiring 3 to 6 h. The phenomenon depends on the uv absorption and the fluorescence quenching properties of the products of the peroxidase reaction. The absorption spectra of the membranes with or without peroxidase products indicate that an intermediate in the peroxidase reaction is responsible for the absorption under uv light. This intermediate accumulates under conditions where the final product absorbing in the visible light has not begun to be produced, thus explaining the large increase in sensitivity. The behaviors of three types of membranes, nitrocellulose, nylon, and Immobilon (PVDF), are compared. Due to its lower uv absorption, PVDF gives by far the best results, followed by nitrocellulose.

Ultraweak photon emission induced by visible light and ultraviolet A radiation via photoactivated skin chromophores: in vivo charge coupled device imaging.

PubMed

Prasad, Ankush; Pospíšil, Pavel

2012-08-01

Solar radiation that reaches Earth's surface can have severe negative consequences for organisms. Both visible light and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation are known to initiate the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human skin by photosensitization reactions (types I and II). In the present study, we investigated the role of visible light and UVA radiation in the generation of ROS on the dorsal and the palmar side of a hand. The ROS are known to oxidize biomolecules such as lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids to form electronically excited species, finally leading to ultraweak photon emission. We have employed a highly sensitive charge coupled device camera and a low-noise photomultiplier tube for detection of two-dimensional and one-dimensional ultraweak photon emission, respectively. Our experimental results show that oxidative stress is generated by the exposure of human skin to visible light and UVA radiation. The oxidative stress generated by UVA radiation is claimed to be significantly higher than that by visible light. Two-dimensional photon imaging can serve as a potential tool for monitoring the oxidative stress in the human skin induced by various stress factors irrespective of its physical or chemical nature.

Low temperature synthesis of polyaniline-crystalline TiO2-halloysite composite nanotubes with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity.

PubMed

Li, Cuiping; Wang, Jie; Guo, Hong; Ding, Shujiang

2015-11-15

A series of one-dimensional polyaniline-crystalline TiO2-halloysite composite nanotubes with different mass ratio of polyaniline to TiO2 are facilely prepared by employing the low-temperature synthesis of crystalline TiO2 on halloysite nanotubes. The halloysite nanotubes can adsorb TiO2/polyaniline precursors and induce TiO2 nanocrystals/polyaniline to grow on the support in situ simultaneously. By simply adjusting the acidity of reaction system, PANI-crystalline TiO2-HA composite nanotubes composed of anatase, a mixed phase TiO2 and different PANI redox state are obtained. The XRD and UV-vis results show that the surface polyaniline sensitization has no effect on the crystalline structure of halloysite and TiO2 and the light response of TiO2 is extended to visible-light regions. Photocatalysis test results reveal the photocatalytic activity will be affected by the pH value and the volume ratio of ANI to TTIP. The highest photocatalytic activity is achieved with the composite photocatalysts prepared at pH 0.5 and 1% volume ratio of ANI and TTIP owing to the sensitizing effect of polyaniline and the charge transfer from the photoexcited PANI sensitizer to TiO2. Moreover, the PANI-TiO2-HA composite nanotubes synthesized by one-step at pH 0.5 with 1% volume ratio of ANI to TTIP exhibit higher visible light photocatalytic activity than those synthesized by the two-step. Heterogeneous PANI-TiO2-HA composite nanotubes prepared at pH 0.5 exhibit a higher degradation activity than that prepared at pH 1.5. The redoped experiment proves that the PANI redox state plays the main contribution to the enhanced visible light catalytic degradation efficiency of PANI-TiO2-HA prepared at pH 0.5. Furthermore, the heterogeneous PANI-crystalline TiO2-HA nanotubes have good photocatalytic stability and can be reused four times with only gradual loss of activity under visible light irradiation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[2+2] cycloaddition of 1,3-dienes by visible light photocatalysis.

PubMed

Hurtley, Anna E; Lu, Zhan; Yoon, Tehshik P

2014-08-18

[2+2] photocycloadditions of 1,3-dienes represent a powerful yet synthetically underutilized class of reactions. We report that visible light absorbing transition metal complexes enable the [2+2] cycloaddition of a diverse range of 1,3-dienes. The ability to use long-wavelength visible light is attractive because these reaction conditions tolerate the presence of sensitive functional groups that might be readily decomposed by the high-energy UVC radiation required for direct photoexcitation of 1,3-dienes. The resulting vinylcyclobutane products are poised for a variety of further diversification reactions, and this method is consequently expected to be powerfully enabling in the synthesis of complex organic targets. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Down-conversion phosphors as noble-metal-free co-catalyst in ZnO for efficient visible light photocatalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Haipeng; Liu, Xinjuan; Liu, Jiaqing; Lei, Wenyan; Li, Jinliang; Wu, Tianyang; Li, Ping; Li, Huili; Pan, Likun

2017-01-01

Exploring novel visible light responsive photocatalysts is one of greatly significant issues from the viewpoint of using solar energy. Here we report the yellow-orange emitting α-Si3N4-doped Lu3Al5O12:Ce3+ (Lu3Al5-xSixO12-xNx:Ce3+) phosphors as a noble-metal-free co-catalyst for enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of ZnO. The results show that ZnO-Lu3Al5-xSixO12-xNx:Ce3+ hybrid photocatalysts using a fast microwave-assisted approach exhibits a 91% methylene blue (MB) degradation under visible light irradiation at 240 min, which evidence the synergistic effect of ZnO and Lu3Al5-xSixO12-xNx:Ce3+ that suppress the rate of charge recombination and increase the self-sensitized degradation of MB. ZnO-down conversion phosphors can be envisaged as potential candidate in environmental engineering and solar energy applications.

Dye-Sensitized Hydrobromic Acid Splitting for Hydrogen Solar Fuel Production.

PubMed

Brady, Matthew D; Sampaio, Renato N; Wang, Degao; Meyer, Thomas J; Meyer, Gerald J

2017-11-08

Hydrobromic acid (HBr) has significant potential as an inexpensive feedstock for hydrogen gas (H 2 ) solar fuel production through HBr splitting. Mesoporous thin films of anatase TiO 2 or SnO 2 /TiO 2 core-shell nanoparticles were sensitized to visible light with a new Ru II polypyridyl complex that served as a photocatalyst for bromide oxidation. These thin films were tested as photoelectrodes in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells. In 1 N HBr (aq), the photocatalyst undergoes excited-state electron injection and light-driven Br - oxidation. The injected electrons induce proton reduction at a Pt electrode. Under 100 mW cm -2 white-light illumination, sustained photocurrents of 1.5 mA cm -2 were measured under an applied bias. Faradaic efficiencies of 71 ± 5% for Br - oxidation and 94 ± 2% for H 2 production were measured. A 12 μmol h -1 sustained rate of H 2 production was maintained during illumination. The results demonstrate a molecular approach to HBr splitting with a visible light absorbing complex capable of aqueous Br - oxidation and excited-state electron injection.

Broadband ultraviolet reflectance filters for space applications.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osantowski, J. F.; Toft, A. R.

1973-01-01

It is shown that a simple metal-dielectric-metal filter for broadband ultraviolet (BUV) reflectance control can provide a stable and effective means for reducing stray visible radiation in UV reflective optical systems. The application of such a filter in a BUV instrument resulted in a reduction of scattered visible light by at least an order of magnitude. The instrument has been in orbit for 2.5 year without loss of sensitivity or an increase in scattered light background.-

VIIRS ZEMAX and FORTRAN Polarization Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waluschka, Eugene; Meister, Gerhard; Voss, Kenneth; Moyer, David

2007-01-01

The Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) collects visible/infrared imagery and radiometric data. The radiometric requirements are such that the instrument's polarization sensitivity must be very well understood. This paper presents the ZEMAX and FORTRAN polarization ray trace models of the instrument's visible light path. This will include the measured optical surface reflectance data, the bandpass shapes and a comparison of the results of the two models.

Converting environmentally hazardous materials into clean energy using a novel nanostructured photoelectrochemical fuel cell

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gan, Yong X., E-mail: yong.gan@utoledo.edu; Gan, Bo J.; Clark, Evan

2012-09-15

Highlights: ► A photoelectrochemical fuel cell has been made from TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. ► The fuel cell decomposes environmentally hazardous materials to produce electricity. ► Doping the anode with a transition metal oxide increases the visible light sensitivity. ► Loading the anode with a conducting polymer enhances the visible light absorption. -- Abstract: In this work, a novel photoelectrochemical fuel cell consisting of a titanium dioxide nanotube array photosensitive anode and a platinum cathode was made for decomposing environmentally hazardous materials to produce electricity and clean fuel. Titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO{sub 2} NTs) were prepared via electrochemical oxidation of puremore » Ti in an ammonium fluoride and glycerol-containing solution. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the morphology of the nanotubes. The average diameter, wall thickness and length of the as-prepared TiO{sub 2} NTs were determined. The photosensitive anode made from the highly ordered TiO{sub 2} NTs has good photo-catalytic property, as proven by the decomposition tests on urea, ammonia, sodium sulfide and automobile engine coolant under ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To improve the efficiency of the fuel cell, doping the TiO{sub 2} NTs with a transition metal oxide, NiO, was performed and the photosensitivity of the doped anode was tested under visible light irradiation. It is found that the NiO-doped anode is sensitive to visible light. Also found is that polyaniline-doped photosensitive anode can harvest photon energy in the visible light spectrum range much more efficiently than the NiO-doped one. It is concluded that the nanostructured photoelectrochemical fuel cell can generate electricity and clean fuel by decomposing hazardous materials under sunlight.« less

Computational Modeling of Photocatalysts for CO2 Conversion Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tafen, De; Matranga, Christopher

2013-03-01

To make photocatalytic conversion approaches efficient, economically practical, and industrially scalable, catalysts capable of utilizing visible and near infrared photons need to be developed. Recently, a series of CdSe and PbS quantum dot-sensitized TiO2 heterostructures have been synthesized, characterized, and tested for reduction of CO2 under visible light. Following these experiments, we use density functional theory to model these heterostructured catalysts and investigate their CO2 catalytic activity. In particular, we study the nature of the heterostructure interface, charge transport/electron transfer, active sites and the electronic structures of these materials. The results will be presented and compared to experiments. The improvement of our understanding of the properties of these materials will aid not only the development of more robust, visible light active photocatalysts for carbon management applications, but also the development of quantum dot-sensitized semiconductor solar cells with high efficiencies in solar-to-electrical energy conversion.

The Enhanced Photo-Electrochemical Detection of Uric Acid on Au Nanoparticles Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Yuting; Wang, Jin; Li, Shumin; Yan, Bo; Xu, Hui; Zhang, Ke; Du, Yukou

2017-07-01

In this work, a sensitive and novel method for determining uric acid (UA) has been developed, in which the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with electrodeposition Au nanoparticles and used to monitor the concentration of UA with the assistant of visible light illumination. The morphology of the Au nanoparticles deposited on GCE surface were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the nanoparticles were found to be well-dispersed spheres with the average diameter approaching 26.1 nm. A series of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements have revealed that the introduction of visible light can greatly enhance both the strength and stability of response current due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Specifically, the DPV showed a linear relationship between peak current and UA concentration in the range of 2.8 to 57.5 μM with the equation of I pa (μA) = 0.0121 c UA (μM) + 0.3122 ( R 2 = 0.9987). Herein, the visible light illuminated Au/GCE possesses a potential to be a sensitive electrochemical sensor in the future.

Opsin expression in Limulus eyes: a UV opsin is expressed in each eye type and co-expressed with a visible light-sensitive opsin in ventral larval eyes.

PubMed

Battelle, Barbara-Anne; Kempler, Karen E; Harrison, Alexandra; Dugger, Donald R; Payne, Richard

2014-09-01

The eyes of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, are a model for studies of visual function and the visual systems of euarthropods. Much is known about the structure and function of L. polyphemus photoreceptors, much less about their photopigments. Three visible-light-sensitive L. polyphemus opsins were characterized previously (LpOps1, 2 and 5). Here we characterize a UV opsin (LpUVOps1) that is expressed in all three types of L. polyphemus eyes. It is expressed in most photoreceptors in median ocelli, the only L. polyphemus eyes in which UV sensitivity was previously detected, and in the dendrite of eccentric cells in lateral compound eyes. Therefore, eccentric cells, previously thought to be non-photosensitive second-order neurons, may actually be UV-sensitive photoreceptors. LpUVOps1 is also expressed in small photoreceptors in L. polyphemus ventral larval eyes, and intracellular recordings from these photoreceptors confirm that LpUVOps1 is an active, UV-sensitive photopigment. These photoreceptors also express LpOps5, which we demonstrate is an active, long-wavelength-sensitive photopigment. Thus small photoreceptors in ventral larval eyes, and probably those of the other larval eyes, have dual sensitivity to UV and visible light. Interestingly, the spectral tuning of small ventral photoreceptors may change day to night, because the level of LpOps5 in their rhabdoms is lower during the day than during the night, whereas LpUVOps1 levels show no diurnal change. These and previous findings show that opsin co-expression and the differential regulation of co-expressed opsins in rhabdoms is a common feature of L. polyphemus photoreceptors. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Opsin expression in Limulus eyes: a UV opsin is expressed in each eye type and co-expressed with a visible light-sensitive opsin in ventral larval eyes

PubMed Central

Battelle, Barbara-Anne; Kempler, Karen E.; Harrison, Alexandra; Dugger, Donald R.; Payne, Richard

2014-01-01

The eyes of the horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, are a model for studies of visual function and the visual systems of euarthropods. Much is known about the structure and function of L. polyphemus photoreceptors, much less about their photopigments. Three visible-light-sensitive L. polyphemus opsins were characterized previously (LpOps1, 2 and 5). Here we characterize a UV opsin (LpUVOps1) that is expressed in all three types of L. polyphemus eyes. It is expressed in most photoreceptors in median ocelli, the only L. polyphemus eyes in which UV sensitivity was previously detected, and in the dendrite of eccentric cells in lateral compound eyes. Therefore, eccentric cells, previously thought to be non-photosensitive second-order neurons, may actually be UV-sensitive photoreceptors. LpUVOps1 is also expressed in small photoreceptors in L. polyphemus ventral larval eyes, and intracellular recordings from these photoreceptors confirm that LpUVOps1 is an active, UV-sensitive photopigment. These photoreceptors also express LpOps5, which we demonstrate is an active, long-wavelength-sensitive photopigment. Thus small photoreceptors in ventral larval eyes, and probably those of the other larval eyes, have dual sensitivity to UV and visible light. Interestingly, the spectral tuning of small ventral photoreceptors may change day to night, because the level of LpOps5 in their rhabdoms is lower during the day than during the night, whereas LpUVOps1 levels show no diurnal change. These and previous findings show that opsin co-expression and the differential regulation of co-expressed opsins in rhabdoms is a common feature of L. polyphemus photoreceptors. PMID:24948643

Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnO: An efficient visible-light-sensitized composite with its application in photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Wei; School of Chemistry and Material Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei 235000; Wang, Mingliang, E-mail: wangmlchem@263.net

2013-01-15

Graphical abstract: The free OH radicals generated in the VB of ZnO play the primary role in the visible-light photocatalytic degradation of RhB in Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnO system. The accumulated electrons in the CB of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} can be transferred to O{sub 2} adsorbed on the surface of the composite semiconductors and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} yields. H{sub 2}O{sub 2} reacts with electrons in succession to produce active ·OH to some extent. Display Omitted Highlights: ► Efficient visible-light-sensitized Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnO composites were successfully prepared. ► Effect of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} content on the catalytic activity of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnOmore » is studied in detail. ► Rate constant of RhB degradation over Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}(3.0 wt.%)/ZnO is 3 times that of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}. ► The active species in RhB degradation are examined by adding a series of scavengers. ► Visible light degradation mechanism of RhB over Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnO is systematically studied. -- Abstract: The efficient visible-light-sensitized Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnO composites with various weight percents of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} were prepared by a facile ball milling method. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, DRS, SEM, EDS, XPS, and BET specific area. The ·OH radicals produced during the photocatalytic reaction was detected by the TA–PL technique. The photocatalytic property of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnO was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation. Significantly, the results revealed that the photocatalytic activity of the composites was much higher than that of pure Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} and ZnO. The rate constant of RhB degradation over Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}(3.0 wt.%)/ZnO is 3 times that of single-phase Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}. The optimal percentage of Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4} in the composite is 3.0 wt.%. It is proposed that the ·OH radicals produced in the valence band of ZnO play the leading role in the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B by Ag{sub 3}PO{sub 4}/ZnO systems under visible light irradiation.« less

Blue light induced free radicals from riboflavin on E. coli DNA damage.

PubMed

Liang, Ji-Yuan; Yuann, Jeu-Ming P; Cheng, Chien-Wei; Jian, Hong-Lin; Lin, Chin-Chang; Chen, Liang-Yu

2013-02-05

The micronutrients in many cellular processes, riboflavin (vitamin B(2)), FMN, and FAD are photo-sensitive to UV and visible light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). The riboflavin photochemical treatment with UV light has been applied for the inactivation of microorganisms to serve as an effective and safe technology. Ultra-violet or high-intensity radiation is, however, considered as a highly risky practice. This study was working on the application of visible LED lights to riboflavin photochemical reactions to development an effective antimicrobial treatment. The photosensitization of bacterial genome with riboflavin was investigated in vitro and in vivo by light quality and irradiation dosage. The riboflavin photochemical treatment with blue LED light was proved to be able to inactivate E. coli by damaging nucleic acids with ROS generated. Riboflavin is capable of intercalating between the bases of bacterial DNA or RNA and absorbs lights in the visible regions. LED light illumination could be a more accessible and safe practice for riboflavin photochemical treatments to achieve hygienic requirements in vitro. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DiMarco, Brian N.; Troian-Gautier, Ludovic; Sampaio, Renato N.

Two sensitizers, [Ru(bpy) 2 (dcb)] 2+ ( RuC ) and [Ru(bpy) 2 (dpb)] 2+ ( RuP ), were anchored to mesoporous TiO 2 thin films and utilized to sensitize the reaction of TiO 2 electrons with oxidized triphenylamines to visible light in CH 3 CN electrolytes.

Generating Color from Polydisperse, Near Micron-Sized TiO2 Particles.

PubMed

Alam, Al-Mahmnur; Baek, Kyungnae; Son, Jieun; Pei, Yi-Rong; Kim, Dong Ha; Choy, Jin-Ho; Hyun, Jerome K

2017-07-19

Single particle Mie calculations of near micron-sized TiO 2 particles predict strong light scattering dominating the visible range that would give rise to a white appearance. We demonstrate that a polydisperse collection of these "white" particles can result in the generation of visible colors through ensemble scattering. The weighted averaging of the scattering over the particle size distribution modifies the sharp, multiple, high order scattering modes from individual particles into broad variations in the collective extinction. These extinction variations are apparent as visible colors for particles suspended in organic solvent at low concentration, or for a monolayer of particles supported on a transparent substrate viewed in front of a white light source. We further exploit the color variations on optical sensitivity to the surrounding environment to promote micron-sized TiO 2 particles as stable and robust agents for detecting the optical index of homogeneous media with high contrast sensitivities. Such distribution-modulated scattering properties provide TiO 2 particles an intriguing opportunity to impart color and optical sensitivity to their widespread electronic and chemical platforms such as antibacterial windows, catalysis, photocatalysis, optical sensors, and photovoltaics.

Photocathodic Protection of 304 Stainless Steel by Bi2S3/TiO2 Nanotube Films Under Visible Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hong; Wang, Xiutong; Wei, Qinyi; Hou, Baorong

2017-01-01

We report the preparation of TiO2 nanotubes coupled with a narrow bandgap semiconductor, i.e., Bi2S3, to improve the photocathodic protection property of TiO2 for metals under visible light. Bi2S3/TiO2 nanotube films were successfully synthesized using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The morphology and structure of the composite films were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded to analyze the optical absorption property of the composite films. In addition, the influence of Bi2S3 deposition cycles on the photoelectrochemical and photocathodic protection properties of the composite films was also studied. Results revealed that the heterostructure comprised crystalline anatase TiO2 and orthorhombic Bi2S3 and exhibited a high visible light response. The photocurrent density of Bi2S3/TiO2 was significantly higher than that of pure TiO2 under visible light. The sensitization of Bi2S3 enhanced the separation efficiency of the photogenerated charges and photocathodic protection properties of TiO2. The Bi2S3/TiO2 nanotubes prepared by SILAR deposition with 20 cycles exhibited the optimal photogenerated cathodic protection performance on the 304 stainless steel under visible light.

Photocathodic Protection of 304 Stainless Steel by Bi2S3/TiO2 Nanotube Films Under Visible Light.

PubMed

Li, Hong; Wang, Xiutong; Wei, Qinyi; Hou, Baorong

2017-12-01

We report the preparation of TiO 2 nanotubes coupled with a narrow bandgap semiconductor, i.e., Bi 2 S 3 , to improve the photocathodic protection property of TiO 2 for metals under visible light. Bi 2 S 3 /TiO 2 nanotube films were successfully synthesized using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The morphology and structure of the composite films were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded to analyze the optical absorption property of the composite films. In addition, the influence of Bi 2 S 3 deposition cycles on the photoelectrochemical and photocathodic protection properties of the composite films was also studied. Results revealed that the heterostructure comprised crystalline anatase TiO 2 and orthorhombic Bi 2 S 3 and exhibited a high visible light response. The photocurrent density of Bi 2 S 3 /TiO 2 was significantly higher than that of pure TiO 2 under visible light. The sensitization of Bi 2 S 3 enhanced the separation efficiency of the photogenerated charges and photocathodic protection properties of TiO 2 . The Bi 2 S 3 /TiO 2 nanotubes prepared by SILAR deposition with 20 cycles exhibited the optimal photogenerated cathodic protection performance on the 304 stainless steel under visible light.

Co-sensitization of natural dyes for improved efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cell application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, K. Ashok; Subalakshmi, K.; Senthilselvan, J.

2016-05-01

In this paper, a new approach of co-sensitized DSSC based on natural dyes is investigated to explore the possible way to improve the power conversion efficiency. To realize this purpose 10 DSSC devices were fabricated using mono-sensitization and co-sensitization of ethanolic extracts of natural dye sensitizers obtained from Cactus fruit, Jambolana fruit, Curcumin and Bermuda grass. The optical absorption spectrum of the mono and hybrid dye extracts were studied by UV-Visible absorption spectrum. It shows the characteristic absorption peaks in visible region corresponds to the presence of natural pigments of anthocyanin, betacyanin and chlorophylls. Absorption spectrum of hybrid dyes reveals a wide absorption band in visible region with improved extinction co-efficient and it is favorable for increased light harvesting nature. The power conversion efficiency of DSSC devices were calculated using J-V curve and the maximum efficiency achieved in the present work is noted to be ~0.61% for Cactus-Bermuda co-sensitized DSSC.

Polydopamine-Coated TiO2 Nanotubes for Selective Photocatalytic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzaldehyde Under Visible Light.

PubMed

Tripathy, Jyotsna; Loget, Gabriel; Altomare, Marco; Schmuki, Patrik

2016-05-01

TiO2 nanotube arrays grown by anodization were coated with thin layers of polydopamine as visible light sensitizer. The PDA-coated TiO2 scaffolds were used as photocatalyst for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol under monochromatic irradiation at 473 nm. Benzaldehyde was selectively formed and no by-products could be detected. A maximized reaction yield was obtained in O2-saturated acetonitrile. A mechanism is proposed that implies firstly the charge carrier generation in polydopamine as a consequence of visible light absorption. Secondly, photo-promoted electrons are injected in TiO2 conduction band, and subsequently transferred to dissolved O2 to form O*2- radicals. These radicals react with benzyl alcohol and lead to its selective dehydrogenation oxidation towards benzaldehyde.

Development and Progress in Enabling the Photocatalyst Ti02 Visible-Light-Active

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Lanfang H.; Coutts, Janelle L.; Clausen, Christian A.

2011-01-01

Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of organic contaminants is a promising air and water quality management approach which offers energy and cost savings compared to thermal catalytic oxidation (TCO). The most widely used photocatalyst, anatase TiO2, has a wide band gap (3.2 eV) and is activated by UV photons. Since solar radiation consists of less than 4% UV, but contains 45% visible light, catalysts capable of utilizing these visible photons need to be developed to make peo approaches more efficient, economical, and safe. Researchers have attempted various approaches to enable TiO2 to be visible-light-active with varied degrees of success'. Strategies attempted thus far fall into three categories based on their electrochemical' mechanisms: 1) narrowing the band gap of TiO2 by implantation of transition metal elements or nonmetal elements such as N, S, and C, 2) modifying electron-transfer processes during PCO by adsorbing sensitizing dyes, and 3) employing light-induced interfacial electron transfer in the heteronanojunction systems consisting of narrow band gap semiconductors represented by metal sulfides and TiO2. There are diverse technical approaches to implement each of these strategies. This paper presents a review of these approaches and results of the photocatalytic activity and photonic efficiency of the end .products under visible light. Although resulting visible-light-active (VLA) photocatalysts show promise, there is often no comparison with unmodified TiO2 under UV. In a limited number of studies where such comparison was provided, the UV-induced catalytic activity of bare TiO2 is much greater than the visible-light-induced catalytic activity of the VLA catalyst. Furthermore, VLA-catalysts have much lower quantum efficiency compared to the approx.50% quantum efficiency of UV-catalysts. This stresses the need for continuing research in this area.

Interfacial thiol-ene photoclick reactions for forming multilayer hydrogels.

PubMed

Shih, Han; Fraser, Andrew K; Lin, Chien-Chi

2013-03-13

Interfacial visible light-mediated thiol-ene photoclick reactions were developed for preparing step-growth hydrogels with multilayer structures. The effect of a noncleavage type photoinitiator eosin-Y on visible-light-mediated thiol-ene photopolymerization was first characterized using in situ photorheometry, gel fraction, and equilibrium swelling ratio. Next, spectrophotometric properties of eosin-Y in the presence of various relevant macromer species were evaluated using ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) spectrometry. It was determined that eosin-Y was able to reinitiate the thiol-ene photoclick reaction, even after light exposure. Because of its small molecular weight, most eosin-Y molecules readily leached out from the hydrogels. The diffusion of residual eosin-Y from preformed hydrogels was exploited for fabricating multilayer step-growth hydrogels. Interfacial hydrogel coating was formed via the same visible-light-mediated gelation mechanism without adding fresh initiator. The thickness of the thiol-ene gel coating could be easily controlled by adjusting visible light exposure time, eosin-Y concentration initially loaded in the core gel, or macromer concentration in the coating solution. The major benefits of this interfacial thiol-ene coating system include its simplicity and cytocompatibility. The formation of thiol-ene hydrogels and coatings neither requires nor generates any cytotoxic components. This new gelation chemistry may have great utilities in controlled release of multiple sensitive growth factors and encapsulation of multiple cell types for tissue regeneration.

Comparing light sensitivity, linearity and step response of electronic cameras for ophthalmology.

PubMed

Kopp, O; Markert, S; Tornow, R P

2002-01-01

To develop and test a procedure to measure and compare light sensitivity, linearity and step response of electronic cameras. The pixel value (PV) of digitized images as a function of light intensity (I) was measured. The sensitivity was calculated from the slope of the P(I) function, the linearity was estimated from the correlation coefficient of this function. To measure the step response, a short sequence of images was acquired. During acquisition, a light source was switched on and off using a fast shutter. The resulting PV was calculated for each video field of the sequence. A CCD camera optimized for the near-infrared (IR) spectrum showed the highest sensitivity for both, visible and IR light. There are little differences in linearity. The step response depends on the procedure of integration and read out.

Visible-light-sensitive titanium dioxide nanoplatform for tumor-responsive Fe2+ liberating and artemisinin delivery

PubMed Central

Zhang, Huijuan; Zhang, Hongling; Zhu, Xing; Zhang, Xiaoge; Chen, Qianqian; Chen, Jianjiao; Hou, Lin; Zhang, Zhenzhong

2017-01-01

Artemisinin is a kind of Fe2+-dependent drugs. Artemisinin and Fe2+ co-transport systems can improve its anti-tumor effect. In this study, a visible light-sensitive nanoplatform (HA-TiO2-IONPs/ART) was developed. Detailed investigation demonstrated that HA-TiO2-IONPs/ART could realize Fe2+ and artemisinin synchronous co-delivery and tumor-responsive release. This feature enhanced the anti-tumor efficiency of artemisinin significantly. In vitro results proved that hyaluronic acid modification could improve the biocompatibility, dispersion stability and cytophagy ability of nanocarriers. Furthermore, this drug delivery system could generate reactive oxygen species under visual light irradiation. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that HA-TiO2-IONPs/ART combining with laser irradiation displayed the best anti-tumor efficacy. This study affords a promising idea to improve the curative efficiency of artemisinin analogs for cancer therapy. PMID:28938592

Rational design of 3D inverse opal heterogeneous composite microspheres as excellent visible-light-induced NO2 sensors at room temperature.

PubMed

Wang, Tianshuang; Yu, Qi; Zhang, Sufang; Kou, Xueying; Sun, Peng; Lu, Geyu

2018-03-08

The lower gas sensitivity, humidity dependence of the gas sensing properties, and long recovery times of room-temperature gas sensors severely limit their applications. Herein, to address these issues, a series of 3D inverse opal (IO) In 2 O 3 -ZnO heterogeneous composite microspheres (HCMs) are fabricated by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) employing self-assembled sulfonated polystyrene (S-PS) spheres as a sacrificial template. The 3D IO In 2 O 3 -ZnO HCMs possess highly ordered 3D inverse opal structures and bimodal (meso-scale and macro-scale) pores, which can provide large accessible surface areas and rapid mass transfer, resulting in enhanced gas sensing characteristics. Furthermore, the 3D IO architecture and n-n heterojunctions can extend the photoabsorption range to the visible light area, effectively prolonging the lifetimes of photo-generated charge carriers, and can increase separation of visible light-generated charges. As a result, the as-prepared 3D IO In 2 O 3 -ZnO HCMs deliver excellent NO 2 sensing performance under visible light irradiation at room temperature, such as high sensitivity (R gas /R air = 54.3 to 5 ppm NO 2 ), low detection limit (250 ppb), fast recovery time (188 s), excellent selectivity and humidity independence. These enhanced photo-electronic gas sensing properties are attributed to the combination of highly ordered 3D IO microspheres and In 2 O 3 -ZnO heterogeneous composites.

The Inherent Visible Light Signature of an Intense Underwater Ultraviolet Light Source Due to Combined Raman and Fluorescence Effects

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

Humans cannot see ultraviolet light. The blue-sensitive cones in the retina would respond weakly to ultraviolet wavelengths if exposed to them, but...545, 1992. 3. C. S. Yentsch, and D. A. Phinney, " Autofluorescence and Raman scattering in the marine underwater environment," Ocean Optics X, SPIE

Visible-light Homogeneous Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 into CO in Aqueous Solutions with an Iron Catalyst.

PubMed

Rao, Heng; Bonin, Julien; Robert, Marc

2017-11-23

An iron-substituted tetraphenyl porphyrin bearing positively charged trimethylammonio groups at the para position of each phenyl ring catalyzes the photoinduced conversion of CO 2 . This complex is water soluble and acts as a molecular catalyst to selectively reduce CO 2 into CO under visible-light irradiation in aqueous solutions (acetonitrile/water=1:9 v/v) with the assistance of purpurin, a simple organic photosensitizer. CO is produced with a catalytic selectivity of 95 % and turnover number up to 120, illustrating the possibility of photocatalyzing the reduction of CO 2 in aqueous solution by using visible light, a simple organic sensitizer coupled to an amine as a sacrificial electron donor, and an earth-abundant metal-based molecular catalyst. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photosensitization of different ruthenium(II) complex dyes on TiO 2 for photocatalytic H 2 evolution under visible-light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Tianyou; Dai, Ke; Yi, Huabing; Ke, Dingning; Cai, Ping; Zan, Ling

2008-07-01

Hydrogen production over dye-sensitized Pt/P25 under visible-light irradiation was investigated by using methanol or TEOA as an electron donor. Ru 2(bpy) 4L 1-PF 6 shows the best photosensitization due to its largest conjugation system, widest range of visible-light and 'antenna effect' among the used three Ru(II)-bipyridyl dyes. Ru 2(bpy) 4L 1-PF 6 loosely linked with TiO 2 also exhibit more steady and higher increases in H 2 evolution upon prolonging the irradiation time than the tightly linked N719. The dynamic equilibrium between the linkage of ground dye and divorce of oxidized dye from TiO 2 can enhance the electron-injection and hinder the backward transfer, and then improve the H 2 evolution efficiency.

Organocatalyzed, Visible-Light Photoredox-Mediated, One-Pot Minisci Reaction Using Carboxylic Acids via N-(Acyloxy)phthalimides.

PubMed

Sherwood, Trevor C; Li, Ning; Yazdani, Aliza N; Dhar, T G Murali

2018-03-02

An improved, one-pot Minisci reaction has been developed using visible light, an organic photocatalyst, and carboxylic acids as radical precursors via the intermediacy of in situ-generated N-(acyloxy)phthalimides. The conditions employed are mild, demonstrate a high degree of functional group tolerance, and do not require a large excess of the carboxylic acid reactant. As a result, this reaction can be applied to drug-like scaffolds and molecules with sensitive functional groups, enabling late-stage functionalization, which is of high interest to medicinal chemistry.

Comparative studies on the lethal, mutagenic, and recombinogenic effects of ultraviolet -A, -B, -C, and visible light with and without 8-methoxypsoralen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Mondon, P; Shahin, M M

1992-05-01

Genetic effects of UV-A, UV-B, UV-C, and the combination of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) with UV-A or visible light were studied in the haploid strain XV185-14C and diploid strain D5 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The induction of his+, lys+, and hom+ reverse mutations was measured in strain XV185-14C. In strain D5 we measured the induction of genetically altered colonies, particularly twin spot colonies arising from a mitotic crossing-over. UV-C and UV-B induced point mutations at the three loci in the haploid strain and mitotic crossing-over and other genetic alterations in the diploid strain. UV-C was more mutagenic and recombinogenic than UV-B. UV-A or visible light alone did not induce genotoxic effects at the doses tested. However, UV-A plus 8-MOP produced lethal and mutagenic effects in the haploid strain XV185-14C, although mutagenic activity was less than that of UV-B. Visible light plus 8-MOP also induced genotoxic effects in strain XV185-14C. In the diploid strain D5, UV-A plus 8-MOP induced a higher frequency of genetic alterations than UV-B at comparative doses. Visible light plus 8-MOP was also genetically active in strain D5. The haploid strain was more sensitive to the lethal effects of UV-C, UV-B, UV-A, and impure visible light plus 8-MOP than the diploid strain.

Dye-sensitized electron transfer from TiO 2 to oxidized triphenylamines that follows first-order kinetics

DOE PAGES

DiMarco, Brian N.; Troian-Gautier, Ludovic; Sampaio, Renato N.; ...

2018-01-01

Two sensitizers, [Ru(bpy) 2 (dcb)] 2+ ( RuC ) and [Ru(bpy) 2 (dpb)] 2+ ( RuP ), were anchored to mesoporous TiO 2 thin films and utilized to sensitize the reaction of TiO 2 electrons with oxidized triphenylamines to visible light in CH 3 CN electrolytes.

Glutathione-capped gold nanoclusters as photosensitizers. Visible light-induced hydrogen generation in neutral water.

PubMed

Chen, Yong-Siou; Kamat, Prashant V

2014-04-23

Glutathione-capped metal nanoclusters (Aux-GSH NCs) which exhibit molecular-like properties are employed as a photosensitizer for hydrogen generation in a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) and a photocatalytic slurry reactor. The reversible reduction (E(0) = -0.63 V vs RHE) and oxidation (E(0) = 0.97 and 1.51 V vs RHE) potentials of these metal nanoclusters make them suitable for driving the water-splitting reaction. When a mesoscopic TiO2 film sensitized by Aux-GSH NCs is used as the photoanode with a Pt counter electrode in aqueous buffer solution (pH = 7), we observe significant photocurrent activity under visible light (400-500 nm) excitation. Additionally, sensitizing Pt/TiO2 nanoparticles with Aux-GSH NCs in an aqueous slurry system and irradiating with visible light produce H2 at a rate of 0.3 mmol of hydrogen/h/g of Aux-GSH NCs. The rate of H2 evolution is significantly enhanced (∼5 times) when a sacrificial donor, such as EDTA, is introduced into the system. Using metal nanoclusters as a photosensitizer for hydrogen generation lays the foundation for the future exploration of other metal nanoclusters with well-controlled numbers of metal atoms and capping ligands.

Structural and functional human retinal imaging with a fiber-based visible light OCT ophthalmoscope (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chong, Shau Poh; Bernucci, Marcel T.; Borycki, Dawid; Radhakrishnan, Harsha; Srinivasan, Vivek J.

2017-02-01

Visible light is absorbed by intrinsic chromophores such as photopigment, melanin, and hemoglobin, and scattered by subcellular structures, all of which are potential retinal disease biomarkers. Recently, high-resolution quantitative measurement and mapping of hemoglobin concentrations was demonstrated using visible light Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). Yet, most high-resolution visible light OCT systems adopt free-space, or bulk, optical setups, which could limit clinical applications. Here, the construction of a multi-functional fiber-optic OCT system for human retinal imaging with <2.5 micron axial resolution is described. A detailed noise characterization of two supercontinuum light sources with differing pulse repetition rates is presented. The higher repetition rate, lower noise, source is found to enable a sensitivity of 87 dB with 0.1 mW incident power at the cornea and a 98 microsecond exposure time. Using a broadband, asymmetric, fused single-mode fiber coupler designed for visible wavelengths, the sample arm is integrated into an ophthalmoscope platform, rendering it portable and suitable for clinical use. In vivo anatomical, Doppler, and spectroscopic imaging of the human retina is further demonstrated using a single oversampled B-scan. For spectroscopic fitting of oxyhemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) content in the retinal vessels, a noise bias-corrected absorbance spectrum is estimated using a sliding short-time Fourier transform of the complex OCT signal and fit using a model of light absorption and scattering. This yielded path length (L) times molar concentration, LCHbO2 and LCHb. Based on these results, we conclude that high-resolution visible light OCT has potential for depth-resolved functional imaging of the eye.

Debris Disk Dust Characterization through Spectral Types: Deep Visible-Light Imaging of Nine Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choquet, Elodie

2017-08-01

We propose STIS coronagraphy of 9 debris disks recently seen in the near-infrared from our re-analysis of archival NICMOS data. STIS coronagraphy will provide complementary visible-light images that will let us characterize the disk colors needed to place constraints on dust grain sizes, albedos, and anisotropy of scattering of these disks. With 3 times finer angular resolution and much better sensitivity, our STIS images will dramatically surpass the NICMOS discovery images, and will more clearly reveal disk local structures, cleared inner regions, and test for large-scale asymmetries in the dust distributions possibly triggered by associated planets in these systems. The exquisite sensitivity to visible-light scattering by submicron particles uniquely offered by STIS coronagraphy will let us detect and spatially characterize the diffuse halo of dust blown out of the systems by the host star radiative pressure. Our sample includes disks around 3 low-mass stars, 3 solar-type stars, and 3 massive A stars; together with our STIS+NICMOS imaging of 6 additional disks around F and G stars, our sample covers the full range of spectral types and will let us perform a comparative study of dust distribution properties as a function of stellar mass and luminosity. Our sample makes up more than 1/3 of all debris disks imaged in scattered light to date, and will offer the first homogeneous characterization of the visible-light to near-IR properties of debris disk systems over a large range of spectral types. Our program will let us analyze how the dynamical balance is affected by initial conditions and star properties, and how it may be perturbed by gas drag or planet perturbations.

Dye-sensitized MIL-101 metal organic frameworks loaded with Ni/NiOx nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xin-Ling; Wang, Rong; Zhang, Ming-Yi; Yuan, Yu-Peng; Xue, Can

2015-10-01

The Ni/NiOx particles were in situ photodeposited on MIL-101 metal organic frameworks as catalysts for boosting H2 generation from Erythrosin B dye sensitization under visible-light irradiation. The highest H2 production rate of 125 μmol h-1 was achieved from the system containing 5 wt. % Ni-loaded MIL-101 (20 mg) and 30 mg Erythrosin B dye. Moreover, the Ni/NiOx catalysts show excellent stability for long-term photocatalytic reaction. The enhancement on H2 generation is attributed to the efficient charge transfer from photoexcited dye to the Ni catalyst via MIL-101. Our results demonstrate that the economical Ni/NiOx particles are durable and active catalysts for photocatalytic H2 generation.

Ultraviolet and Visible Photochemistry of Methanol at 3D Mesoporous Networks: TiO2 and Au-TiO2

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-23

methanol photochemistry at three-dimensionally (3D) networked aerogels of TiO2 or Au–TiO2 reveals that incorporated Au nanoparticles strongly sensitize...the oxide nanoarchitecture to visible light. Methanol dissociatively adsorbs at the surfaces of TiO2 and Au–TiO2 aerogels under dark, high-vacuum...photochemistry at three-dimensionally (3D) networked aerogels of TiO2 or Au–TiO2 reveals that incorporated Au nanoparticles strongly sensitize the oxide

Enhanced near-infrared to visible upconversion nanoparticles of Ho³⁺-Yb³⁺-F⁻ tri-doped TiO₂ and its application in dye-sensitized solar cells with 37% improvement in power conversion efficiency.

PubMed

Yu, Jia; Yang, Yulin; Fan, Ruiqing; Liu, Danqing; Wei, Liguo; Chen, Shuo; Li, Liang; Yang, Bin; Cao, Wenwu

2014-08-04

New near-infrared (NIR)-to-green upconversion nanoparticles of Ho(3+)-Yb(3+)-F(-) tridoped TiO2 (UC-F-TiO2) were designed and fabricated via the hydrosol-hydrothermal method. Under 980 nm NIR excitation, UC-F-TiO2 emit strong green upconversion fluorescence with three emission bands at 543, 644, and 751 nm and convert the NIR light in situ to the dye-sensitive visible light that could effectively reduce the distance between upconversion materials and sensitizers; thus, they minimize the loss of the converted light. Our results show that this UC-F-TiO2 offers excellent opportunities for the other types of solar cells applications, such as organic solar cells, c-Si solar cells, multijunction solar cells, and so on. When integrating the UC-F-TiO2 into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), superior total energy conversion efficiency was achieved. Under AM1.5G light, open-circuit voltage reached 0.77 ± 0.01 V, short-circuit current density reached 21.00 ± 0.69 mA cm(-2), which resulted in an impressive overall energy conversion efficiency of 9.91 ± 0.30%, a 37% enhancement compared to DSSCs with pristine TiO2 photoanode.

Asymmetric photoredox transition-metal catalysis activated by visible light.

PubMed

Huo, Haohua; Shen, Xiaodong; Wang, Chuanyong; Zhang, Lilu; Röse, Philipp; Chen, Liang-An; Harms, Klaus; Marsch, Michael; Hilt, Gerhard; Meggers, Eric

2014-11-06

Asymmetric catalysis is seen as one of the most economical strategies to satisfy the growing demand for enantiomerically pure small molecules in the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries. And visible light has been recognized as an environmentally friendly and sustainable form of energy for triggering chemical transformations and catalytic chemical processes. For these reasons, visible-light-driven catalytic asymmetric chemistry is a subject of enormous current interest. Photoredox catalysis provides the opportunity to generate highly reactive radical ion intermediates with often unusual or unconventional reactivities under surprisingly mild reaction conditions. In such systems, photoactivated sensitizers initiate a single electron transfer from (or to) a closed-shell organic molecule to produce radical cations or radical anions whose reactivities are then exploited for interesting or unusual chemical transformations. However, the high reactivity of photoexcited substrates, intermediate radical ions or radicals, and the low activation barriers for follow-up reactions provide significant hurdles for the development of efficient catalytic photochemical processes that work under stereochemical control and provide chiral molecules in an asymmetric fashion. Here we report a highly efficient asymmetric catalyst that uses visible light for the necessary molecular activation, thereby combining asymmetric catalysis and photocatalysis. We show that a chiral iridium complex can serve as a sensitizer for photoredox catalysis and at the same time provide very effective asymmetric induction for the enantioselective alkylation of 2-acyl imidazoles. This new asymmetric photoredox catalyst, in which the metal centre simultaneously serves as the exclusive source of chirality, the catalytically active Lewis acid centre, and the photoredox centre, offers new opportunities for the 'green' synthesis of non-racemic chiral molecules.

Asymmetric photoredox transition-metal catalysis activated by visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Haohua; Shen, Xiaodong; Wang, Chuanyong; Zhang, Lilu; Röse, Philipp; Chen, Liang-An; Harms, Klaus; Marsch, Michael; Hilt, Gerhard; Meggers, Eric

2014-11-01

Asymmetric catalysis is seen as one of the most economical strategies to satisfy the growing demand for enantiomerically pure small molecules in the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries. And visible light has been recognized as an environmentally friendly and sustainable form of energy for triggering chemical transformations and catalytic chemical processes. For these reasons, visible-light-driven catalytic asymmetric chemistry is a subject of enormous current interest. Photoredox catalysis provides the opportunity to generate highly reactive radical ion intermediates with often unusual or unconventional reactivities under surprisingly mild reaction conditions. In such systems, photoactivated sensitizers initiate a single electron transfer from (or to) a closed-shell organic molecule to produce radical cations or radical anions whose reactivities are then exploited for interesting or unusual chemical transformations. However, the high reactivity of photoexcited substrates, intermediate radical ions or radicals, and the low activation barriers for follow-up reactions provide significant hurdles for the development of efficient catalytic photochemical processes that work under stereochemical control and provide chiral molecules in an asymmetric fashion. Here we report a highly efficient asymmetric catalyst that uses visible light for the necessary molecular activation, thereby combining asymmetric catalysis and photocatalysis. We show that a chiral iridium complex can serve as a sensitizer for photoredox catalysis and at the same time provide very effective asymmetric induction for the enantioselective alkylation of 2-acyl imidazoles. This new asymmetric photoredox catalyst, in which the metal centre simultaneously serves as the exclusive source of chirality, the catalytically active Lewis acid centre, and the photoredox centre, offers new opportunities for the `green' synthesis of non-racemic chiral molecules.

Metal-Organic Framework Photosensitized TiO2 Co-catalyst: A Facile Strategy to Achieve a High Efficiency Photocatalytic System.

PubMed

Xie, Ming-Hua; Shao, Rong; Xi, Xin-Guo; Hou, Gui-Hua; Guan, Rong-Feng; Dong, Peng-Yu; Zhang, Qin-Fang; Yang, Xiu-Li

2017-03-17

A 3D metal-organic framework (ADA-Cd=[Cd 2 L 2 (DMF) 2 ]⋅3 H 2 O where H 2 L is (2E,2'E)-3,3'-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)diacrylic acid) constructed from diacrylate substituted anthracene, sharing structural characteristics with some frequently employed anthraquinone-type dye sensitizers, was introduced as an effective sensitizer for anatase TiO 2 to achieve enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance. A facile mechanical mixing procedure was adopted to prepare the co-catalyst denoted as ADA-Cd/TiO 2 , which showed enhanced photodegradation ability, as well as sustainability, towards several dyes under visible light irradiation. Mechanistic studies revealed that ADA-Cd acted as the antenna to harvest visible light energy, generating excited electrons, which were injected to the conduction band (CB) of TiO 2 , facilitating the separation efficiency of charge carriers. As suggested by the results of control experiments, combined with the corresponding redox potential of possible oxidative species, . O 2 - , generated from the oxygen of ambient air at the CB of TiO 2 was believed to play a dominant role over . OH and h + . UV/Vis and photoluminescence technologies were adopted to monitor the generation of . O 2 - and . OH, respectively. This work presents a facile strategy to achieve a visible light photocatalyst with enhanced catalytic activity and sustainability; the simplicity, efficiency, and stability of this strategy may provide a promising way to achieve environmental remediation. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photoinduced electron transfer pathways in hydrogen-evolving reduced graphene oxide-boosted hybrid nano-bio catalyst.

PubMed

Wang, Peng; Dimitrijevic, Nada M; Chang, Angela Y; Schaller, Richard D; Liu, Yuzi; Rajh, Tijana; Rozhkova, Elena A

2014-08-26

Photocatalytic production of clean hydrogen fuels using water and sunlight has attracted remarkable attention due to the increasing global energy demand. Natural and synthetic dyes can be utilized to sensitize semiconductors for solar energy transformation using visible light. In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and a membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR) were employed as building modules to harness visible light by a Pt/TiO2 nanocatalyst. Introduction of the rGO boosts the nano-bio catalyst performance that results in hydrogen production rates of approximately 11.24 mmol of H2 (μmol protein)(-1) h(-1). Photoelectrochemical measurements show a 9-fold increase in photocurrent density when TiO2 electrodes were modified with rGO and bR. Electron paramagnetic resonance and transient absorption spectroscopy demonstrate an interfacial charge transfer from the photoexcited rGO to the semiconductor under visible light.

Visible-light-driven chemoselective hydrogenation of nitroarenes to anilines in water via graphitic carbon nitride metal-free photocatalysis.

PubMed

Xiao, Gang; Li, Peifeng; Zhao, Yilin; Xu, Shengnan; Su, Haijia

2018-05-20

Green and efficient procedures are highly required for the chemoselective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes to industrially important anilines. Here, we show that visible-light-driven, chemoselective hydrogenation of functionalized nitroarenes bearing the sensitive groups to anilines can be achieved in good to excellent yields (82-100%) in water under relatively mild conditions, catalyzed by low-cost and recyclable graphitic carbon nitride. It is also applicable in gram-scale reaction with 86% yield of aniline. Mechanism study reveals that visible light induced electrons are responsible for the hydrogenation reactions and thermal energy can also promote the photocatalytic activity. Kinetics study shows that this reaction possibly occurs via one-step hydrogenation or stepwise condensation route. Wide applications can be expected using this green, efficient, and highly selective photocatalysis system in reduction reactions for fine chemical synthesis. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Function of terahertz spectra in monitoring the decomposing process of biological macromolecules and in investigating the causes of photoinhibition.

PubMed

Qu, Yuangang; Zhang, Shuai; Lian, Yuji; Kuang, Tingyun

2017-03-01

Chlorophyll a and β-carotene play an important role in harvesting light energy, which is used to drive photosynthesis in plants. In this study, terahertz (THz) and visible range spectra of chlorophyll a and β-carotene and their changes under light treatment were investigated. The results show that the all THz transmission and absorption spectra of chlorophyll a and β-carotene changed upon light treatment, with the maximum changes at 15 min of illumination indicating the greatest changes of the collective vibrational mode of chlorophyll a and β-carotene. The absorption spectra of chlorophyll a in the visible light region decreased upon light treatment, signifying the degradation of chlorophyll a molecules. It can be inferred from these results that the THz spectra are very sensitive in monitoring the changes of the collective vibrational mode, despite the absence of changes in molecular configuration. The THz spectra can therefore be used to monitor the decomposing process of biological macromolecules; however, visible absorption spectra can only be used to monitor the breakdown extent of biological macromolecules.

MoS2-coated microspheres of self-sensitized carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation under visible light irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Quan; Sun, Huaming; Xie, Zunyuan; Gao, Ziwei; Xue, Can

2017-02-01

We have successfully coated the self-sensitized carbon nitride (SSCN) microspheres with a layer of MoS2 through a facile one-pot hydrothermal method by using (NH4)2MoS4 as the precursor. The resulted MoS2-coated SSCN photocatalyst appears as a core-shell structure and exhibits enhanced visible-light activities for photocatalytic H2 generation as compared to the un-coated SSCN and the standard g-C3N4 reference with MoS2 coating. The photocatalytic test results suggest that the oligomeric s-triazine dyes on the SSCN surface can provide additional light-harvesting capability and photogenerated charge carriers, and the coated MoS2 layer can serve as active sites for proton reduction towards H2 evolution. This synergistic effect of surface triazine dyes and MoS2 coating greatly promotes the activity of carbon nitride microspheres for vishible-light-driven H2 generation. This work provides a new way of future development of low-cost noble-metal-free photocatalysts for efficient solar-driven hydrogen production.

The high frequency characteristics of laser reflection and visible light during solid state disk laser welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiangdong; You, Deyong; Katayama, Seiji

2015-07-01

Optical properties are related to weld quality during laser welding. Visible light radiation generated from optical-induced plasma and laser reflection is considered a key element reflecting weld quality. An in-depth analysis of the high-frequency component of optical signals is conducted. A combination of a photoelectric sensor and an optical filter helped to obtain visible light reflection and laser reflection in the welding process. Two groups of optical signals were sampled at a high sampling rate (250 kHz) using an oscilloscope. Frequencies in the ranges 1-10 kHz and 10-125 kHz were investigated respectively. Experimental results showed that there was an obvious correlation between the high-frequency signal and the laser power, while the high-frequency signal was not sensitive to changes in welding speed. In particular, when the defocus position was changed, only a high frequency of the visible light signal was observed, while the high frequency of the laser reflection signal remained unchanged. The basic correlation between optical features and welding status during the laser welding process is specified, which helps to provide a new research focus for investigating the stability of welding status.

Enhanced photocathodic protection performance of Ag/graphene/TiO2 composite for 304SS under visible light.

PubMed

Li, Hong; Wang, Xiutong; Wei, Qinyi; Liu, Xueqing; Qian, Zhouhai; Hou, Baorong

2017-06-02

Ag and graphene co-sensitized TiO 2 composites were successfully fabricated and used as photoanodes for photogenerated cathodic protection of 304 stainless steel (304SS) under visible light. Graphene films was firstly deposited onto the TiO 2 nanotube (NT) films via cyclic voltammetric electrodeposition. Ag/graphene/TiO 2 films were then fabricated via dipping and photoreduction method. The morphology, composition and optical response of the Ag/graphene/TiO 2 NT composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy, respectively. The photocathodic protection performance of the Ag/graphene/TiO 2 composites were systematically studied through open-circuit potential and potentiodynamic polarization measurements in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution under visible light (λ > 400 nm). The composites exhibited enhanced photogenerated cathodic protection performance for 304SS under visible light irradiation compared to pure TiO 2 . Graphene and Ag have a synergistic effect on the enhancement of photocathodic protection performance of TiO 2 . The composites prepared with 30-cycle graphene film and 15 mM AgNO 3 solution showed the optimal corrosion protection performance.

Enhanced photocathodic protection performance of Ag/graphene/TiO2 composite for 304SS under visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hong; Wang, Xiutong; Wei, Qinyi; Liu, Xueqing; Qian, Zhouhai; Hou, Baorong

2017-06-01

Ag and graphene co-sensitized TiO2 composites were successfully fabricated and used as photoanodes for photogenerated cathodic protection of 304 stainless steel (304SS) under visible light. Graphene films was firstly deposited onto the TiO2 nanotube (NT) films via cyclic voltammetric electrodeposition. Ag/graphene/TiO2 films were then fabricated via dipping and photoreduction method. The morphology, composition and optical response of the Ag/graphene/TiO2 NT composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy, respectively. The photocathodic protection performance of the Ag/graphene/TiO2 composites were systematically studied through open-circuit potential and potentiodynamic polarization measurements in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution under visible light (λ > 400 nm). The composites exhibited enhanced photogenerated cathodic protection performance for 304SS under visible light irradiation compared to pure TiO2. Graphene and Ag have a synergistic effect on the enhancement of photocathodic protection performance of TiO2. The composites prepared with 30-cycle graphene film and 15 mM AgNO3 solution showed the optimal corrosion protection performance.

Visible light-harvesting photoanodes for solar energy conversion: A comparison of anchoring groups to titanium dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martini, Lauren A.

Environmental concerns related to climate change and geopolitical issues related to energy security have led to a widespread pursuit of alternative, non-fossil fuel energy sources capable of meeting our increasing global energy demands. Solar energy, which strikes the earth's surface at a rate vastly exceeding our current worldwide power demand, presents itself as a promising source of clean, abundant and renewable energy. The capture and conversion of solar energy into electricity as well as storable, transportable chemical fuels has therefore become major area of chemical research. Inspired by photosynthesis in nature, in which plants and algae convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into oxygen and stored chemical fuel in the form of sugars, recent work has focused on visible light-driven water-splitting technologies for the production of solar fuels. Honda and Fujishima reported the first example of photoelectrochemical water oxidation in 1972. In their system, an inexpensive titanium dioxide semiconductor irradiated with ultraviolet light produced oxygen at the photoanode surface and hydrogen at the surface of a platinum counter electrode. In attempt to harness visible light instead, titanium dioxide and other inexpensive wide band gap photoanodes have been functionalized with visible light-absorbing molecular dyes. These dye-sensitized photoanodes have been used successfully to convert solar energy into electrical current, as in dye-sensitized solar cells, and to drive chemical processes like water oxidation, as in photocatalytic cells. In both systems, a long-lived charge separation is established upon illumination of the photoanode surface when a photoexcited molecular chromophore transfers an electron to the semiconductor conduction band. Following this electron injection process, a nearby redox-active species is oxidized and refills the hole left behind on the molecular chromophore. While the steps of this scheme are relatively straightforward, the integration of efficient visible-light absorption, ultrafast forward electron transfer, and stable charge separation is quite complicated. The work presented here is devoted to the design, synthesis, spectroscopy, and computational study of dye-sensitized photoanodes. In particular, we explore the relative stability and performance of different anchoring groups for the surface attachment of light-harvesting molecular dyes to titanium dioxide. Here we present the first systematic study that directly compares carboxylate, phosphonate, acetylacetonate, and hydroxamate anchors using the same molecular chromophore framework. We discuss a number of novel methods for the incorporation of anchoring group functionalities on each chromophore framework. We also assess the relative water stability of each of the anchoring groups on titanium dioxide as well as the relative efficiency of electron transfer from photoexcited molecular chromophores through each anchoring group into the conduction band of titanium dioxide. We hope that the work presented here will contribute to the rational design of better photoanodes for light-driven water splitting.

Nanoparticle optical notch filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasinadhuni, Pradeep Kumar

Developing novel light blocking products involves the design of a nanoparticle optical notch filter, working on the principle of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). These light blocking products can be used in many applications. One such application is to naturally reduce migraine headaches and light sensitivity. Melanopsin ganglion cells present in the retina of the human eye, connect to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN-the body's clock) in the brain, where they participate in the entrainment of the circadian rhythms. As the Melanopsin ganglion cells are involved in triggering the migraine headaches in photophobic patients, it is necessary to block the part of visible spectrum that activates these cells. It is observed from the action potential spectrum of the ganglion cells that they absorb light ranging from 450-500nm (blue-green part) of the visible spectrum with a λmax (peak sensitivity) of around 480nm (blue line). Currently prescribed for migraine patients is the FL-41 coating, which blocks a broad range of wavelengths, including wavelengths associated with melanopsin absorption. The nanoparticle optical notch filter is designed to block light only at 480nm, hence offering an effective prescription for the treatment of migraine headaches.

Visible Light-Induced Carbonylation Reactions with Organic Dyes as the Photosensitizers.

PubMed

Peng, Jin-Bao; Qi, Xinxin; Wu, Xiao-Feng

2016-09-08

Dyes can CO do it: Organic dyes and pigments are usually applied in textile dyeing, which can be dated back to the Neolithic period. Interestingly, the possibility to use organic dyes as photoredox catalysts has also been noticed by organic chemists and applied in organic synthesis. Carbonylation reactions as a powerful procedure in carbonyl-containing compound preparation have also been studied. In this manuscript, the recent achievements in using organic dyes as visible-light sensitizers in carbonylation chemistry are summarized and discussed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

On the evaluation of air mass factors for atmospheric near-ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perliski, Lori M.; Solomon, Susan

1993-01-01

The interpretation of UV-visible twilight absorption measurements of atmospheric chemical constituents is dependent on how well the optical path, or air mass factor, of light collected by the spectrometer is understood. A simple single scattering model and a Monte Carlo radiative transfer scheme have been developed to study the effects of multiple scattering, aerosol scattering, surface albedo and refraction on air mass factors for scattered light observations. At fairly short visible wavelengths (less than about 450 nm), stratospheric air mass factors are found to be relatively insensitive to multiple scattering, surface albedo and refraction, as well as aerosol scattering by background aerosols. Longer wavelengths display greater sensitivity to refraction and aerosol scattering. Tropospheric air mass factors are found to be highly dependent on aerosol scattering, surface albedo and, at long visible wavelengths (about 650 nm), refraction. Absorption measurements of NO2 and O4 are shown to support these conclusions.

A filterless, visible-blind, narrow-band, and near-infrared photodetector with a gain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Liang; Zhang, Yang; Bai, Yang; Zheng, Xiaopeng; Wang, Qi; Huang, Jinsong

2016-06-01

In many applications of near-infrared (NIR) light detection, a band-pass filter is needed to exclude the noise caused by visible light. Here, we demonstrate a filterless, visible-blind, narrow-band NIR photodetector with a full-width at half-maximum of <50 nm for the response spectrum. These devices have a thick (>4 μm) nanocomposite absorbing layers made of polymer-fullerene:lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs). The PbS QDs yield a photoconductive gain due to their hole-trapping effect, which effectively enhances both the responsivity and the visible rejection ratio of the external quantum efficiency by >10 fold compared to those without PbS QDs. Encouragingly, the inclusion of the PbS QDs does not increase the device noise. We directly measured a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 6.1 pW cm-2 at 890 nm, and a large linear dynamic range (LDR) over 11 orders of magnitude. The highly sensitive visible-blind NIR narrow-band photodetectors may find applications in biomedical engineering.

Ultraporous Electron-Depleted ZnO Nanoparticle Networks for Highly Sensitive Portable Visible-Blind UV Photodetectors.

PubMed

Nasiri, Noushin; Bo, Renheng; Wang, Fan; Fu, Lan; Tricoli, Antonio

2015-08-05

A hierarchical nano- and microstructured morphology for visible-blind UV photo-detectors is developed, which provides record-high milliampere photocurrents, nanoampere dark currents, and excellent selectivity to ultralow UV light intensities. This is a significant step toward the integration of high-performance UV photodetectors in wearable devices. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Two-Step Processes and IR Recording in Photorefractive Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraetzig, Eckhard; Buse, Karsten

Two-step excitation processes have been used for hologram storage in photorefractive crystals. By this means the interference pattern can be formed with red or near-IR light and nondestructive readout of information is possible. Often shallow levels are involved in the holographic recording process in photorefractive crystals. The shallow levels can be populated by illumination with visible or UV pulses forming states with relatively long lifetimes, thus sensitizing the crystals for holographic recording with IR pulses. In LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 the most important shallow levels have been identified. They result from NbLi^5+ and TaLi^5+ antisite defects (Nb5+ or Ta5+ on Li+ site). The crystals can also be pre-illuminated with visible light from a cw argon laser or a xenon lamp and holograms can be recorded with red light from a laser diode. The sensitization process is possible for other photorefractive crystals, too. The holograms can be read nondestructively with IR light and can be erased with green light. The hologram lifetime is limited by electron tunneling or by an ionic conductivity. Lifetimes up to years can be achieved. Recording of components for telecommunication applications with IR light allows one to create reconfigurable and thus more versatile devices.

Interference-enhanced infrared-to-visible upconversion in solid-state thin films sensitized by colloidal nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Mengfei; Jean, Joel; Bulović, Vladimir; Baldo, Marc A.

2017-05-01

Infrared-to-visible photon upconversion has potential applications in photovoltaics, sensing, and bioimaging. We demonstrate a solid-state thin-film device that utilizes sensitized triplet-triplet exciton annihilation, converting infrared photons absorbed by colloidal lead sulfide nanocrystals (NCs) into visible photons emitted from a luminescent dopant in rubrene at low incident light intensities. A typical bilayer device consisting of a monolayer of NCs and a doped film of rubrene is limited by low infrared absorption in the thin NC film. Here, we augment the bilayer with an optical spacer layer and a silver-film back reflector, resulting in interference effects that enhance the optical field and thus the absorption in the NC film. The interference-enhanced device shows an order-of-magnitude increase in the upconverted emission at the wavelength of λ = 610 nm when excited at λ = 980 nm. At incident light intensities above 1.1 W/cm2, the device attains maximum efficiency, converting (1.6 ± 0.2)% of absorbed infrared photons into higher-energy singlet excitons in rubrene.

Investigations of blue light-induced reactive oxygen species from flavin mononucleotide on inactivation of E. coli.

PubMed

Liang, Ji-Yuan; Cheng, Chien-Wei; Yu, Chin-Hao; Chen, Liang-Yü

2015-02-01

The micronutrients in many cellular processes, riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN), and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are photo-sensitive to UV and visible light for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Produced from phosphorylation of riboflavin, FMN is more water-soluble and rapidly transformed into free riboflavin after ingestion. This study investigated the application of visible blue light with FMN to development of an effective antimicrobial treatment. The photosensitization of bacterial viability with FMN was investigated by light quality, intensity, time, and irradiation dosage. The blue light-induced photochemical reaction with FMN could inactivate Escherichiacoli by the generated ROS in damaging nucleic acids, which was validated. This novel photodynamic technique could be a safe practice for photo-induced inactivation of environmental microorganism to achieve hygienic requirements in food processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Broadband Light Absorption and Efficient Charge Separation Using a Light Scattering Layer with Mixed Cavities for High-Performance Perovskite Photovoltaic Cells with Stability.

PubMed

Moon, Byeong Cheul; Park, Jung Hyo; Lee, Dong Ki; Tsvetkov, Nikolai; Ock, Ilwoo; Choi, Kyung Min; Kang, Jeung Ku

2017-08-01

CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 is one of the promising light sensitizers for perovskite photovoltaic cells, but a thick layer is required to enhance light absorption in the long-wavelength regime ranging from PbI 2 absorption edge (500 nm) to its optical band-gap edge (780 nm) in visible light. Meanwhile, the thick perovskite layer suppresses visible-light absorption in the short wavelengths below 500 nm and charge extraction capability of electron-hole pairs produced upon light absorption. Herein, we find that a new light scattering layer with the mixed cavities of sizes in 100 and 200 nm between transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide and mesoporous titanium dioxide electron transport layer enables full absorption of short-wavelength photons (λ < 500 nm) to the perovskite along with enhanced absorption of long-wavelength photons (500 nm < λ < 780 nm). Moreover, the light-driven electric field is proven to allow efficient charge extraction upon light absorption, thereby leading to the increased photocurrent density as well as the fill factor prompted by the slow recombination rate. Additionally, the photocurrent density of the cell with a light scattering layer of mixed cavities is stabilized due to suppressed charge accumulation. Consequently, this work provides a new route to realize broadband light harvesting of visible light for high-performance perovskite photovoltaic cells. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Polymer dual ring resonators for label-free optical biosensing using microfluidics.

PubMed

Salleh, Muhammad H M; Glidle, Andrew; Sorel, Marc; Reboud, Julien; Cooper, Jonathan M

2013-04-18

We demonstrate a polymer resonator microfluidic biosensor that overcomes the complex manufacturing procedures required to fabricate traditional devices. In this new format, we show that a gapless light coupling photonic configuration, fabricated in SU8 polymer, can achieve high sensitivity, label-free chemical sensing in solution and high sensitivity biological sensing, at visible wavelengths.

Near infrared harvesting dye-sensitized solar cells enabled by rare-earth upconversion materials.

PubMed

Li, Deyang; Ågren, Hans; Chen, Guanying

2018-02-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been deemed as promising alternatives to silicon solar cells for the conversion of clean sunlight energy into electricity. A major limitation to their conversion efficiency is their inability to utilize light in the infrared (IR) spectral range, which constitutes almost half the energy of the sun's radiation. This fact has elicited motivations and endeavors to extend the response wavelength of DSSCs to the IR range. Photon upconversion through rare-earth ions constitutes one of the most promising approaches toward the goal of converting near-IR (NIR) or IR light into visible or ultraviolet light, where DSSCs typically have high sensitivity. In the present review, we summarize recent progress based on the utilization of various upconversion materials and device structures to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells.

Near-infrared sensitization in dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Park, Jinhyung; Viscardi, Guido; Barolo, Claudia; Barbero, Nadia

2013-01-01

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are a low cost and colorful promising alternative to standard silicon photovoltaic cells. Though many of the highest efficiencies have been associated with sensitizers absorbing only in the visible portion of the solar radiation, there is a growing interest for NIR sensitization. This paper reviews the efforts made so far to find sensitizers able to absorb efficiently in the far-red NIR region of solar light. Panchromatic sensitizers as well as dyes absorbing mainly in the 650-920 nm region have been considered.

On-off keying transmitter design for navigation by visible light communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Louro, P.; Vieira, M.; Costa, J.; Vieira, M. A.

2018-02-01

White LEDS revolutionized the field of illumination technology mainly due to the energy saving effects. Besides lighting purposes LEDs can also be used in wireless communication systems when integrated in Visible Light Communication (VLC) systems. Indoor positioning for navigation in large buildings is currently under research to overcome the difficulties associated with the use of GPS in such environments. The motivation for this application is also supported by the possibility of taking advantage of an existing lighting and WiFi infrastructure. In this work it is proposed an indoor navigation system based on the use of VLC technology. The proposed system includes trichromatic white LEDs with the red and blue chips modulated at different frequencies and a pinpin photodetector with selective spectral sensitivity. Optoelectronic features of both optical sources and photodetector device are analyzed. The photodetector device consists two pin structures based on a-SiC:H and a-Si:H with geometrical configuration optimized for the detection of short and large wavelengths in the visible range. Its sensitivity is externally tuned by steady state optical bias. The localization algorithm makes use of the Fourier transform to identify the frequencies present in the photocurrent signal and the wavelength filtering properties of the sensor under front and back optical bias to detect the existing red and blue signals. The viability of the system was demonstrated through the implementation of an automatic algorithm to infer the photodetector cardinal direction. A capacitive optoelectronic model supports the experimental results and explains the device operation.

Dictating photoreactivity through restricted bond rotations: cross-photoaddition of atropisomeric acrylimide derivatives under UV/visible-light irradiation.

PubMed

Iyer, Akila; Jockusch, Steffen; Sivaguru, J

2014-11-13

Nonbiaryl atropisomeric acrylimides underwent facile [2 + 2] photocycloaddition leading to cross-cyclobutane adducts with very high stereospecificity (enantiomeric excess (ee): 99% and diastereomeric excess (de): 99%). The photoreactions proceeded smoothly in isotropic media for both direct and triplet sensitized irradiations. The reactions were also found to be very efficient in the solid state where the same cross-cyclobutane adduct was observed. Photophysical studies enabled us to understand the excited-state photochemistry of acrylimides. The triplet energy was found to be ∼63 kcal/mol. The reactions proceeded predominantly via a singlet excited state upon direct irradiation with very poor intersystem crossing that was ascertained by quantification of the generated singlet oxygen. The reactions progressed smoothly with triplet sensitization with UV or visible-light irradiations. Laser flash photolysis experiments established the triplet transient of atropisomeric acrylimides with a triplet lifetime at room temperature of ∼40 ns.

Dye-sensitized MIL-101 metal organic frameworks loaded with Ni/NiO{sub x} nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Xin-Ling; Wang, Rong; Yuan, Yu-Peng, E-mail: yupengyuan@ahu.edu.cn, E-mail: cxue@ntu.edu.sg

2015-10-01

The Ni/NiO{sub x} particles were in situ photodeposited on MIL-101 metal organic frameworks as catalysts for boosting H{sub 2} generation from Erythrosin B dye sensitization under visible-light irradiation. The highest H{sub 2} production rate of 125 μmol h{sup −1} was achieved from the system containing 5 wt. % Ni-loaded MIL-101 (20 mg) and 30 mg Erythrosin B dye. Moreover, the Ni/NiO{sub x} catalysts show excellent stability for long-term photocatalytic reaction. The enhancement on H{sub 2} generation is attributed to the efficient charge transfer from photoexcited dye to the Ni catalyst via MIL-101. Our results demonstrate that the economical Ni/NiO{sub x}more » particles are durable and active catalysts for photocatalytic H{sub 2} generation.« less

Supercontinuum white light lasers for flow cytometry

PubMed Central

Telford, William G.; Subach, Fedor V.; Verkhusha, Vladislav V.

2009-01-01

Excitation of fluorescent probes for flow cytometry has traditionally been limited to a few discrete laser lines, an inherent limitation in our ability to excite the vast array of fluorescent probes available for cellular analysis. In this report, we have used a supercontinuum (SC) white light laser as an excitation source for flow cytometry. By selectively filtering the wavelength of interest, almost any laser wavelength in the visible spectrum can be separated and used for flow cytometric analysis. The white light lasers used in this study were integrated into a commercial flow cytometry platform, and a series of high-transmission bandpass filters used to select wavelength ranges from the blue (~480 nm) to the long red (>700 nm). Cells labeled with a variety of fluorescent probes or expressing fluorescent proteins were then analyzed, in comparison with traditional lasers emitting at wavelengths similar to the filtered SC source. Based on a standard sensitivity metric, the white light laser bandwidths produced similar excitation levels to traditional lasers for a wide variety of fluorescent probes and expressible proteins. Sensitivity assessment using fluorescent bead arrays confirmed that the SC laser and traditional sources resulted in similar levels of detection sensitivity. Supercontinuum white light laser sources therefore have the potential to remove a significant barrier in flow cytometric analysis, namely the limitation of excitation wavelengths. Almost any visible wavelength range can be made available for excitation, allowing access to virtually any fluorescent probe, and permitting “fine-tuning” of excitation wavelength to particular probes. PMID:19072836

Photochemical Study of Silver Nanoparticles Formed from the Reduction of Silver Ions by Humic Acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leslie, Renee M.

This study focuses on the ability of silver ions and humic acid to form silver nanoparticles in the presence of UV and visible light. Silver nanoparticles have a number of industrial applications due primarily to their antimicrobial properties, but these properties pose an environmental threat. Silver nanoparticles can directly disrupt sensitive ecosystems by harming bacteria. Consumption of silver nanoparticles results in silver ions and silver nanoparticles entering waterways; the presence of silver ions raises the question of whether nanoparticles can reform in environmental waters. As our data show, silver nanoparticles can form from the reduction of silver ions by humic acid after irradiation with UV and visible light. In order to better understand the mechanism of these naturally synthesized silver nanoparticles, we investigated the effects of reactant concentration, experimental conditions and presence of ions/reactive species. We monitored silver nanoparticle growth with UV-visible spectroscopy. The evolution in time of nanoparticle size was monitored by dynamic light scattering (DLS).

Synthesis of visible-light responsive graphene oxide/TiO(2) composites with p/n heterojunction.

PubMed

Chen, Chao; Cai, Weimin; Long, Mingce; Zhou, Baoxue; Wu, Yahui; Wu, Deyong; Feng, Yujie

2010-11-23

Graphene oxide/TiO(2) composites were prepared by using TiCl(3) and graphene oxide as reactants. The concentration of graphene oxide in starting solution played an important role in photoelectronic and photocatalytic performance of graphene oxide/TiO(2) composites. Either a p-type or n-type semiconductor was formed by graphene oxide in graphene oxide/TiO(2) composites. These semiconductors could be excited by visible light with wavelengths longer than 510 nm and acted as sensitizer in graphene oxide/TiO(2) composites. Visible-light driven photocatalytic performance of graphene oxide/TiO(2) composites in degradation of methyl orange was also studied. Crystalline quality and chemical states of carbon elements from graphene oxide in graphene oxide/TiO(2) composites depended on the concentration of graphene oxide in the starting solution. This study shows a possible way to fabricate graphene oxide/semiconductor composites with different properties by using a tunable semiconductor conductivity type of graphene oxide.

Periodically Ordered Nanoporous Perovskite Photoelectrode for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

PubMed

Shi, Li; Zhou, Wei; Li, Zhao; Koul, Supriya; Kushima, Akihiro; Yang, Yang

2018-06-18

Nonmetallic materials with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) have a great potential for solar energy harvesting applications. Exploring nonmetallic plasmonic materials is desirable yet challenging. Herein, an efficient nonmetallic plasmonic perovskite photoelectrode, namely, SrTiO 3 , with a periodically ordered nanoporous structure showing an intense LSPR in the visible light region is reported. The crystalline-core@amorphous-shell structure of the SrTiO 3 photoelectrode enables a strong LSPR due to the high charge carrier density induced by oxygen vacancies in the amorphous shell. The reversible tunability in LSPR of the SrTiO 3 photoelectrode was observed by oxidation/reduction treatment and incident angle adjusting. Such a nonmetallic plasmonic SrTiO 3 photoelectrode displays a dramatic plasmon-enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting performance with a photocurrent density of 170.0 μA cm -2 under visible light illumination and a maximum incident photon-to-current-conversion efficiency of 4.0% in the visible light region, which are comparable to the state-of-the-art plasmonic noble metal sensitized photoelectrodes.

Development of an Amorphous Selenium-Based Photodetector Driven by a Diamond Cold Cathode

PubMed Central

Masuzawa, Tomoaki; Saito, Ichitaro; Yamada, Takatoshi; Onishi, Masanori; Yamaguchi, Hisato; Suzuki, Yu; Oonuki, Kousuke; Kato, Nanako; Ogawa, Shuichi; Takakuwa, Yuji; Koh, Angel T. T.; Chua, Daniel H. C.; Mori, Yusuke; Shimosawa, Tatsuo; Okano, Ken

2013-01-01

Amorphous-selenium (a-Se) based photodetectors are promising candidates for imaging devices, due to their high spatial resolution and response speed, as well as extremely high sensitivity enhanced by an internal carrier multiplication. In addition, a-Se is reported to show sensitivity against wide variety of wavelengths, including visible, UV and X-ray, where a-Se based flat-panel X-ray detector was proposed. In order to develop an ultra high-sensitivity photodetector with a wide detectable wavelength range, a photodetector was fabricated using a-Se photoconductor and a nitrogen-doped diamond cold cathode. In the study, a prototype photodetector has been developed, and its response to visible and ultraviolet light are characterized. PMID:24152932

Broadband image sensor array based on graphene-CMOS integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goossens, Stijn; Navickaite, Gabriele; Monasterio, Carles; Gupta, Shuchi; Piqueras, Juan José; Pérez, Raúl; Burwell, Gregory; Nikitskiy, Ivan; Lasanta, Tania; Galán, Teresa; Puma, Eric; Centeno, Alba; Pesquera, Amaia; Zurutuza, Amaia; Konstantatos, Gerasimos; Koppens, Frank

2017-06-01

Integrated circuits based on complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors (CMOS) are at the heart of the technological revolution of the past 40 years, enabling compact and low-cost microelectronic circuits and imaging systems. However, the diversification of this platform into applications other than microcircuits and visible-light cameras has been impeded by the difficulty to combine semiconductors other than silicon with CMOS. Here, we report the monolithic integration of a CMOS integrated circuit with graphene, operating as a high-mobility phototransistor. We demonstrate a high-resolution, broadband image sensor and operate it as a digital camera that is sensitive to ultraviolet, visible and infrared light (300-2,000 nm). The demonstrated graphene-CMOS integration is pivotal for incorporating 2D materials into the next-generation microelectronics, sensor arrays, low-power integrated photonics and CMOS imaging systems covering visible, infrared and terahertz frequencies.

CLASSiC: Cherenkov light detection with silicon carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adriani, Oscar; Albergo, Sebastiano; D'Alessandro, Raffaello; Lenzi, Piergiulio; Sciuto, Antonella; Starodubtsev, Oleksandr; Tricomi, Alessia

2017-02-01

We present the CLASSiC R&D for the development of a silicon carbide (SiC) based avalanche photodiode for the detection of Cherenkov light. SiC is a wide-bandgap semiconductor material, which can be used to make photodetectors that are insensitive to visible light. A SiC based light detection device has a peak sensitivity in the deep UV, making it ideal for Cherenkov light. Moreover, the visible blindness allows such a device to disentangle Cherenkov light and scintillation light in all those materials that scintillate above 400 nm. Within CLASSiC, we aim at developing a device with single photon sensitivity, having in mind two main applications. One is the use of the SiC APD in a new generation ToF PET scanner concept, using the Cherenov light emitted by the electrons following 511 keV gamma ray absorption as a time-stamp. Cherenkov is intrinsically faster than scintillation and could provide an unprecedentedly precise time-stamp. The second application concerns the use of SiC APD in a dual readout crystal based hadronic calorimeter, where the Cherenkov component is used to measure the electromagnetic fraction on an event by event basis. We will report on our progress towards the realization of the SiC APD devices, the strategies that are being pursued toward the realization of these devices and the preliminary results on prototypes in terms of spectral response, quantum efficiency, noise figures and multiplication.

Blue light-induced oxidative stress in live skin.

PubMed

Nakashima, Yuya; Ohta, Shigeo; Wolf, Alexander M

2017-07-01

Skin damage from exposure to sunlight induces aging-like changes in appearance and is attributed to the ultraviolet (UV) component of light. Photosensitized production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by UVA light is widely accepted to contribute to skin damage and carcinogenesis, but visible light is thought not to do so. Using mice expressing redox-sensitive GFP to detect ROS, blue light could produce oxidative stress in live skin. Blue light induced oxidative stress preferentially in mitochondria, but green, red, far red or infrared light did not. Blue light-induced oxidative stress was also detected in cultured human keratinocytes, but the per photon efficacy was only 25% of UVA in human keratinocyte mitochondria, compared to 68% of UVA in mouse skin. Skin autofluorescence was reduced by blue light, suggesting flavins are the photosensitizer. Exposing human skin to the blue light contained in sunlight depressed flavin autofluorescence, demonstrating that the visible component of sunlight has a physiologically significant effect on human skin. The ROS produced by blue light is probably superoxide, but not singlet oxygen. These results suggest that blue light contributes to skin aging similar to UVA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of natural photosensitizer extraction solvent upon light absorbance in dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suhaimi, Suriati; Mohamed Siddick, Siti Zubaidah; Ahmad Hambali, Nor Azura Malini; Retnasamy, Vithyacharan; Abdul Wahid, Mohamad Halim; Mohamad Shahimin, Mukhzeer

2017-02-01

Natural pigmentations of Ardisia, Bawang Sabrang, Harum Manis mango, Oxalis Triangularis and Rosella were used to study the general trend in performance of dyes as a photosensitizer in the application of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on optical light absorbance and photoelectrochemical characteristics. From the Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometer with the recorded absorption measurements in the range between 400 nm to 800 nm, the dyes extracted from Rosella and Oxalis Triangularis in water solvent exhibited the conversion efficiency up to 0.68% and 0.67%, respectively. The light absorbance peak for dye extracted from Ardisia, Bawang Sabrang, Oxalis Triangularis and Rosella in water and ethanol solvent resulted in the range between 500 nm to 650 nm, while the Harum Manis mango resulted in the broader spectra in both water and ethanol solvent. The light absorbance spectra of each the dyes shows shifted wavelength spectrum when the extracted dye is adsorbed onto TiO2 film surface that might influenced the absorption of light by TiO2 particle in the visible region. The capabilities of the dyes to absorb light when bonded onto the TiO2 photoanode was found to be significant with the current-voltage conversion of the cell. The results demonstrates just the tip of the vastness of natural dyes' (native to tropical region) feasibility and applicability as a photosensitizer.

Light scattering management of dye-sensitized solar cells based on double-layered photoanodes aided by uniform TiO{sub 2} aggregates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bakhshayesh, A.M., E-mail: bakhshayesh@alum.sharif.edu

2016-01-15

Highlights: • A new architecture of double-layered TiO{sub 2} electrodes is presented. • The electrode contains two alternate layers of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and aggregates. • The aggregates layers are deposited onto the nanocrystalline layer. • The new design showed improved efficiency compared to conventional cells. - Abstract: This study presents a new double-layered TiO{sub 2} film containing a nanocrystalline under-layer and a uniform, sponge-like light scattering over-layer for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) application. The over-layer is composed of 2-μm-diameter uniform aggregates, containing small nanoparticles with the average grain size of 20 nm. X-ray diffraction reveals that the light scatteringmore » layer has a mixture of anatase and rutile phases, whereas the nanocrystalline layer has a pure anatase phase. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectra show that the light scattering layer has lower band gap energy than the nanocrystalline under-layer, extending the absorption of TiO{sub 2} into visible region. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy demonstrates that the double-layered electrode enjoyed better light scattering ability. The double-layered DSC shows the highest power conversion efficiency of 7.69% and incident photon-to-current efficiency of 88% as a result of higher light harvesting and less recombination which is demonstrated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.« less

DFT study of benzyl alcohol/TiO2 interfacial surface complex: reaction pathway and mechanism of visible light absorption.

PubMed

Zhao, Lei; Gu, Feng Long; Kim, Minjae; Miao, Maosheng; Zhang, Rui-Qin

2017-09-24

We propose a new pathway for the adsorption of benzyl alcohol on the surface of TiO 2 and the formation of interfacial surface complex (ISC). The reaction free energies and reaction kinetics were thoroughly investigated by density functional calculations. The TiO 2 surfaces were modeled by clusters consisting of 4 Ti atoms and 18 O atoms passivated by H, OH group and H 2 O molecules. Compared with solid-state calculations utilizing the periodicity of the materials, such cluster modeling allows inclusion of the high-order correlation effects that seem to be essential for the adsorption of organic molecules onto solid surfaces. The effects of both acidity and solvation are included in our calculations, which demonstrate that the new pathway is competitive with a previous pathway. The electronic structure calculations based on the relaxed ISC structures reveal that the chemisorption of benzyl alcohol on the TiO 2 surface greatly alters the nature of the frontier molecular orbitals. The resulted reduced energy gap in ISC matches the energy of visible light, showing how the adsorption of benzyl alcohol sensitizes the TiO 2 surface. Graphical Abstract The chemisorption of benzyl alcohol on TiO 2 surface greatly alters the nature of the frontier molecular orbitals and the formed interfacial surface complex can be sensitized by visible light.

Spitzer Digs Up Hidden Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] 3-Panel Version Figure 1 [figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Visible Light Figure 2 Infrared (IRAC) Figure 3 Combined Figure 4

Two rambunctious young stars are destroying their natal dust cloud with powerful jets of radiation, in an infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

The stars are located approximately 600 light-years away in a cosmic cloud called BHR 71. In visible light (left panel), BHR 71 is just a large black structure. The burst of yellow light toward the bottom of the cloud is the only indication that stars might be forming inside. In infrared light (center panel), the baby stars are shown as the bright yellow smudges toward the center. Both of these yellow spots have wisps of green shooting out of them. The green wisps reveal the beginning of a jet. Like a rainbow, the jet begins as green, then transitions to orange, and red toward the end. The combined visible-light and infrared composite (right panel) shows that a young star's powerful jet is responsible for the rupture at the bottom of the dense cloud in the visible-light image. Astronomers know this because burst of light in the visible-light image overlaps exactly with a jet spouting-out of the left star, in the infrared image.

The jets' changing colors reveal a cooling effect, and may suggest that the young stars are spouting out radiation in regular bursts. The green tints at the beginning of the jet reveal really hot hydrogen gas, the orange shows warm gas, and the reddish wisps at the end represent the coolest gas. The fact that gas toward the beginning of the jet is hotter than gas near the middle suggests that the stars must give off regular bursts of energy -- and the material closest to the star is being heated by shockwaves from a recent stellar outburst. Meanwhile, the tints of orange reveal gas that is currently being heated by shockwaves from a previous stellar outburst. By the time these shockwaves reach the end of the jet, they have slowed down so significantly that the gas is only heated a little, and looks red. The combination of views also brings out some striking details that evaded visible-light detection. For example, the yellow dots scattered throughout the image are actually young stars forming inside BHR 71. Spitzer also uncovered another young star with jets, located to the right of the powerful jet seen in the visible-light image. Spitzer can see details that visible-light telescopes don't, because its infrared instruments are sensitive to 'heat.'

The infrared image is made up of data from Spitzer's infrared array camera. Blue shows infrared light at 3.6 microns, green is light at 4.5 microns, and red is light at 8.0 microns.

Assessment of oral mucosal lesions with autofluorescence imaging and reflectance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Lalla, Yastira; Matias, Marie Anne T; Farah, Camile S

2016-08-01

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new form of autofluorescence imaging and tissue reflectance spectroscopy (Identafi, DentalEZ) in examining patients with oral mucosal lesions. The authors examined 88 patients with 231 oral mucosal lesions by conventional oral examination (COE) using white-light illumination and ×2.5 magnification loupes, followed by examination using Identafi. The authors noted fluorescence visualization loss, the presence of blanching, and diffuseness of vasculature. They performed incisional biopsies to provide definitive histopathologic diagnosis. Identafi's white light produced lesion visibility and border distinctness equivalent to COE. Identafi's violet light displayed a sensitivity of 12.5% and specificity of 85.4% for detection of oral epithelial dysplasia (OED). The authors noted visible vasculature using the green-amber light in 40.9% of lesions. Identafi's intraoral white light provided detailed visualization of oral mucosal lesions comparable with examination using an extraoral white-light source with magnification. A high level of clinical experience is required to interpret the results of autofluorescence examination as the violet light displayed low sensitivity for detection of OED. The green-amber light provided additional clinical information in relation to underlying vasculature and inflammation of lesions. Examination using Identafi can provide clinicians with more clinical data than a standard COE with yellow incandescent light, but the clinical and optical findings should be interpreted as a whole and not in isolation. Clinicians should use the light features of Identafi in a sequential and differential manner. Copyright © 2016 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Slices of Jupiter's Great Red Spot

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-11

This figure shows data from the six channels of the microwave radiometer (MWR) instrument onboard NASA's Juno spacecraft. The data were collected in the mission's sixth science orbit (referred to as "perijove 7"), during which the spacecraft passed over Jupiter's Great Red Spot. The top layer in the figure is a visible light image from the mission's JunoCam instrument, provided for context. The MWR instrument enables Juno to see deeper into Jupiter than any previous spacecraft or Earth-based observations. Each MWR channel peers progressively deeper below the visible cloud tops. Channel 1 is sensitive to longer microwave wavelengths; each of the other channels is sensitive to progressively shorter wavelengths. The large-scale structure of the Great Red Spot is visible in the data as deep into Jupiter as MWR can observe. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22177

Contributions of visible and ultraviolet parts of sunlight to photoinhibition.

PubMed

Hakala-Yatkin, Marja; Mäntysaari, Mika; Mattila, Heta; Tyystjärvi, Esa

2010-10-01

Photoinhibition is light-induced inactivation of PSII, and action spectrum measurements have shown that UV light causes photoinhibition much more efficiently than visible light. In the present study, we quantified the contribution of the UV part of sunlight in photoinhibition of PSII in leaves. Greenhouse-grown pumpkin leaves were pretreated with lincomycin to block the repair of photoinhibited PSII, and exposed to sunlight behind a UV-permeable or UV-blocking filter. Oxygen evolution and Chl fluorescence measurements showed that photoinhibition proceeds 35% more slowly under the UV-blocking than under the UV-permeable filter. Experiments with a filter that blocks UV-B but transmits UV-A and visible light revealed that UV-A light is almost fully responsible for the UV effect. The difference between leaves illuminated through a UV-blocking and UV-transparent filter disappeared when leaves of field-grown pumpkin plants were used. Thylakoids isolated from field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants were equally sensitive to UV light, and measurements of UV-induced fluorescence from leaves indicated that the protection of the field-grown plants was caused by substances that block the passage of UV light to the chloroplasts. Thus, the UV part of sunlight, especially the UV-A part, is potentially highly important in photoinhibition of PSII but the UV-screening compounds of plant leaves may offer almost complete protection against UV-induced photoinhibition.

Broadband dye-sensitized upconverting nanocrystals enabled near-infrared planar perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Xuesen; Li, Xitao; Lv, Xinding; Zheng, Yan-Zhen; Meng, Fanli; Tao, Xia

2017-12-01

Extending the spectral absorption of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) from visible into near-infrared (NIR) range is a promising strategy to minimize non-absorption loss of solar photons and enhance the cell photovoltaic performance. Herein, we report on for the first time a viable strategy of incorporating IR806 dye-sensitized upconversion nanocrystals (IR806-UCNCs) into planar PSC for broadband upconversion of NIR light (800-1000 nm) into perovskite absorber-responsive visible emissions. A smart trick is firstly adopted to prepare hydrophilic IR806-UCNCs via a NOBF4 assisted two-step ligand-exchange that allows incorporating with perovskite precursor for in-situ growth of upconverting planar perovskite film. Unlike typically reported upconverting nanoparticles with narrow NIR absorption, the as-prepared IR806-UCNCs are able to harvest NIR light broadly and then transfer the captured energy to the UCNCs for an efficient visible upconversion. The IR806-UCNCs-incorporated cell exhibits a power conversion efficiency of 17.49%, corresponding to 29% increment from that of the pristine cell (13.52%). This strategy provides a feasible way to enable the most efficient harvesting of NIR sunlight for solar cells and other optoelectric devices.

Sentinel Node Mapping Using a Fluorescent Dye and Visible Light During Laparoscopic Gastrectomy for Early Gastric Cancer: Result of a Prospective Study From a Single Institute.

PubMed

Lee, Chang Min; Park, Sungsoo; Park, Seong-Heum; Jung, Sung Woo; Choe, Jung Wan; Sul, Ji-Young; Jang, You Jin; Mok, Young-Jae; Kim, Jong-Han

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of sentinel node mapping using a fluorescent dye and visible light in patients with gastric cancer. Recently, fluorescent imaging technology offers improved visibility with the possibility of better sensitivity or accuracy in sentinel node mapping. Twenty patients with early gastric cancer, for whom laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with standard lymphadenectomy had been planned, were enrolled in this study. Before lymphadenectomy, the patients received a gastrofiberoscopic peritumoral injection of fluorescein solution. The sentinel basin was investigated via laparoscopic fluorescent imaging under blue light (wavelength of 440-490 nm) emitted from an LED curing light. The detection rate and lymph node status were analyzed in the enrolled patients. In addition, short-term clinical outcomes were also investigated. No hypersensitivity to the dye was identified in any enrolled patients. Sentinel nodes were detected in 19 of 20 enrolled patients (95.0%), and metastatic lymph nodes were found in 2 patients. The latter lymph nodes belonged to the sentinel basin of each patient. Meanwhile, 1 patient (5.0%) experienced a postoperative complication that was unrelated to sentinel node mapping. No mortality was recorded among enrolled cases. Sentinel node mapping with visible light fluorescence was a feasible method for visualizing sentinel nodes in patients with early gastric cancer. In addition, this method is advantageous in terms of visualizing the concrete relationship between the sentinel nodes and surrounding structures.

Human infrared vision is triggered by two-photon chromophore isomerization

PubMed Central

Palczewska, Grazyna; Vinberg, Frans; Stremplewski, Patrycjusz; Bircher, Martin P.; Salom, David; Komar, Katarzyna; Zhang, Jianye; Cascella, Michele; Wojtkowski, Maciej; Kefalov, Vladimir J.; Palczewski, Krzysztof

2014-01-01

Vision relies on photoactivation of visual pigments in rod and cone photoreceptor cells of the retina. The human eye structure and the absorption spectra of pigments limit our visual perception of light. Our visual perception is most responsive to stimulating light in the 400- to 720-nm (visible) range. First, we demonstrate by psychophysical experiments that humans can perceive infrared laser emission as visible light. Moreover, we show that mammalian photoreceptors can be directly activated by near infrared light with a sensitivity that paradoxically increases at wavelengths above 900 nm, and display quadratic dependence on laser power, indicating a nonlinear optical process. Biochemical experiments with rhodopsin, cone visual pigments, and a chromophore model compound 11-cis-retinyl-propylamine Schiff base demonstrate the direct isomerization of visual chromophore by a two-photon chromophore isomerization. Indeed, quantum mechanics modeling indicates the feasibility of this mechanism. Together, these findings clearly show that human visual perception of near infrared light occurs by two-photon isomerization of visual pigments. PMID:25453064

[Research on the measurement of flue-dust concentration in Vis, IR spectral region].

PubMed

Sun, Xiao-gang; Tang, Hong; Yuan, Gui-bin

2008-10-01

In the measurement of flue-dust concentration based on the transmission method, the dependent model algorithm was used to invert the flue-dust concentration in the visible, infrared and visible-infrared spectral regions respectively. By the analysis and comparison of the accuracy, linearity and sensitivity of the inversion flue-dust concentration, the optimal spectral region was determined. Meanwhile, the influence of the water droplet with different size distribution and volume concentration was simulated, and a method was proposed which has advantages of simplicity, rapidity, and suitability for on line measurement. Simulation experiments illustrate that the flue-dust concentration can be inverted very well in the visible-infrared spectral region, and it is feasible to use the ratio of the constrained light extinction method to overcome the influence of water droplet. The inverse results all remain satisfactory when 2% stochastic noise is added to the value of the light extinction.

Ultraviolet/visible photodiode of nanostructure Sn-doped ZnO/Si heterojunction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kheirandish, N.; Mortezaali, A.

2013-05-01

Sn doped ZnO nanostructures deposited on Si substrate with (100) orientation by spray pyrolysis method at temperature 450 °C. Sn/Zn atomic ratio varies from 0% to 5%. The scanning electron microscope measurements showed that size of particles reduce with increasing the doping concentration. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed formation of the wurtzite phase of ZnO. I-V curves of Sn doped ZnO/Si were investigated in dark and shows diode-like rectifying behavior. Among doped ZnO/Si, sample with atomic ratio of Sn/Zn = 5% is a good candidate to study photodiode properties in UV/visible range. Photoelectric effects have been observed under illumination monochromatic laser light with a wavelength of 325 nm and halogen lamp. Measurements demonstrate that the photodiode has high sensitivity and reproducibility to halogen light respect to laser light.

Porphyrin-Sensitized Evolution of Hydrogen using Dawson and Keplerate Polyoxometalate Photocatalysts.

PubMed

Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios; Douvas, Antonios M; Argitis, Panagiotis; Coutsolelos, Athanassios G

2016-11-23

Hydrogen evolution using photocatalytic systems based on artificial photosynthesis is a major approach toward solar energy conversion and storage. In the polyoxometalate-based photocatalytic systems proposed in the past, middle/near UV light irradiation and noble-metal catalysts were mainly used. Although recently polyoxometalates were sensitized in visible light, photosensitizers or catalysts based on noble metals, and/or poor activity of polyoxometalates were generally obtained. Here we show the highly efficient [turnover number (TON)=215] hydrogen evolution induced by the zinc(II) mesotetrakis(N-methyl-pyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (ZnTMPyP 4+ ) sensitization of a series of polyoxometalate catalysts (two Dawson type, P 2 Mo 18 O 62 6- and P 2 W 18 O 62 6- anions, and one Keplerate {Mo 132 } cluster) in a visible-light-driven, noble-metal-free, and fully water-soluble system. We attributed the high efficiency for hydrogen evolution to the multi-electron reduction of polyoxometalates and found that: (a) both Dawson polyoxometalates exhibit higher hydrogen evolution efficiency upon ZnTMPyP 4+ sensitization in relation to the direct photoreduction of those compounds; (b) the P 2 Mo 18 O 62 6- anion is more efficient (TON=65 vs. 38, respectively) for hydrogen evolution than the P 2 W 18 O 62 6- anion; and (c) the high nuclearity Keplerate {Mo 132 } cluster exhibits the highest efficiency (TON=215) for hydrogen evolution compared with the polyoxometalates studied. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synergistic effects of graphene quantum dot sensitization and nitrogen doping of ordered mesoporous TiO2 thin films for water splitting photocatalysis(Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, Syed Z.; Wanninayake, Namal; Reed, Allen D.; Kim, Doo-Young; Rankin, Stephen E.

2016-10-01

The optical and electronic properties of TiO2 thin films provide tremendous opportunities in several applications including photocatalysis, photovoltaics and photoconductors for energy production. Despite many attractive features of TiO2, critical challenges include the innate inability of TiO2 to absorb visible light and the fast recombination of photoexcited charge carriers. In this study, we prepared ordered mesoporous TiO2 films co-modified by graphene quantum dot sensitization and nitrogen doping (GQD-N-TiO2) for hydrogen production from photoelectrochemical water splitting under visible light irradiation. First, cubic ordered mesoporous TiO2 films were prepared by a surfactant templated sol-gel method. Then, TiO2 films were treated with N2/Ar plasma for the incorporation of substitutional N atoms into the lattice of TiO2. GQDs were prepared by chemically oxidizing carbon nano-onions. The immobilization of GQDs was accomplished by reacting carboxyl groups of GQDs with amine groups of N-TiO2 developed by the prior immobilization of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). Successful immobilization of GQDs onto N-TiO2 was probed by UV-Vis, FT-IR, and scanning electron microscopy. Further, zeta potential and contact angle measurements showed enhanced surface charge and hydrophilicity, confirming the successful immobilization of GQDs. The GQD-N-TiO2, N-TiO2 and GQD-TiO2 films showed 400 times, 130 times and 8 times photocurrent enhancement, respectively, compared to TiO2 films for water splitting with a halogen bulb light source. This outstanding enhancement is attributed to the high surface area of mesoporous films and synergistic effects of nitrogen doping and GQD sensitization resulting in enhanced visible light absorption, efficient charge separation and transport.

A copper(I) dye-sensitised TiO2-based system for efficient light harvesting and photoconversion of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuel.

PubMed

Yuan, Yong-Jun; Yu, Zhen-Tao; Zhang, Ji-Yuan; Zou, Zhi-Gang

2012-08-28

A new copper(I) complex with the ability to bind to TiO(2) was synthesised and successfully employed as a solar cell sensitizer. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the copper(I) dye-sensitised TiO(2)-based photocatalyst exhibits impressive effectiveness for the selective photoreduction of CO(2) to CH(4) under visible light.

Polypyrrole coated phase-change contrast agents for sono-photoacoustic imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, David S.; Yoon, Soon Joon; Matula, Thomas J.; O'Donnell, Matthew; Pozzo, Lilo D.

2017-03-01

A new light and sound sensitive nanoemulsion contrast agent is presented. The agents feature a low boiling point liquid perfluorocarbon core and a broad light spectrum absorbing polypyrrole (PPy) polymer shell. The PPy coated nanoemulsions can reversibly convert from liquid to gas phase upon cavitation of the liquid perfluorocarbon core. Cavitation can be initiated using a sufficiently high intensity acoustic pulse or from heat generation due to light absorption from a laser pulse. The emulsions can be made between 150 and 350 nm in diameter and PPy has a broad optical absorption covering both the visible spectrum and extending into the near-infrared spectrum (peak absorption 1053 nm). The size, structure, and optical absorption properties of the PPy coated nanoemulsions were characterized and compared to PPy nanoparticles (no liquid core) using dynamic light scattering, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy, and small angle X-ray scattering. The cavitation threshold and signal intensity were measured as a function of both acoustic pressure and laser fluence. Overlapping simultaneous transmission of an acoustic and laser pulse can significantly reduce the activation energy of the contrast agents to levels lower than optical or acoustic activation alone. We also demonstrate that simultaneous light and sound cavitation of the agents can be used in a new sono-photoacoustic imaging method, which enables greater sensitivity than traditional photoacoustic imaging.

Emergence of two near-infrared windows for in vivo and intraoperative SERS.

PubMed

Lane, Lucas A; Xue, Ruiyang; Nie, Shuming

2018-04-06

Two clear windows in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum are of considerable current interest for in vivo molecular imaging and spectroscopic detection. The main rationale is that near-infrared light can penetrate biological tissues such as skin and blood more efficiently than visible light because these tissues scatter and absorb less light at longer wavelengths. The first clear window, defined as light wavelengths between 650nm and 950nm, has been shown to be far superior for in vivo and intraoperative optical imaging than visible light. The second clear window, operating in the wavelength range of 1000-1700nm, has been reported to further improve detection sensitivity, spatial resolution, and tissue penetration because tissue photon scattering and background interference are further reduced at longer wavelengths. Here we discuss recent advances in developing biocompatible plasmonic nanoparticles for in vivo and intraoperative surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in both the first and second NIR windows. In particular, a new class of 'broad-band' plasmonic nanostructures is well suited for surface Raman enhancement across a broad range of wavelengths allowing a direct comparison of detection sensitivity and tissue penetration between the two NIR window. Also, optimized and encoded SERS nanoparticles are generally nontoxic and are much brighter than near-infrared quantum dots (QDs), raising new possibilities for ultrasensitive detection of microscopic tumors and image-guided precision surgery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasmonic light-sensitive skins of nanocrystal monolayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhavan, Shahab; Gungor, Kivanc; Mutlugun, Evren; Demir, Hilmi Volkan

2013-04-01

We report plasmonically coupled light-sensitive skins of nanocrystal monolayers that exhibit sensitivity enhancement and spectral range extension with plasmonic nanostructures embedded in their photosensitive nanocrystal platforms. The deposited plasmonic silver nanoparticles of the device increase the optical absorption of a CdTe nanocrystal monolayer incorporated in the device. Controlled separation of these metallic nanoparticles in the vicinity of semiconductor nanocrystals enables optimization of the photovoltage buildup in the proposed nanostructure platform. The enhancement factor was found to depend on the excitation wavelength. We observed broadband sensitivity improvement (across 400-650 nm), with a 2.6-fold enhancement factor around the localized plasmon resonance peak. The simulation results were found to agree well with the experimental data. Such plasmonically enhanced nanocrystal skins hold great promise for large-area UV/visible sensing applications.

Photosensitivity of the Ni-A state of [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F with visible light

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osuka, Hisao; Graduate School of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama-cho, Ikoma-shi, Nara 630-0192; Shomura, Yasuhito

2013-01-04

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ni-A state of [NiFe] hydrogenase showed light sensitivity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New FT-IR bands were observed with light irradiation of the Ni-A state. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EPR g-values of the Ni-A state shifted upon light irradiation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The light-induced state converted back to the Ni-A state under the dark condition. -- Abstract: [NiFe] hydrogenase catalyzes reversible oxidation of molecular hydrogen. Its active site is constructed of a hetero dinuclear Ni-Fe complex, and the oxidation state of the Ni ion changes according to the redox state of the enzyme. We found that the Ni-A state (an inactive unready, oxidized state) of [NiFe] hydrogenasemore » from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F (DvMF) is light sensitive and forms a new state (Ni-AL) with irradiation of visible light. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) bands at 1956, 2084 and 2094 cm{sup -1} of the Ni-A state shifted to 1971, 2086 and 2098 cm{sup -1} in the Ni-AL state. The g-values of g{sub x} = 2.30, g{sub y} = 2.23 and g{sub z} = 2.01 for the signals in the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of the Ni-A state at room temperature varied for -0.009, +0.012 and +0.010, respectively, upon light irradiation. The light-induced Ni-AL state converted back immediately to the Ni-A state under dark condition at room temperature. These results show that the coordination structure of the Fe site of the Ni-A state of [NiFe] hydrogenase is perturbed significantly by light irradiation with relatively small coordination change at the Ni site.« less

Sensitized photooxidation of phenols by fulvic acid and in natural waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faust, B.C.; Hoigne, J.

1987-10-01

In addition to singlet oxygen, irradiation of fulvic acid solutions and lake water with UV and visible light (lambda > 315 nm) produces another transient oxidant species. This transient oxidant (probably an organic peroxy radical) is derived from natural dissolved organic material (DOM) and controls DOM-sensitized photooxidations of various alkylphenols. On the basis of kinetic data for the transient oxidant, DOM-sensitized photooxidation half-lives of alkylphenols are estimated to range from 1 day to several months in middle-latitude shallow surface waters.

New Views of a Familiar Beauty

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-01-12

This image composite compares the well-known visible-light picture of the glowing Trifid Nebula (left panel) with infrared views from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (remaining three panels). The Trifid Nebula is a giant star-forming cloud of gas and dust located 5,400 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. The false-color Spitzer images reveal a different side of the Trifid Nebula. Where dark lanes of dust are visible trisecting the nebula in the visible-light picture, bright regions of star-forming activity are seen in the Spitzer pictures. All together, Spitzer uncovered 30 massive embryonic stars and 120 smaller newborn stars throughout the Trifid Nebula, in both its dark lanes and luminous clouds. These stars are visible in all the Spitzer images, mainly as yellow or red spots. Embryonic stars are developing stars about to burst into existence. Ten of the 30 massive embryos discovered by Spitzer were found in four dark cores, or stellar "incubators," where stars are born. Astronomers using data from the Institute of Radioastronomy millimeter telescope in Spain had previously identified these cores but thought they were not quite ripe for stars. Spitzer's highly sensitive infrared eyes were able to penetrate all four cores to reveal rapidly growing embryos. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07225

Curcumin-sensitized TiO2 for enhanced photodegradation of dyes under visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buddee, Supat; Wongnawa, Sumpun; Sriprang, Pimpaporn; Sriwong, Chaval

2014-04-01

Curcumin was coated on P25 TiO2 by using impregnation method from freshly prepared curcumin solution. The resulting products (Cur-TiO2-P25) was studied by several techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy, specific surface area by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, and UV-Vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy. Experimental results revealed that impregnation of curcumin at 0.5, 3, 5, and 7 wt% did not affect the native phase of anatase and rutile in P25 significantly, however, it caused red shift of absorption onset in all curcumin-coated samples. The Cur-TiO2-P25 showed enhanced adsorption efficiency and increased photocatalytic activity under visible light with optimal result at 5 wt% curcumin content. Commercial anatase and rutile coated with curcumin (Cur-TiO2-an and Cur-TiO2-ru) were also prepared by the same method for the use in comparative studies of photodegradation of dyes. Cur-TiO2-an and Cur-TiO2-ru were also characterized with some selected equipment above but not as extensively as the Cur-TiO2-P25. Curcumin coating helped improve photocatalytic efficiencies of P25 and anatase but not for rutile. The mechanism of photocatalytic reaction was proposed that under visible light irradiation, curcumin molecule could act as dye sensitizing agent that injected electron into the conduction band of TiO2 leading to photodegradation of dyes.

Well-crystalline porous ZnO-SnO2 nanosheets: an effective visible-light driven photocatalyst and highly sensitive smart sensor material.

PubMed

Lamba, Randeep; Umar, Ahmad; Mehta, S K; Kansal, Sushil Kumar

2015-01-01

This work demonstrates the synthesis and characterization of porous ZnO-SnO2 nanosheets prepared by the simple and facile hydrothermal method at low-temperature. The prepared nanosheets were characterized by several techniques which revealed the well-crystallinity, porous and well-defined nanosheet morphology for the prepared material. The synthesized porous ZnO-SnO2 nanosheets were used as an efficient photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of highly hazardous dye, i.e., direct blue 15 (DB 15), under visible-light irradiation. The excellent photocatalytic degradation of prepared material towards DB 15 dye could be ascribed to the formation of ZnO-SnO2 heterojunction which effectively separates the photogenerated electron-hole pairs and possess high surface area. Further, the prepared porous ZnO-SnO2 nanosheets were utilized to fabricate a robust chemical sensor to detect 4-nitrophenol in aqueous medium. The fabricated sensor exhibited extremely high sensitivity of ~ 1285.76 µA/mmol L(-1)cm(-2) and an experimental detection limit of 0.078 mmol L(-1) with a linear dynamic range of 0.078-1.25 mmol L(-1). The obtained results confirmed that the prepared porous ZnO-SnO2 nanosheets are potential material for the removal of organic pollutants under visible light irradiation and efficient chemical sensing applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light-Immune pH Sensor with SiC-Based Electrolyte-Insulator-Semiconductor Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yi-Ting; Huang, Chien-Shiang; Chow, Lee; Lan, Jyun-Ming; Yang, Chia-Ming; Chang, Liann-Be; Lai, Chao-Sung

2013-12-01

An electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) structure with high-band-gap semiconductor of silicon carbide is demonstrated as a pH sensor in this report. Two different sensing membranes, i.e., gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) and hafnium oxide (HfO2), were investigated. The HfO2 film deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at low temperature shows high pH sensing properties with a sensitivity of 52.35 mV/pH and a low signal of 4.95 mV due to light interference. The EIS structures with silicon carbide can provide better visible light immunity due to its high band gap that allows pH detection in an outdoor environment without degradation of pH sensitivity.

Enhancing the visibility of injuries with narrow-banded beams of light within the visible light spectrum.

PubMed

Limmen, Roxane M; Ceelen, Manon; Reijnders, Udo J L; Joris Stomp, S; de Keijzer, Koos C; Das, Kees

2013-03-01

The use of narrow-banded visible light sources in improving the visibility of injuries has been hardly investigated, and studies examining the extent of this improvement are lacking. In this study, narrow-banded beams of light within the visible light spectrum were used to explore their ability in improving the visibility of external injuries. The beams of light were induced by four crime-lites(®) providing narrow-banded beams of light between 400 and 550 nm. The visibility of the injuries was assessed through specific long-pass filters supplied with the set of crime-lites(®) . Forty-three percent of the examined injuries improved in visibility by using the narrow-banded visible light. In addition, injuries were visualized that were not visible or just barely visible to the naked eye. The improvements in visibility were particularly marked with the use of crime-lites(®) "violet" and "blue" covering the spectrum between 400-430 and 430-470 nm. The simple noninvasive method showed a great potential contribution in injury examination. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Multifunctional Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles synthesized by reverse micelle method

PubMed Central

Gavrilović, Tamara V.; Jovanović, Dragana J.; Lojpur, Vesna; Dramićanin, Miroslav D.

2014-01-01

Synthesis of Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles in reverse micelles and their multifunctional luminescence properties are presented. Using cyclohexane, Triton X-100, and n-pentanol as the oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively, crystalline nanoparticles with ~4 nm diameter are prepared at low temperatures. The particle size assessed using transmission electron microscopy is similar to the crystallite size obtained from X-ray diffraction measurements, suggesting that each particle comprises a single crystallite. Eu3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles emit red light through downconversion upon UV excitation. Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles exhibit several functions; apart from the downconversion of UV radiation into visible green light, they act as upconvertors, transforming near-infrared excitation (980 nm) into visible green light. The ratio of green emissions from 2H11/2 → 2I15/2 and 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 transitions is temperature dependent and can be used for nanoscale temperature sensing with near-infrared excitation. The relative sensor sensitivity is 1.11%K−1, which is among the highest sensitivities recorded for upconversion-luminescence-based thermometers. PMID:24572638

Multifunctional Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles synthesized by reverse micelle method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrilović, Tamara V.; Jovanović, Dragana J.; Lojpur, Vesna; Dramićanin, Miroslav D.

2014-02-01

Synthesis of Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles in reverse micelles and their multifunctional luminescence properties are presented. Using cyclohexane, Triton X-100, and n-pentanol as the oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively, crystalline nanoparticles with ~4 nm diameter are prepared at low temperatures. The particle size assessed using transmission electron microscopy is similar to the crystallite size obtained from X-ray diffraction measurements, suggesting that each particle comprises a single crystallite. Eu3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles emit red light through downconversion upon UV excitation. Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles exhibit several functions; apart from the downconversion of UV radiation into visible green light, they act as upconvertors, transforming near-infrared excitation (980 nm) into visible green light. The ratio of green emissions from 2H11/2 --> 2I15/2 and 4S3/2 --> 4I15/2 transitions is temperature dependent and can be used for nanoscale temperature sensing with near-infrared excitation. The relative sensor sensitivity is 1.11%K-1, which is among the highest sensitivities recorded for upconversion-luminescence-based thermometers.

Multifunctional Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles synthesized by reverse micelle method.

PubMed

Gavrilović, Tamara V; Jovanović, Dragana J; Lojpur, Vesna; Dramićanin, Miroslav D

2014-02-27

Synthesis of Eu(3+)- and Er(3+)/Yb(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles in reverse micelles and their multifunctional luminescence properties are presented. Using cyclohexane, Triton X-100, and n-pentanol as the oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively, crystalline nanoparticles with ~4 nm diameter are prepared at low temperatures. The particle size assessed using transmission electron microscopy is similar to the crystallite size obtained from X-ray diffraction measurements, suggesting that each particle comprises a single crystallite. Eu(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles emit red light through downconversion upon UV excitation. Er(3+)/Yb(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles exhibit several functions; apart from the downconversion of UV radiation into visible green light, they act as upconvertors, transforming near-infrared excitation (980 nm) into visible green light. The ratio of green emissions from (2)H11/2 → (2)I15/2 and (4)S3/2 → (4)I15/2 transitions is temperature dependent and can be used for nanoscale temperature sensing with near-infrared excitation. The relative sensor sensitivity is 1.11%K(-1), which is among the highest sensitivities recorded for upconversion-luminescence-based thermometers.

Chem/bio sensing with non-classical light and integrated photonics.

PubMed

Haas, J; Schwartz, M; Rengstl, U; Jetter, M; Michler, P; Mizaikoff, B

2018-01-29

Modern quantum technology currently experiences extensive advances in applicability in communications, cryptography, computing, metrology and lithography. Harnessing this technology platform for chem/bio sensing scenarios is an appealing opportunity enabling ultra-sensitive detection schemes. This is further facilliated by the progress in fabrication, miniaturization and integration of visible and infrared quantum photonics. Especially, the combination of efficient single-photon sources together with waveguiding/sensing structures, serving as active optical transducer, as well as advanced detector materials is promising integrated quantum photonic chem/bio sensors. Besides the intrinsic molecular selectivity and non-destructive character of visible and infrared light based sensing schemes, chem/bio sensors taking advantage of non-classical light sources promise sensitivities beyond the standard quantum limit. In the present review, recent achievements towards on-chip chem/bio quantum photonic sensing platforms based on N00N states are discussed along with appropriate recognition chemistries, facilitating the detection of relevant (bio)analytes at ultra-trace concentration levels. After evaluating recent developments in this field, a perspective for a potentially promising sensor testbed is discussed for reaching integrated quantum sensing with two fiber-coupled GaAs chips together with semiconductor quantum dots serving as single-photon sources.

Polarization-sensitive color in butterfly scales: polarization conversion from ridges with reflecting elements.

PubMed

Zhang, Ke; Tang, Yiwen; Meng, Jinsong; Wang, Ge; Zhou, Han; Fan, Tongxiang; Zhang, Di

2014-11-03

Polarization-sensitive color originates from polarization-dependent reflection or transmission, exhibiting abundant light information, including intensity, spectral distribution, and polarization. A wide range of butterflies are physiologically sensitive to polarized light, but the origins of polarized signal have not been fully understood. Here we systematically investigate the colorful scales of six species of butterfly to reveal the physical origins of polarization-sensitive color. Microscopic optical images under crossed polarizers exhibit their polarization-sensitive characteristic, and micro-structural characterizations clarify their structural commonality. In the case of the structural scales that have deep ridges, the polarization-sensitive color related with scale azimuth is remarkable. Periodic ridges lead to the anisotropic effective refractive indices in the parallel and perpendicular grating orientations, which achieves form-birefringence, resulting in the phase difference of two different component polarized lights. Simulated results show that ridge structures with reflecting elements reflect and rotate the incident p-polarized light into s-polarized light. The dimensional parameters and shapes of grating greatly affect the polarization conversion process, and the triangular deep grating extends the outstanding polarization conversion effect from the sub-wavelength period to the period comparable to visible light wavelength. The parameters of ridge structures in butterfly scales have been optimized to fulfill the polarization-dependent reflection for secret communication. The structural and physical origin of polarization conversion provides a more comprehensive perspective on the creation of polarization-sensitive color in butterfly wing scales. These findings show great potential in anti-counterfeiting technology and advanced optical material design.

Dye-sensitized solar cells for efficient power generation under ambient lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freitag, Marina; Teuscher, Joël; Saygili, Yasemin; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Giordano, Fabrizio; Liska, Paul; Hua, Jianli; Zakeeruddin, Shaik M.; Moser, Jacques-E.; Grätzel, Michael; Hagfeldt, Anders

2017-06-01

Solar cells that operate efficiently under indoor lighting are of great practical interest as they can serve as electric power sources for portable electronics and devices for wireless sensor networks or the Internet of Things. Here, we demonstrate a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) that achieves very high power-conversion efficiencies (PCEs) under ambient light conditions. Our photosystem combines two judiciously designed sensitizers, coded D35 and XY1, with the copper complex Cu(II/I)(tmby) as a redox shuttle (tmby, 4,4‧,6,6‧-tetramethyl-2,2‧-bipyridine), and features a high open-circuit photovoltage of 1.1 V. The DSC achieves an external quantum efficiency for photocurrent generation that exceeds 90% across the whole visible domain from 400 to 650 nm, and achieves power outputs of 15.6 and 88.5 μW cm-2 at 200 and 1,000 lux, respectively, under illumination from a model Osram 930 warm-white fluorescent light tube. This translates into a PCE of 28.9%.

High light harvesting efficiency CuInS2 quantum dots/TiO2/MoS2 photocatalysts for enhanced visible light photocatalytic H2 production.

PubMed

Yuan, Yong-Jun; Fang, Gaoliang; Chen, Daqin; Huang, Yanwei; Yang, Ling-Xia; Cao, Da-Peng; Wang, Jingjing; Yu, Zhen-Tao; Zou, Zhi-Gang

2018-04-24

Expanding the photoresponse range of TiO2-based photocatalysts is of great interest for photocatalytic H2 production. Herein, noble-metal-free CuInS2 quantum dots were employed as a novel inorganic dye to expand the visible light absorption of TiO2/MoS2 for solar H2 generation. The as-prepared CuInS2/TiO2/MoS2 photocatalysts exhibit broad absorption from the ultraviolet to near-infrared region. Under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm), the CuInS2/TiO2/MoS2 photocatalyst with 0.6 mmol g-1 CuInS2 and 0.5 wt% MoS2 showed the highest H2 evolution rate with a value of 1034 μmol h-1 g-1. Moreover, a considerable H2 evolution rate of 141 μmol h-1 g-1 was obtained under the irradiation of the optimized CuInS2/TiO2/MoS2 photocatalyst with >500 nm light. The reaction mechanism of the CuInS2/TiO2/MoS2 photocatalyst for photocatalytic H2 evolution was investigated in detail by photoluminescence decay study, and the results showed that the photoexcited electrons of CuInS2 can be transferred efficiently through TiO2 to MoS2 and then react with the absorbed protons to generate H2. The reported sensitization strategy tremendously improves the visible light absorption capacity and the photocatalytic performance of TiO2-based photocatalysts.

Diffusion in the Formation of Photopolymer Holograms

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

based on the reactions of acrylic acid and related compounds that can be dye-sensitized to polymerize under the influence of visible light. 1. Acrylic...rates in what is known as the sector method [36]. The photopolymerizable system is exposed to light of intensity I through a 50% duty cycle rotating...such as methylene blue, with a sulfinic compound [53]. Methylene blue exists as a positive ion in solution; its narrow absorption band peaks in the

Visible light-driven NADH regeneration sensitized by proflavine for biocatalysis.

PubMed

Nam, Dong Heon; Park, Chan Beum

2012-06-18

Harvest time: Proflavine drives the reduction of NAD(+) in the presence of a Rh-based electron mediator. Photoregenerated NADH was enzymatically active for oxidation by NADH-dependent L-glutamate dehydrogenase for the synthesis of L-glutamate. This work suggests that proflavine has the potential to become an efficient light-harvesting component in biocatalytic photosynthesis driven by solar energy. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Optical analysis of nanoparticles via enhanced backscattering facilitated by 3-D photonic nanojets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xu; Chen, Zhigang; Taflove, Allen; Backman, Vadim

2005-01-01

We report the phenomenon of ultra-enhanced backscattering of visible light by nanoparticles facilitated by the 3-D photonic nanojet a sub-diffraction light beam appearing at the shadow side of a plane-waveilluminated dielectric microsphere. Our rigorous numerical simulations show that backscattering intensity of nanoparticles can be enhanced up to eight orders of magnitude when locating in the nanojet. As a result, the enhanced backscattering from a nanoparticle with diameter on the order of 10 nm is well above the background signal generated by the dielectric microsphere itself. We also report that nanojet-enhanced backscattering is extremely sensitive to the size of the nanoparticle, permitting in principle resolving sub-nanometer size differences using visible light. Finally, we show how the position of a nanoparticle could be determined with subdiffractional accuracy by recording the angular distribution of the backscattered light. These properties of photonic nanojets promise to make this phenomenon a useful tool for optically detecting, differentiating, and sorting nanoparticles.

Suomi satellite brings to light a unique frontier of nighttime environmental sensing capabilities

PubMed Central

Miller, Steven D.; Mills, Stephen P.; Elvidge, Christopher D.; Lindsey, Daniel T.; Lee, Thomas F.; Hawkins, Jeffrey D.

2012-01-01

Most environmental satellite radiometers use solar reflectance information when it is available during the day but must resort at night to emission signals from infrared bands, which offer poor sensitivity to low-level clouds and surface features. A few sensors can take advantage of moonlight, but the inconsistent availability of the lunar source limits measurement utility. Here we show that the Day/Night Band (DNB) low-light visible sensor on the recently launched Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite has the unique ability to image cloud and surface features by way of reflected airglow, starlight, and zodiacal light illumination. Examples collected during new moon reveal not only meteorological and surface features, but also the direct emission of airglow structures in the mesosphere, including expansive regions of diffuse glow and wave patterns forced by tropospheric convection. The ability to leverage diffuse illumination sources for nocturnal environmental sensing applications extends the advantages of visible-light information to moonless nights. PMID:22984179

Non-disturbing optical power monitor for links in the visible spectrum using a polymer optical fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Ricardo M.; Freitas, Taiane A. M. G.; Barbero, Andrés P. L.; Silva, Vinicius N. H.

2015-08-01

We describe a simple and inexpensive inline optical power monitor (OPMo) for polymer optical fibre (POF) links that are transmitting visible light carriers. The OPMo is non-invasive in the sense that it does not tap any guided light from the fibre core; rather, it collects and detects the spontaneous side-scattered light. Indeed, the OPMo indicates whether a POF transmission link has dark or live status and measures the average optical power level of the propagating signals without disconnecting the fibre link. This paper demonstrates the proof-of-principle of the device for one wavelength at a time, selected from a set of previously calibrated wavelength channels which have been found in the 45 dB dynamic range, with 50 dBm sensitivity or insensitivity by the use or non-use of a mode scrambler. Our findings are very promising milestones for further OPMo development towards the marketplace.

Facile one-pot synthesis of visible light-responsive BiPO4/nitrogen doped graphene hydrogel for fabricating label-free photoelectrochemical tetracycline aptasensor.

PubMed

Ge, Lan; Li, Henan; Du, Xiaojiao; Zhu, Mingyue; Chen, Wei; Shi, Tingyan; Hao, Nan; Liu, Qian; Wang, Kun

2018-07-15

It is fundamental to develop highly efficient visible light-responsive photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance material for fabricating PEC biosensor. Herein, BiPO 4 /three-dimensional nitrogen doped graphene hydrogel (3DNGH) nanocomposites were prepared for the first time via a facile one-pot hydrothermal route. In this nanoarchitecture, the BiPO 4 nanorods were anchored onto the porous structure of 3DNGH. Compared with pristine BiPO 4 , the absorption of BiPO 4 /3DNGH has been extend to visible-light region, and the energy band gap of BiPO 4 /3DNGH was calculated to be 2.10 eV, which was greatly narrower than that of pristine BiPO 4 with a band gap of 3.85 eV. Under visible light irradiation, the photocurrent signal of the as-prepared BiPO 4 /3DNGH was 847.2-fold, 4.1-fold and 2.3-fold enhanced comparing to pristine BiPO 4 , BiPO 4 functionalized reduced graphene oxide and BiPO 4 /nitrogen doped graphene. The enhancement of such photocurrent signal was attributed to the introduction of 3DNGH, which was capable to improve the charge transfer rate and also the efficiency of visible-light utilization of BiPO 4 . Based on the excellent PEC properties of BiPO 4 /3DNGH, a label-free PEC aptasensor for selectivity and sensitivity detection of tetracycline (Tc) was successfully established by using Tc aptamer as a biorecognition element. Under optimized conditions, the proposed PEC aptasensor exhibited a wide linear in the range from 0.1 nmol L -1 to 1 μmol L -1 as well as a low detection limit of 0.033 nmol L -1 (S/N = 3). The prepared BiPO 4 /3DNGH nanocomposites would serve as a promising visible light-responsive photoactive material for fabrication of PEC biosensors with high performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dye-sensitized TiO2-catalyzed photodegradation of sulfamethoxazole under blue or yellow light.

PubMed

Lu, Norman; Yeh, Yun-Peng; Wang, Guan-Bo; Feng, Tsung-Yao; Shih, Yang-Hsin; Chen, Dong

2017-01-01

Visible light-induced photocatalysis is potentially advantageous and could be an efficient approach to degrade contaminants because it can be used to selectively target specific wavelength for decomposition of organic contaminants in water and wastewater. This study demonstrates the photodegradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) using [Pt(3,3'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bpy)(1,2-benzenedithiolate)] (Complex 1)-sensitized and [Pt(4,4'-dicarboxy-2,2'-bpy)(1,2-benzenedithiolate)] (Complex 2)-sensitized titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) under blue or yellow light (420 or 580 nm, respectively) irradiation in water. The Complex 1-sensitized TiO 2 photocatalytic oxidation of SMX reached almost 100 % removal under 420 nm irradiation for 3 h in water. In addition, the formation of hydroxyl radicals can be facilitated by bubbling O 2 during the photodegradation in which an effective decomposition of SMX was observed. Based on HPLC and UV-Vis studies of the decomposed products, it was found that SMX underwent cleavage of aromatic rings during the photodegradation process.

Using RGB displays to portray color realistic imagery to animal eyes

PubMed Central

Johnsen, Sönke

2017-01-01

Abstract RGB displays effectively simulate millions of colors in the eyes of humans by modulating the relative amount of light emitted by 3 differently colored juxtaposed lights (red, green, and blue). The relationship between the ratio of red, green, and blue light and the perceptual experience of that light has been well defined by psychophysical experiments in humans, but is unknown in animals. The perceptual experience of an animal looking at an RGB display of imagery designed for humans is likely to poorly represent an animal’s experience of the same stimulus in the real world. This is due, in part, to the fact that many animals have different numbers of photoreceptor classes than humans do and that their photoreceptor classes have peak sensitivities centered over different parts of the ultraviolet and visible spectrum. However, it is sometimes possible to generate videos that accurately mimic natural stimuli in the eyes of another animal, even if that animal’s sensitivity extends into the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. How independently each RGB phosphor stimulates each of an animal’s photoreceptor classes determines the range of colors that can be simulated for that animal. What is required to determine optimal color rendering for another animal is a device capable of measuring absolute or relative quanta of light across the portion of the spectrum visible to the animal (i.e., a spectrometer), and data on the spectral sensitivities of the animal’s photoreceptor classes. In this article, we outline how to use such equipment and information to generate video stimuli that mimic, as closely as possible, an animal’s color perceptual experience of real-world objects. Key words: color vision, computer animation, perception, video playback, virtual reality. PMID:29491960

Visible Light Induces Melanogenesis in Human Skin through a Photoadaptive Response.

PubMed

Randhawa, Manpreet; Seo, InSeok; Liebel, Frank; Southall, Michael D; Kollias, Nikiforos; Ruvolo, Eduardo

2015-01-01

Visible light (400-700 nm) lies outside of the spectral range of what photobiologists define as deleterious radiation and as a result few studies have studied the effects of visible light range of wavelengths on skin. This oversight is important considering that during outdoors activities skin is exposed to the full solar spectrum, including visible light, and to multiple exposures at different times and doses. Although the contribution of the UV component of sunlight to skin damage has been established, few studies have examined the effects of non-UV solar radiation on skin physiology in terms of inflammation, and limited information is available regarding the role of visible light on pigmentation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of visible light on the pro-pigmentation pathways and melanin formation in skin. Exposure to visible light in ex-vivo and clinical studies demonstrated an induction of pigmentation in skin by visible light. Results showed that a single exposure to visible light induced very little pigmentation whereas multiple exposures with visible light resulted in darker and sustained pigmentation. These findings have potential implications on the management of photo-aggravated pigmentary disorders, the proper use of sunscreens, and the treatment of depigmented lesions.

Development of low-cost meteorological observation system based on wireless network for poor-visibility occurred by snowstorm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Y.; Watanabe, K.; Imai, M.; Watanabe, K.; Naruse, N.; Takahashi, Y.

2016-12-01

Hyper-densely monitoring for poor-visibility occurred by snowstorm is needed to make an alert system, because the snowstorm is difficult to predict from the observation only at a representative point. There are some problems in the previous approaches for the poor-visibility monitoring using video analyses or visibility meters; these require a wired network monitoring (a large amount of data: 10MB/sec at least) and the system cost is high (10,000 at each point). Thus, the risk of poor-visibility has been mainly measured at specific point such as airport and mountain pass, and estimated by simulation two dimensionally. To predict it two dimensionally and accurately, we have developed a low-cost meteorological system to observe the snowstorm hyper-densely. We have developed a low-cost visibility meter which works as the reduced intensity of semiconducting laser light when snow particles block off. Our developed system also has a capability of extending a hyper-densely observation in real-time on wireless network using Zigbee; A/D conversion and wireless data sent from temperature and illuminance sensors. We use a semiconducting laser chip (5) for the light source and a reflection mechanism by the use of three mirrors so as to send the light to a non-sensitive illuminance sensor directly. Thus, our visibility detecting system ($500) becomes much cheaper than previous one. We have checked the correlation between the reduced intensity taken by our system and the visibility recorded by conventional video camera. The value for the correlation coefficient was -0.67, which indicates a strong correlation. It means that our developed system is practical. In conclusion, we have developed low-cost meteorological detecting system to observe poor-visibility occurred by snowstorm, having a potential of hyper-densely monitoring on wireless network, and have made sure the practicability.

Ocular cells and light: harmony or conflict?

PubMed

Jurja, Sanda; Hîncu, Mihaela; Dobrescu, Mihaela Amelia; Golu, Andreea Elena; Bălăşoiu, Andrei Theodor; Coman, Mălina

2014-01-01

Vision is based on the sensitivity of the eye to visible rays of the solar spectrum, which allows the recording and transfer of visual information by photoelectric reaction. Any electromagnetic radiation, if sufficiently intense, may cause damages in living tissues. In a changing environment, the aim of this paper is to point out the impact of light radiation on ocular cells, with its phototoxicity potential on eye tissues. In fact, faced with light and oxygen, the eye behaves like an ephemeral aggregate of unstable molecules, like a temporary crystallization threatened with entropia.

Large-Format AlGaN PIN Photodiode Arrays for UV Images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aslam, Shahid; Franz, David

2010-01-01

A large-format hybridized AlGaN photodiode array with an adjustable bandwidth features stray-light control, ultralow dark-current noise to reduce cooling requirements, and much higher radiation tolerance than previous technologies. This technology reduces the size, mass, power, and cost of future ultraviolet (UV) detection instruments by using lightweight, low-voltage AlGaN detectors in a hybrid detector/multiplexer configuration. The solar-blind feature eliminates the need for additional visible light rejection and reduces the sensitivity of the system to stray light that can contaminate observations.

The effect of porphyrins on normal and transformed mouse cell lines in the presence of visible light.

PubMed

Tita, S P; Perussi, J R

2001-10-01

Photodynamic therapy consists of the uptake of a photosensitizing dye, often a porphyrin, by tumor tissue and subsequent irradiation of the tumor with visible light of an appropriate wavelength matched to the absorption spectrum of the photosensitizing dye. This class of molecules produces reactive oxygen species when activated by light, resulting in a direct or indirect cytotoxic effect on the target cells. Photodynamic therapy has been used in the treatment of cancer but the technology has a potential for the treatment of several disease conditions mainly because of its selectivity. However, it is not clear why the porphyrins are retained preferentially by abnormal tissue. This paper describes a study of the effect of the association of porphyrin and visible light on two mouse fibroblast cell lines: A31, normal cells and B61, an EJ-ras transformed variant of A31. Two water-soluble porphyrins were used, a positively charged one, tetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin chloride, and a negatively charged one, tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin-Na salt (TPPS4) in order to assess the effect on cell survival. The results suggest that the B61 cell line is more sensitive to incubation with the anionic porphyrin (TPPS4) followed by light irradiation and that the anionic porphyrin is more efficient in killing the cells than the cationic porphyrin.

Visible Light Induces Melanogenesis in Human Skin through a Photoadaptive Response

PubMed Central

Randhawa, Manpreet; Seo, InSeok; Liebel, Frank; Southall, Michael D.; Kollias, Nikiforos; Ruvolo, Eduardo

2015-01-01

Visible light (400–700 nm) lies outside of the spectral range of what photobiologists define as deleterious radiation and as a result few studies have studied the effects of visible light range of wavelengths on skin. This oversight is important considering that during outdoors activities skin is exposed to the full solar spectrum, including visible light, and to multiple exposures at different times and doses. Although the contribution of the UV component of sunlight to skin damage has been established, few studies have examined the effects of non-UV solar radiation on skin physiology in terms of inflammation, and limited information is available regarding the role of visible light on pigmentation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of visible light on the pro-pigmentation pathways and melanin formation in skin. Exposure to visible light in ex-vivo and clinical studies demonstrated an induction of pigmentation in skin by visible light. Results showed that a single exposure to visible light induced very little pigmentation whereas multiple exposures with visible light resulted in darker and sustained pigmentation. These findings have potential implications on the management of photo-aggravated pigmentary disorders, the proper use of sunscreens, and the treatment of depigmented lesions. PMID:26121474

Lethal effects of short-wavelength visible light on insects.

PubMed

Hori, Masatoshi; Shibuya, Kazuki; Sato, Mitsunari; Saito, Yoshino

2014-12-09

We investigated the lethal effects of visible light on insects by using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The toxic effects of ultraviolet (UV) light, particularly shortwave (i.e., UVB and UVC) light, on organisms are well known. However, the effects of irradiation with visible light remain unclear, although shorter wavelengths are known to be more lethal. Irradiation with visible light is not thought to cause mortality in complex animals including insects. Here, however, we found that irradiation with short-wavelength visible (blue) light killed eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of Drosophila melanogaster. Blue light was also lethal to mosquitoes and flour beetles, but the effective wavelength at which mortality occurred differed among the insect species. Our findings suggest that highly toxic wavelengths of visible light are species-specific in insects, and that shorter wavelengths are not always more toxic. For some animals, such as insects, blue light is more harmful than UV light.

Lethal effects of short-wavelength visible light on insects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hori, Masatoshi; Shibuya, Kazuki; Sato, Mitsunari; Saito, Yoshino

2014-12-01

We investigated the lethal effects of visible light on insects by using light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The toxic effects of ultraviolet (UV) light, particularly shortwave (i.e., UVB and UVC) light, on organisms are well known. However, the effects of irradiation with visible light remain unclear, although shorter wavelengths are known to be more lethal. Irradiation with visible light is not thought to cause mortality in complex animals including insects. Here, however, we found that irradiation with short-wavelength visible (blue) light killed eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults of Drosophila melanogaster. Blue light was also lethal to mosquitoes and flour beetles, but the effective wavelength at which mortality occurred differed among the insect species. Our findings suggest that highly toxic wavelengths of visible light are species-specific in insects, and that shorter wavelengths are not always more toxic. For some animals, such as insects, blue light is more harmful than UV light.

GASEOUS SCINTILLATION COUNTER

DOEpatents

Eggler, C.; Huddleston, C.M.

1959-04-28

A gaseous excitation counter for detecting the presence amd measuring the energy of subatomic particles and electromagnetic radiation is described. The counter includes a gas-tight chamber filled with an elemental gas capable of producing ultra-violet excitation quanta when irradiated with subatomic particles and electromagnetic radiation. The gas has less than one in a thousand parts ultra-violet absorbing contamination. When nuclear radiation ps present the ultra-violet light produced by the gas strikes a fluorescent material within the counter, responsive to produce visible excitation quanta, and photo-sensitive counting means detect the visible emission.

[Effect of polychromatic visible light combined with infrared radiation on tumorigenicity of murine hepatoma cells and their sensitivity to lytic activity of natural killers].

PubMed

Filatova, N A; Kniazev, N A; Kosheverova, V V; Shatrova, A N; Samoĭlova, K A

2013-01-01

Tumorigenicity of murine hepatoma cells (MH22a) and their sensitivity to lysis by natural killers (NKs) have been studied after exposure to polychromatic visible and infrared light (VIS-IR, 480-3400 nm, 40 mW/cm2), similar to the terrestrial solar spectrum without its minor UV component, in order to elucidate the involvement of this important environmental and physiotherapeutic factor in regulation of the anti-tumor defense system. The MH22 cells were in vitro exposed to VIS-IR light and their sensitivity to lytic activity of NKs was evaluated. We found that sensitivity of MH22a cells to lysis by NKs after exposure to VIS-IR light at a dose of 4.8 J/cm2 increased 1.5-2 times, while it did not change after exposure to a dose of 9.6 J/cm2 at all ratios (1 : 5-1 : 50) of the number of NKs (effectors) to that of hepatoma cells (targets). The increase in the sensitivity of hepatoma cells to NKs was accompanied by structural changes of cell surface: the capability of supramembraneous glycoproteins (glycocalix) to sorb the vital dye alcian blue (AB) was significantly lower as compared with the unexposed cells of control group. However, no changes in AB sorption was revealed in hepatoma cells exposed to the light at a dose 9.6 J/cm2. Tumorigenicity of photo-irradiated MH22a cells has been studied in the in vivo experiments. Light-exposed (4.8 and 9.6 J/cm2) and intact hepatoma cells were transplanted into syngenic mice C3HA. Tumor volumes 25 days after transplantation proved to be smaller after exposure to the light at both doses than in the control group (4-4.5 times and 2.5-4 times, respectively), which correlated with the increase in the sensitivity to lisys by NKs and decrease in the AB sorption only after light exposure at dose 4.8 J/cm2. Using the flow cytometry method we could show that VIS-IR light at the applied doses did not interfere with the distribution of hepatoma cells over the cycle phases and thus deceleration of the tumor growth was not associated with cytostatic effect of VIS-IR light. To evaluate effect of polychromatic light on the growth of the preformed tumors, the 5-day course of daily light exposures of tumor bearing mice C3HA was carried out in 10 days after subcutaneous transplantation of 2 x 10(5) cells of syngene hepatoma when the tumors had developed in 100% animals. Like in the case of transplantation of the light-exposed cells, irradiation of the tumor bearing mice at doses 4.8-9.6 J/cm2 resulted in deceleration of tumor growth (2.1-2.9 and 2.2 times respectively) for 4 weeks as compared with non-irradiated mice.

High photoactive and visible-light responsive graphene/titanate nanotubes photocatalysts: preparation and characterization.

PubMed

Qianqian, Zhai; Tang, Bo; Guoxin, Hu

2011-12-30

A series of graphene/titanate nanotubes (TNTs) photocatalysts using graphene and nanoscale TiO(2) or P25 as original materials were fabricated by hydrothermal method. Both low hydrothermal temperature and proper amount of graphene are propitious to better photoactivity. The photocatalytic activities of these nanocomposites far exceed that of P25, pure TNTs and reported TiO(2)-based nanocomposites for the degradation of Rhodamine-B under visible-light irradiation. These prepared photocatalysts were characterized by TEM, XRD, XPS, BET, FTIR and UV-vis diffuse reflection spectra, and the results indicate that the outstanding photoactivities in visible-light region result from sensitization effect of graphene rather than impurity level in the band gap of TNTs. Furthermore, large BET surface areas of these photocatalysts (almost 10 times larger than that of previously reported graphene/TiO(2) nanoparticles) evidently enhance their absorption abilities and photocatalytic performances (the rate constants of degrading Rhodamine-B are at least 5 times higher than that of previously reported photocatalysts). These photocatalysts show good stability, and their photoactivities do not obviously decrease after four times of repeated uses. A detailed photocatalytic mechanism is suggested, as well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Paper-Based Analytical Devices Relying on Visible-Light-Enhanced Glucose/Air Biofuel Cells.

PubMed

Wu, Kaiqing; Zhang, Yan; Wang, Yanhu; Ge, Shenguang; Yan, Mei; Yu, Jinghua; Song, Xianrang

2015-11-04

A strategy that combines visible-light-enhanced biofuel cells (BFCs) and electrochemical immunosensor into paper-based analytical devices was proposed for sensitive detection of the carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3). The gold nanoparticle modified paper electrode with large surface area and good conductibility was applied as an effective matrix for primary antibodies. The glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) modified gold-silver bimetallic nanoparticles were used as bioanodic biocatalyst and signal magnification label. Poly(terthiophene) (pTTh), a photoresponsive conducting polymer, served as catalyst in cathode for the reduction of oxygen upon illumination by visible light. In the bioanode, electrons were generated through the oxidation of glucose catalyzed by GDH. The amount of electrons is determined by the amount of GDH, which finally depended on the amount of CA15-3. In the cathode, electrons from the bioanode could combine with the generated holes in the HOMO energy level of cathode catalysts pTTh. Meanwhile, the high energy level photoexcited electrons were generated in the LUMO energy level and involved in the oxygen reduction reaction, finally resulting in an increasing current and a decreasing overpotential. According to the current signal, simple and efficient detection of CA15-3 was achieved.

Photodegradation of malachite green dye catalyzed by Keggin-type polyoxometalates under visible-light irradiation: Transition metal substituted effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chun-Guang; Zheng, Ting; Liu, Shuang; Zhang, Han-Yu

2016-04-01

In the present paper, Keggin-type polyoxometalates (POMs) (NH4)3[PW12O40] and its mono-transition-metal-substituted species (NH4)5[{PW11O39}MII(H2O)] (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) have been synthesized and used as photocatalyst to activate O2 for the degradation of dye molecule under visible-light irradiation. Because of the strong adsorption on the surface of POM catalyst, malachite green (MG) molecule was employed as a molecular probe to test their photocatalytic activity. The photodegradation study shows that introduction of transition metal ion leads to an increase in the degradation of MG in the following order: Mn < Fe < Co < [PW12O40]3- < Ni < Cu < Zn, which indicates that the photocatalytic activity of these POMs is sensitive to the transition metal substituted effects. Electronic structure analysis based on the density functional theory calculations shows that a moderate decrease of oxidizing ability of POM catalyst may improve the photocatalytic activity in the degradation of dye molecule under visible-light irradiation. Meanwhile, intermediate products about the photocatalytic oxidation of MG molecule were proposed on the basis of gas chromatograph mass spectrometer analysis.

Porous immobilized C coated N doped TiO2 containing in-situ generated polyenes for enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabri, N. A.; Nawi, M. A.; Nawawi, W. I.

2015-10-01

Carbon coated nitrogen-doped Degussa P25TiO2 (or C,N-P25TiO2) was successfully immobilized on a glass plate using epoxidized natural rubber (ENR-50) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the organic binders. Photo-etching of the fabricated system for 10 h oxidized its PVC binder into polyenes as well as forming a highly porous surface. The band gap energy (Eg) of the photo-etched immobilized photocatalyst system (C,N-P25TiO2/ENR/PVC-10 h) was reduced from 2.91 to 2.86 eV. Its photocatalytic activity was studied via photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) under a 45 W visible light fluorescent lamp. C,N-P25TiO2/ENR/PVC-10 h with polyenes performed better than its slurry counterpart under visible light irradiation where the conjugated double bonds acted as photo sensitizers. The immobilized C,N-P25TiO2/ENR/PVC-10 h has excellent reusability and sustainable with an average k value of 0.056 ± 0.011 min-1 and average percent removal of 99.18 ± 0.54%.

Simultaneous multiple wavelength upconversion in a core-shell nanoparticle for enhanced near infrared light harvesting in a dye-sensitized solar cell.

PubMed

Yuan, Chunze; Chen, Guanying; Li, Lin; Damasco, Jossana A; Ning, Zhijun; Xing, Hui; Zhang, Tianmu; Sun, Licheng; Zeng, Hao; Cartwright, Alexander N; Prasad, Paras N; Ågren, Hans

2014-10-22

The efficiency of most photovoltaic devices is severely limited by near-infrared (NIR) transmission losses. To alleviate this limitation, a new type of colloidal upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), hexagonal core-shell-structured β-NaYbF4:Er(3+)(2%)/NaYF4:Nd(3+)(30%), is developed and explored in this work as an NIR energy relay material for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). These UCNPs are able to harvest light energy in multiple NIR regions, and subsequently convert the absorbed energy into visible light where the DSSCs strongly absorb. The NIR-insensitive DSSCs show compelling photocurrent increases through binary upconversion under NIR light illumination either at 785 or 980 nm, substantiating efficient energy relay by these UCNPs. The overall conversion efficiency of the DSSCs was improved with the introduction of UCNPs under simulated AM 1.5 solar irradiation.

Using the shortwave infrared to image middle ear pathologies

PubMed Central

Valdez, Tulio A.; Bruns, Oliver T.; Bawendi, Moungi G.

2016-01-01

Visualizing structures deep inside opaque biological tissues is one of the central challenges in biomedical imaging. Optical imaging with visible light provides high resolution and sensitivity; however, scattering and absorption of light by tissue limits the imaging depth to superficial features. Imaging with shortwave infrared light (SWIR, 1–2 μm) shares many advantages of visible imaging, but light scattering in tissue is reduced, providing sufficient optical penetration depth to noninvasively interrogate subsurface tissue features. However, the clinical potential of this approach has been largely unexplored because suitable detectors, until recently, have been either unavailable or cost prohibitive. Here, taking advantage of newly available detector technology, we demonstrate the potential of SWIR light to improve diagnostics through the development of a medical otoscope for determining middle ear pathologies. We show that SWIR otoscopy has the potential to provide valuable diagnostic information complementary to that provided by visible pneumotoscopy. We show that in healthy adult human ears, deeper tissue penetration of SWIR light allows better visualization of middle ear structures through the tympanic membrane, including the ossicular chain, promontory, round window niche, and chorda tympani. In addition, we investigate the potential for detection of middle ear fluid, which has significant implications for diagnosing otitis media, the overdiagnosis of which is a primary factor in increased antibiotic resistance. Middle ear fluid shows strong light absorption between 1,400 and 1,550 nm, enabling straightforward fluid detection in a model using the SWIR otoscope. Moreover, our device is easily translatable to the clinic, as the ergonomics, visual output, and operation are similar to a conventional otoscope. PMID:27551085

Silver nanocube aggregation gradient materials in search for total internal reflection with high phase sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Tobias A. F.; Ledin, Petr A.; Russell, Michael; Geldmeier, Jeffrey A.; Mahmoud, Mahmoud. A.; El-Sayed, Mostafa A.; Tsukruk, Vladimir V.

2015-03-01

We fabricated monolayer coatings of a silver nanocube aggregation to create a step-wise optical strip by applying different surface pressures during slow Langmuir-Blodgett deposition. The varying amount of randomly distributed nanocube aggregates with different surface coverages in gradient manner due to changes in surface pressure allows for continuous control of the polarization sensitive absorption of the incoming light over a broad optical spectrum. Optical characterization under total internal reflection conditions combined with electromagnetic simulations reveal that the broadband light absorption depends on the relative orientation of the nanoparticles to the polarization of the incoming light. By using computer simulations, we found that the electric field vector of the s-polarized light interacts with the different types of silver nanocube aggregations to excite different plasmonic resonances. The s-polarization shows dramatic changes of the plasmonic resonances at different angles of incidence (shift of 64 nm per 10° angle of incidence). With a low surface nanocube coverage (from 5% to 20%), we observed a polarization-selective high absorption of 80% (with an average 75%) of the incoming light over a broad optical range in the visible region from 400 nm to 700 nm. This large-area gradient material with location-dependent optical properties can be of particular interest for broadband light absorption, phase-sensitive sensors, and imaging.We fabricated monolayer coatings of a silver nanocube aggregation to create a step-wise optical strip by applying different surface pressures during slow Langmuir-Blodgett deposition. The varying amount of randomly distributed nanocube aggregates with different surface coverages in gradient manner due to changes in surface pressure allows for continuous control of the polarization sensitive absorption of the incoming light over a broad optical spectrum. Optical characterization under total internal reflection conditions combined with electromagnetic simulations reveal that the broadband light absorption depends on the relative orientation of the nanoparticles to the polarization of the incoming light. By using computer simulations, we found that the electric field vector of the s-polarized light interacts with the different types of silver nanocube aggregations to excite different plasmonic resonances. The s-polarization shows dramatic changes of the plasmonic resonances at different angles of incidence (shift of 64 nm per 10° angle of incidence). With a low surface nanocube coverage (from 5% to 20%), we observed a polarization-selective high absorption of 80% (with an average 75%) of the incoming light over a broad optical range in the visible region from 400 nm to 700 nm. This large-area gradient material with location-dependent optical properties can be of particular interest for broadband light absorption, phase-sensitive sensors, and imaging. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr06430e

Enhanced visible-light photocatalysis and gas sensor properties of polythiophene supported tin doped titanium nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, M. Ravi; Siva Prasada Reddy, P.; Rao, T. Siva; Pammi, S. V. N.; Siva Kumar, K.; Vijay Babu, K.; Kiran Kumar, Ch.; Hemalatha, K. P. J.

2017-06-01

The polythiophene supported tin doped titanium nanocomposites (PTh/Sn-TiO2) were synthesized by modified sol-gel process through oxidative polymerization of thiophene. The fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS) analysis confirms the existence of synergetic interaction between metal oxide and polymer along with extension of absorption edge to visible region. The composites are found to be in spherical form with core-shell structure, which is confirmed by scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, the presence of all respective elements of composite are proven by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. The importance of polythiophene on surface of metal oxide has been were studied as a function of photocatalytic activity for degradation of organic pollutant congo red and gas sensor behavior towards liquid petroleum gas (LPG). All the composites are photocatalytically active and the composite with 1.5 wt% thiophene degrades the pollutant congo red within 120 min when compared to remaining catalysts under visible light irradiation. On the other hand, same composite have shown potential gas sensor properties towards LPG at 300 °C. Considering all the results, it can be noted that polythiophene acts as good sensitizer towards LPG and supporter for the tin doped titania that improve the photocatalytic activity under visible light.

Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope: High-resolution observing of the dynamic Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tritschler, A.; Rimmele, T. R.; Berukoff, S.; Casini, R.; Kuhn, J. R.; Lin, H.; Rast, M. P.; McMullin, J. P.; Schmidt, W.; Wöger, F.; DKIST Team

2016-11-01

The 4-m aperture Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) formerly known as the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) is currently under construction on Haleakalā (Maui, Hawai'i) projected to start operations in 2019. At the time of completion, DKIST will be the largest ground-based solar telescope providing unprecedented resolution and photon collecting power. The DKIST will be equipped with a set of first-light facility-class instruments offering unique imaging, spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric observing opportunities covering the visible to infrared wavelength range. This first-light instrumentation suite will include: a Visible Broadband Imager (VBI) for high-spatial and -temporal resolution imaging of the solar atmosphere; a Visible Spectro-Polarimeter (ViSP) for sensitive and accurate multi-line spectropolarimetry; a Fabry-Pérot based Visible Tunable Filter (VTF) for high-spatial resolution spectropolarimetry; a fiber-fed Diffraction-Limited Near Infra-Red Spectro-Polarimeter (DL-NIRSP) for two-dimensional high-spatial resolution spectropolarimetry (simultaneous spatial and spectral information); and a Cryogenic Near Infra-Red Spectro-Polarimeter (Cryo-NIRSP) for coronal magnetic field measurements and on-disk observations of, e.g., the CO lines at 4.7 μm. We will provide an overview of the DKIST's unique capabilities with strong focus on the first-light instrumentation suite, highlight some of the additional properties supporting observations of transient and dynamic solar phenomena, and touch on some operational strategies and the DKIST critical science plan.

Structural and Optical Properties of Core-Shell TiO2/CdS Prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Jawad, Selma M. H.

2017-10-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorod arrays (NRAs) sensitized with cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles (NPs) were deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD). TiO2 NRAs were also obtained by using the same method on glass substrates coated with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). The structure of the FTO/TiO2/CdS core-shell was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and photoelectrocatalysis of FTO/TiO2 and FTO/TiO2/CdS. The FTO/TiO2 conformed to anatase and rutile phase structures for different pH values and also with annealing. XRD patterns of the FTO/TiO2/CdS sample exhibited two peaks corresponding to hexagonal (100) and (101) for CdS. Scanning electron micrographs showed nanorod structures for the TiO2 thin films deposited at a pH value equal 0.7. Optical results showed the CdS deposited on nanorod TiO2 exhibited increased absorption ability in the visible light, indicating an increased photocatalytic activity for TiO2/CdS core-shell nanorods in the visible light. When illuminated with a UV-Vis light source, the TiO2/CdS core-shell films displayed high responses. A composite exists between the TiO2 nanostructure and CdS NPs because the film absorbs the incident light located in both the visible and UV-Vis regions. A higher response to UV-Vis light was attained with the use of TiO2 NRAs/CdS NPs films prepared by CBD. This approach offers a technique for fabricating photoelectrodes.

Imaging Sensor Development for Scattering Atmospheres.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

subtracted out- put from a CCD imaging detector for a single frame can be written as A _ S (2-22) V B + B{ shot noise thermal noise , dark current shot ...addition, the spectral re- sponses of current devices are limited to the visible region and their sensitivities are not very high. Solid state detectors ...are generally much more sensitive than spatial light modulators, and some (e.g., HgCdTe detectors ) can re- spond up to the 10 um region. Several

A Comparison between Two Heterodyne Light Sources Using Different Electro-Optic Modulators for Optical Temperature Measurements at Visible Wavelengths

PubMed Central

Twu, Ruey-Ching; Lee, Yi-Huan; Hou, Hong-Yao

2010-01-01

In this paper we have successfully demonstrated a z-propagating Zn-indiffused lithium niobate electro-optic modulator used for optical heterodyne interferometry. Compared to a commercial buck-type electro-optic modulator, the proposed waveguide-type modulator has a lower driving voltage and smaller phase variation while measuring visible wavelengths of 532 nm and 632.8 nm. We also demonstrate an optical temperature measurement system using a homemade modulator. The results show that the measurement sensitivities are almost the same values of 25 deg/°C for both the homemade and the buck-type modulators for a sensing light with a wavelength of 632.8 nm. Because photorefractive impacts are essential in the buck-type modulator at a wavelength of 532 nm, it is difficult to obtain reliable phase measurements, whereas the stable phase operation of the homemade one allows the measurement sensitivity to be improved up to 30 deg/°C with the best measurement resolution at about 0.07 °C for 532 nm. PMID:22163429

An efficient dye-sensitized BiOCl photocatalyst for air and water purification under visible light irradiation.

PubMed

Li, Guisheng; Jiang, Bo; Xiao, Shuning; Lian, Zichao; Zhang, Dieqing; Yu, Jimmy C; Li, Hexing

2014-08-01

A photosensitized BiOCl catalyst was found to be effective for photocatalytic water purification and air remediation under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). Prepared by a solvothermal method, the BiOCl crystals possessed a 3D hierarchical spherical structure with the highly active facets exposed. When sensitized by Rhodamine B (RhB), the photocatalyst system was more active than N-doped TiO2 for breaking down 4-chlorophenol (4-CP, 200 ppm) and nitric monoxide (NO, 500 ppb). The high activity could be attributed to the hierarchical structure (supplying feasible reaction tunnels for adsorption and transition of reactants or products) and the efficient exposure of the {001} facets. The former provides an enriched oxygen atom density that promotes adsorption of cationic dye RhB, and creates an oxygen vacancy state. The HO˙ and ˙O2(-) radicals produced from the injected electrons from the excited dye molecule (RhB*) into the conduction band of BiOCl were responsible for the excellent photocatalytic performance of the RhB-BiOCl system.

Impact of metal ions in porphyrin-based applied materials for visible-light photocatalysis: key information from ultrafast electronic spectroscopy.

PubMed

Kar, Prasenjit; Sardar, Samim; Alarousu, Erkki; Sun, Jingya; Seddigi, Zaki S; Ahmed, Saleh A; Danish, Ekram Y; Mohammed, Omar F; Pal, Samir Kumar

2014-08-11

Protoporphyrin IX-zinc oxide (PP-ZnO) nanohybrids have been synthesized for applications in photocatalytic devices. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and steady-state infrared, absorption, and emission spectroscopies have been used to analyze the structural details and optical properties of these nanohybrids. Time-resolved fluorescence and transient absorption techniques have been applied to study the ultrafast dynamic events that are key to photocatalytic activities. The photocatalytic efficiency under visible-light irradiation in the presence of naturally abundant iron(III) and copper(II) ions has been found to be significantly retarded in the former case, but enhanced in the latter case. More importantly, femtosecond (fs) transient absorption data have clearly demonstrated that the residence of photoexcited electrons from the sensitizer PP in the centrally located iron moiety hinders ground-state bleach recovery of the sensitizer, affecting the overall photocatalytic rate of the nanohybrid. The presence of copper(II) ions, on the other hand, offers additional stability against photobleaching and eventually enhances the efficiency of photocatalysis. In addition, we have also explored the role of UV light in the efficiency of photocatalysis and have rationalized our observations from femtosecond- to picosecond-resolved studies. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Visible light-sensitive APTES-bound ZnO nanowire toward a potent nanoinjector sensing biomolecules in a living cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jooran; Choi, Sunyoung; Bae, Seon Joo; Yoon, Seok Min; Choi, Joon Sig; Yoon, Minjoong

2013-10-01

Nanoscale cell injection techniques combined with nanoscopic photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been important issues in high-resolution optical biosensing, gene and drug delivery and single-cell endoscopy for medical diagnostics and therapeutics. However, the current nanoinjectors remain limited for optical biosensing and communication at the subwavelength level, requiring an optical probe such as semiconductor quantum dots, separately. Here, we show that waveguided red emission is observed at the tip of a single visible light-sensitive APTES-modified ZnO nanowire (APTES-ZnO NW) and it exhibits great enhancement upon interaction with a complementary sequence-based double stranded (ds) DNA, whereas it is not significantly affected by non-complementary ds DNA. Further, the tip of a single APTES-ZnO NW can be inserted into the subcellular region of living HEK 293 cells without significant toxicity, and it can also detect the enhancement of the tip emission from subcellular regions with high spatial resolution. These results indicate that the single APTES-ZnO NW would be useful as a potent nanoinjector which can guide visible light into intracellular compartments of mammalian cells, and can also detect nanoscopic optical signal changes induced by interaction with the subcellular specific target biomolecules without separate optical probes.Nanoscale cell injection techniques combined with nanoscopic photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been important issues in high-resolution optical biosensing, gene and drug delivery and single-cell endoscopy for medical diagnostics and therapeutics. However, the current nanoinjectors remain limited for optical biosensing and communication at the subwavelength level, requiring an optical probe such as semiconductor quantum dots, separately. Here, we show that waveguided red emission is observed at the tip of a single visible light-sensitive APTES-modified ZnO nanowire (APTES-ZnO NW) and it exhibits great enhancement upon interaction with a complementary sequence-based double stranded (ds) DNA, whereas it is not significantly affected by non-complementary ds DNA. Further, the tip of a single APTES-ZnO NW can be inserted into the subcellular region of living HEK 293 cells without significant toxicity, and it can also detect the enhancement of the tip emission from subcellular regions with high spatial resolution. These results indicate that the single APTES-ZnO NW would be useful as a potent nanoinjector which can guide visible light into intracellular compartments of mammalian cells, and can also detect nanoscopic optical signal changes induced by interaction with the subcellular specific target biomolecules without separate optical probes. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis of APTES-modified ZnO nanowires, DNA functionalization and spectroscopic measurements with additional fluorescence image ad fluorescence decay times, cell culture, injection of a single nanowire into living cells, subcellular imaging and determination of cytotoxicity. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03042c

Genetic and Physiological Effects of Noncoherent Visible Light Combined with Hydrogen Peroxide on Streptococcus mutans in Biofilm ▿

PubMed Central

Steinberg, Doron; Moreinos, Daniel; Featherstone, John; Shemesh, Moshe; Feuerstein, Osnat

2008-01-01

Oral biofilms are associated with the most common infections of the oral cavity. Bacteria embedded in the biofilms are less sensitive to antibacterial agents than planktonic bacteria are. Recently, an antibacterial synergic effect of noncoherent blue light and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on planktonic Streptococcus mutans was demonstrated. In this study, we tested the effect of a combination of light and H2O2 on the vitality and gene expression of S. mutans embedded in biofilm. Biofilms of S. mutans were exposed to visible light (wavelengths, 400 to 500 nm) for 30 or 60 s (equivalent to 34 or 68 J/cm2) in the presence of 3 to 300 mM H2O2. The antibacterial effect was assessed by microbial counts of each treated sample compared with that of the control. The effect of light combined with H2O2 on the different layers of the biofilm was evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Gene expression was determined by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. Our results show that noncoherent light, in combination with H2O2, has a synergistic antibacterial effect through all of the layers of the biofilm. Furthermore, this treatment was more effective against bacteria in biofilm than against planktonic bacteria. The combined light and H2O2 treatment up-regulated the expression of several genes such as gtfB, brp, smu630, and comDE but did not affect relA and ftf. The ability of noncoherent visible light in combination with H2O2 to affect bacteria in deep layers of the biofilm suggests that this treatment may be applied in biofilm-related diseases as a minimally invasive antibacterial procedure. PMID:18316516

Genetic and physiological effects of noncoherent visible light combined with hydrogen peroxide on Streptococcus mutans in biofilm.

PubMed

Steinberg, Doron; Moreinos, Daniel; Featherstone, John; Shemesh, Moshe; Feuerstein, Osnat

2008-07-01

Oral biofilms are associated with the most common infections of the oral cavity. Bacteria embedded in the biofilms are less sensitive to antibacterial agents than planktonic bacteria are. Recently, an antibacterial synergic effect of noncoherent blue light and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) on planktonic Streptococcus mutans was demonstrated. In this study, we tested the effect of a combination of light and H(2)O(2) on the vitality and gene expression of S. mutans embedded in biofilm. Biofilms of S. mutans were exposed to visible light (wavelengths, 400 to 500 nm) for 30 or 60 s (equivalent to 34 or 68 J/cm(2)) in the presence of 3 to 300 mM H(2)O(2). The antibacterial effect was assessed by microbial counts of each treated sample compared with that of the control. The effect of light combined with H(2)O(2) on the different layers of the biofilm was evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Gene expression was determined by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. Our results show that noncoherent light, in combination with H(2)O(2), has a synergistic antibacterial effect through all of the layers of the biofilm. Furthermore, this treatment was more effective against bacteria in biofilm than against planktonic bacteria. The combined light and H(2)O(2) treatment up-regulated the expression of several genes such as gtfB, brp, smu630, and comDE but did not affect relA and ftf. The ability of noncoherent visible light in combination with H(2)O(2) to affect bacteria in deep layers of the biofilm suggests that this treatment may be applied in biofilm-related diseases as a minimally invasive antibacterial procedure.

Recognition unit-free and self-cleaning photoelectrochemical sensing platform on TiO2 nanotube photonic crystals for sensitive and selective detection of dopamine release from mouse brain.

PubMed

Xin, Yanmei; Li, Zhenzhen; Wu, Wenlong; Fu, Baihe; Wu, Hongjun; Zhang, Zhonghai

2017-01-15

For implementing sensitive and selective detection of biological molecules, the biosensors are been designed more and more complicated. The exploration of detection platform in a simple way without loss their sensitivity and selectivity is always a big challenge. Herein, a prototype of recognition biomolecule unit-free photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform with self-cleaning activity is proposed with TiO 2 nanotube photonic crystal (TiO 2 NTPCs) materials as photoelectrode, and dopamine (DA) molecule as both sensitizer and target analyte. The unique adsorption between DA and TiO 2 NTPCs induces the formation of charge transfer complex, which not only expends the optical absorption of TiO 2 into visible light region, thus significantly boosts the PEC performance under illumination of visible light, but also implements the selective detection of DA on TiO 2 photoelectrode. This simple but efficient PEC analysis platform presents a low detection limit of 0.15nm for detection of DA, which allows to realize the sensitive and selective determination of DA release from the mouse brain for its practical application after coupled with a microdialysis probe. The DA functionalized TiO 2 NTPCs PEC sensing platform opens up a new PEC detection model, without using extra-biomolecule auxiliary, just with target molecule naturally adsorbed on the electrode for sensitive and selective detection, and paves a new avenue for biosensors design with minimalism idea. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low efficiency upconversion nanoparticles for high-resolution coalignment of near-infrared and visible light paths on a light microscope

PubMed Central

Sundaramoorthy, Sriramkumar; Badaracco, Adrian Garcia; Hirsch, Sophia M.; Park, Jun Hong; Davies, Tim; Dumont, Julien; Shirasu-Hiza, Mimi; Kummel, Andrew C.; Canman, Julie C.

2017-01-01

The combination of near infrared (NIR) and visible wavelengths in light microscopy for biological studies is increasingly common. For example, many fields of biology are developing the use of NIR for optogenetics, in which an NIR laser induces a change in gene expression and/or protein function. One major technical barrier in working with both NIR and visible light on an optical microscope is obtaining their precise coalignment at the imaging plane position. Photon upconverting particles (UCPs) can bridge this gap as they are excited by NIR light but emit in the visible range via an anti-Stokes luminescence mechanism. Here, two different UCPs have been identified, high-efficiency micro540-UCPs and lower efficiency nano545-UCPs, that respond to NIR light and emit visible light with high photostability even at very high NIR power densities (>25,000 Suns). Both of these UCPs can be rapidly and reversibly excited by visible and NIR light and emit light at visible wavelengths detectable with standard emission settings used for Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), a commonly used genetically-encoded fluorophore. However, the high efficiency micro540-UCPs were suboptimal for NIR and visible light coalignment, due to their larger size and spatial broadening from particle-to-particle energy transfer consistent with a long lived excited state and saturated power dependence. In contrast, the lower efficiency nano-UCPs were superior for precise coalignment of the NIR beam with the visible light path (~2 µm versus ~8 µm beam broadening respectively) consistent with limited particle-to-particle energy transfer, superlinear power dependence for emission, and much smaller particle size. Furthermore, the nano-UCPs were superior to a traditional two-camera method for NIR and visible light path alignment in an in vivo Infrared-Laser-Evoked Gene Operator (IR-LEGO) optogenetics assay in the budding yeast S. cerevisiae. In summary, nano-UCPs are powerful new tools for coaligning NIR and visible light paths on a light microscope. PMID:28221018

MODIS airborne simulator visible and near-infrared calibration, 1991 FIRE-Cirrus field experiment. Calibration version: FIRE King 1.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, G. Thomas; Fitzgerald, Michael; Grant, Patrick S.; King, Michael D.

1994-01-01

Calibration of the visible and near-infrared channels of the MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) is derived from observations of a calibrated light source. For the 1991 FIRE-Cirrus field experiment, the calibrated light source was the NASA Goddard 48-inch integrating hemisphere. Laboratory tests during the FIRE Cirrus field experiment were conducted to calibrate the hemisphere and from the hemisphere to the MAS. The purpose of this report is to summarize the FIRE-Cirrus hemisphere calibration, and then describe how the MAS was calibrated from observations of the hemisphere data. All MAS calibration measurements are presented, and determination of the MAS calibration coefficients (raw counts to radiance conversion) is discussed. Thermal sensitivity of the MAS visible and near-infrared calibration is also discussed. Typically, the MAS in-flight is 30 to 60 degrees C colder than the room temperature laboratory calibration. Results from in-flight temperature measurements and tests of the MAS in a cold chamber are given, and from these, equations are derived to adjust the MAS in-flight data to what the value would be at laboratory conditions. For FIRE-Cirrus data, only channels 3 through 6 were found to be temperature sensitive. The final section of this report describes comparisons to an independent MAS (room temperature) calibration by Ames personnel using their 30-inch integrating sphere.

Tannic Acid/Fe3+/Ag Nanofilm Exhibiting Superior Photodynamic and Physical Antibacterial Activity.

PubMed

Xu, Ziqiang; Wang, Xiuhua; Liu, Xiangmei; Cui, Zhenduo; Yang, Xianjin; Yeung, Kelvin Wai Kwok; Chung, Jonathan Chiyuen; Chu, Paul K; Wu, Shuilin

2017-11-15

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) enwrapped in the biologically safe tannic acid (TA)/Fe 3+ nanofilm are synthesized by an ultrafast, green, simple, and universal method. The physical antibacterial activity and photodynamic antibacterial therapy (PAT) efficacy of the TA/Fe 3+ /AgNPs nanofilm were investigated for the first time, which exhibited a strong physical antibacterial activity as well as great biocompatibility, through in vitro and in vivo studies. The results disclosed that this hybrid coating could possess high PAT capabilities upon irradiation under a visible light of 660 nm, which is longer than those of previously reported green and blue sensitization light, thus allowing deeper light penetration into biological tissues. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra proved that the PAT efficacy of the TA/Fe 3+ /AgNPs nanofilm was associated with the yields of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) under the irradiation of visible light (660 nm). A higher PAT efficiency of 100 and 94% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus could be achieved within 20 min of illumination under 660 nm visible light, whereas the innate physical antibacterial activity of AgNPs could endow the implants with long-term prevention of bacterial infection. The mechanism of PAT may be associated with the formation of oxidative stress and oxidative damage to key biomolecules (proteins and lipids) in bacteria. Our results reveal that the synergistic action of both PAT and physical action of AgNPs in this hybrid nanofilm is an effective way to inactivate bacteria, with minimal side effects.

Family of BODIPY Photocages Cleaved by Single Photons of Visible/Near-Infrared Light.

PubMed

Peterson, Julie A; Wijesooriya, Chamari; Gehrmann, Elizabeth J; Mahoney, Kaitlyn M; Goswami, Pratik P; Albright, Toshia R; Syed, Aleem; Dutton, Andrew S; Smith, Emily A; Winter, Arthur H

2018-06-13

Photocages are light-sensitive chemical protecting groups that provide external control over when, where, and how much of a biological substrate is activated in cells using targeted light irradiation. Regrettably, most popular photocages (e.g., o-nitrobenzyl groups) absorb cell-damaging ultraviolet wavelengths. A challenge with achieving longer wavelength bond-breaking photochemistry is that long-wavelength-absorbing chromophores have shorter excited-state lifetimes and diminished excited-state energies. However, here we report the synthesis of a family of BODIPY-derived photocages with tunable absorptions across the visible/near-infrared that release chemical cargo under irradiation. Derivatives with appended styryl groups feature absorptions above 700 nm, yielding photocages cleaved with the highest known wavelengths of light via a direct single-photon-release mechanism. Photorelease with red light is demonstrated in living HeLa cells, Drosophila S2 cells, and bovine GM07373 cells upon ∼5 min irradiation. No cytotoxicity is observed at 20 μM photocage concentration using the trypan blue exclusion assay. Improved B-alkylated derivatives feature improved quantum efficiencies of photorelease ∼20-fold larger, on par with the popular o-nitrobenzyl photocages (εΦ = 50-100 M -1 cm -1 ), but absorbing red/near-IR light in the biological window instead of UV light.

Microcontroller based spectrophotometer using compact disc as diffraction grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bano, Saleha; Altaf, Talat; Akbar, Sunila

2010-12-01

This paper describes the design and implementation of a portable, inexpensive and cost effective spectrophotometer. The device combines the use of compact disc (CD) media as diffraction grid and 60 watt bulb as a light source. Moreover it employs a moving slit along with stepper motor for obtaining a monochromatic light, photocell with spectral sensitivity in visible region to determine the intensity of light and an amplifier with a very high gain as well as an advanced virtual RISC (AVR) microcontroller ATmega32 as a control unit. The device was successfully applied to determine the absorbance and transmittance of KMnO4 and the unknown concentration of KMnO4 with the help of calibration curve. For comparison purpose a commercial spectrophotometer was used. There are not significant differences between the absorbance and transmittance values estimated by the two instruments. Furthermore, good results are obtained at all visible wavelengths of light. Therefore, the designed instrument offers an economically feasible alternative for spectrophotometric sample analysis in small routine, research and teaching laboratories, because the components used in the designing of the device are cheap and of easy acquisition.

Disparity in Cutaneous Pigmentary Response to LED vs Halogen Incandescent Visible Light: Results from a Single Center, Investigational Clinical Trial Determining a Minimal Pigmentary Visible Light Dose.

PubMed

Soleymani, Teo; Cohen, David E; Folan, Lorcan M; Okereke, Uchenna R; Elbuluk, Nada; Soter, Nicholas A

2017-11-01

Background: While most of the attention regarding skin pigmentation has focused on the effects of ultraviolet radiation, the cutaneous effects of visible light (400 to 700nm) are rarely reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cutaneous pigmentary response to pure visible light irradiation, examine the difference in response to different sources of visible light irradiation, and determine a minimal pigmentary dose of visible light irradiation in melanocompetent subjects with Fitzpatrick skin type III - VI. The study was designed as a single arm, non-blinded, split-side dual intervention study in which subjects underwent visible light irradiation using LED and halogen incandescent light sources delivered at a fluence of 0.14 Watts/cm2 with incremental dose progression from 20 J/cm2 to 320 J/cm2. Pigmentation was assessed by clinical examination, cross-polarized digital photography, and analytic colorimetry. Immediate, dose-responsive pigment darkening was seen with LED light exposure in 80% of subjects, beginning at 60 Joules. No pigmentary changes were seen with halogen incandescent light exposure at any dose in any subject. This study is the first to report a distinct difference in cutaneous pigmentary response to different sources of visible light, and the first to demonstrate cutaneous pigment darkening from visible LED light exposure. Our findings raise the concern that our increasing daily artificial light surroundings may have clandestine effects on skin biology.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(11):1105-1110.

Mimas Looks On

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-07

Lonely Mimas swings around Saturn, seeming to gaze down at the planet's splendid rings. The outermost, narrow F ring is visible here and exhibits some clumpy structure near the bottom of the frame. The shadow of Saturn's southern hemisphere stretches almost entirely across the rings. Mimas is 398 kilometers (247 miles) wide. The image was taken with the Cassini spacecraft narrow angle camera on August 15, 2004, at a distance of 8.8 million kilometers (5.5 million miles) from Saturn, through a filter sensitive to visible red light. The image scale is 53 kilometers (33 miles) per pixel. Contrast was slightly enhanced to aid visibility.almost entirely across the rings. Mimas is 398 kilometers (247 miles) wide. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06471

Impaired visibility: the air pollution people see

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyslop, Nicole Pauly

Almost every home and office contains a portrayal of a scenic landscape whether on a calendar, postcard, photograph, or painting. The most sought after locations boast a scenic landscape right outside their window. No matter what the scene - mountains, skyscrapers, clouds, or pastureland - clarity and vividness are essential to the image. Air pollution can degrade scenic vistas, and in extreme cases, completely obscure them. Particulate matter suspended in the air is the main cause of visibility degradation. Particulate matter affects visibility in multiple ways: obscures distant objects, drains the contrast from a scene, and discolors the sky. Visibility is an environmental quality that is valued for aesthetic reasons that are difficult to express or quantify. Human psychology and physiology are sensitive to visual input. Visibility has been monitored throughout the world but there are few places where it is a protected resource. Existing health-based regulations are weak in terms of visibility protection. Various techniques, including human observation, light transmission measurements, digital photography, and satellite imaging, are used to monitor visibility. As with air pollution, trends in visibility vary spatially and temporally. Emissions from the developing world and large scale events such as dust storms and wildfires affect visibility around much of the globe.

Visual optics: an engineering approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toadere, Florin

2010-11-01

The human eyes' visual system interprets the information from the visible light in order to build a representation of the world surrounding the body. It derives color by comparing the responses to light from the three types of photoreceptor cones in the eyes. These long medium and short cones are sensitive to blue, green and red portions of the visible spectrum. We simulate the color vision for the normal eyes. We see the effects of the dyes, filters, glasses and windows on color perception when the test image is illuminated with the D65 light sources. In addition to colors' perception, the human eyes can suffer from diseases and disorders. The eye can be seen as an optical instrument which has its own eye print. We present aspects of some nowadays methods and technologies which can capture and correct the human eyes' wavefront aberrations. We focus our attention to Siedel aberrations formula, Zenike polynomials, Shack-Hartmann Sensor, LASIK, interferograms fringes aberrations and Talbot effect.

Highly sensitive visible to infrared MoTe2 photodetectors enhanced by the photogating effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hai; Wang, Jianlu; Hu, Weida; Liao, Lei; Wang, Peng; Wang, Xudong; Gong, Fan; Chen, Yan; Wu, Guangjian; Luo, Wenjin; Shen, Hong; Lin, Tie; Sun, Jinglan; Meng, Xiangjian; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Chu, Junhao

2016-11-01

Two-dimensional materials are promising candidates for electronic and optoelectronic applications. MoTe2 has an appropriate bandgap for both visible and infrared light photodetection. Here we fabricate a high-performance photodetector based on few-layer MoTe2. Raman spectral properties have been studied for different thicknesses of MoTe2. The photodetector based on few-layer MoTe2 exhibits broad spectral range photodetection (0.6-1.55 μm) and a stable and fast photoresponse. The detectivity is calculated to be 3.1 × 109 cm Hz1/2 W-1 for 637 nm light and 1.3 × 109 cm Hz1/2 W-1 for 1060 nm light at a backgate voltage of 10 V. The mechanisms of photocurrent generation have been analyzed in detail, and it is considered that a photogating effect plays an important role in photodetection. The appreciable performance and detection over a broad spectral range make it a promising material for high-performance photodetectors.

Polychromatic Light (480-3400 nm) Upregulates Sensitivity of Tumor Cells to Lysis by Natural Killers.

PubMed

Knyazev, Nickolay A; Samoilova, Kira A; Abrahamse, Heidi; Filatova, Natalia A

2016-09-01

This study evaluates the participation of immunological mechanisms of downregulation of murine hepatoma cells MH22a after direct exposure to polychromatic polarized light. Previous studies have shown that exposure to a combination of visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) light leads to decreased tumorigenicity of the murine hepatoma cells MH22a, which correlated with an increase in the amount of cells with reorganized cytoskeleton in the submembrane region. The mechanism of tumor inhibition and elimination has not been determined. Polychromatic light (480-3400 nm) has been used at doses of 4.8 and 9.6 J/cm(2) to determine the sensitivity of murine MH22a cells and human erythroleukemia cells K562 exposed to this light, to lysis by effector cells of innate immunity (NK cells), and enhancement of the glycocalyx of the studied tumor cells. This was determined using flow cytometry, the H(3)-uridine cytotoxic test followed by spectrophotometry. VIS-IR light increases the sensitivity of MH-22a cells at a dose 4.8 J/cm(2) and K562 cells at 9.6 J/cm(2). The enhancement of sensitivity of tumor cells to NK lysis changed their ability to absorb alcian blue, reflecting a change in the expression of the glycocalyx. Increasing the sensitivity of the murine tumor cells MH22a and human K562 irradiated VIS-IR light correlated with a change in the expression of their glycocalyx. The results of the present study demonstrate that the reduction of tumorigenicity of irradiated tumor cells is due to their sensitivity to lysis by NK cells of the immune system.

Novel high-performance scattering materials for use in energy-saving light fittings and skylights based on polymer pigmented with polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Geoffrey B.; Earp, Alan; Franklin, Jim B.; McCredie, Geoffrey

2001-11-01

Simple quantitative performance criteria are developed for translucent materials in terms of hemispherical visible transmittance, and angular spread of transmitted luminance using a half angle. Criteria are linked to applications in luminaires and skylights with emphasis on maximising visible throughput while minimising glare. These basic criteria are also extended to angle of incidence changes which are substantial. Example data is provided showing that acrylic pigmented with spherical polymer particles can have total hemispherical transmittance with weak thickness dependence, which is better than clear sheet, while the spread of transmitted light is quite thickness-sensitive and occurs over wider angles than inorganic pigments. This combination means significantly fewer lamps can achieve specified lux levels with low glare, and smaller skylights can provide higher, more uniform daylight illuminance.

Self-mixing interferometry in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers for nanomechanical cantilever sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsson, David; Greve, Anders; Hvam, Jørn M.; Boisen, Anja; Yvind, Kresten

2009-03-01

We have experimentally investigated self-mixing interference produced by the feedback of light from a polymer micrometer-sized cantilever into a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser for sensing applications. In particular we have investigated how the visibility of the optical output power and the junction voltage depends on the laser injection current and the distance to the cantilever. The highest power visibility obtained from cantilevers without reflective coatings was ˜60%, resulting in a very high sensitivity of 45 mV/nm with a noise floor below 1.2 mV. Different detection schemes are discussed.

Synthesis of visible light sensitized S, N and C co-doped polymorphic TiO2 for Microcystin-LR MC-LR removal

EPA Science Inventory

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is considered as one of the most widespread and toxic cyanotoxins, which had been discovered to be hepatotoxic, cytotoxic and neurotoxic. It is the only cyanotoxin that has been proposed by Word Health Organization (WHO) for a provisional guideline (1 ppb) ...

Visible-Light-Driven BiOI-Based Janus Micromotor in Pure Water.

PubMed

Dong, Renfeng; Hu, Yan; Wu, Yefei; Gao, Wei; Ren, Biye; Wang, Qinglong; Cai, Yuepeng

2017-02-08

Light-driven synthetic micro-/nanomotors have attracted considerable attention due to their potential applications and unique performances such as remote motion control and adjustable velocity. Utilizing harmless and renewable visible light to supply energy for micro-/nanomotors in water represents a great challenge. In view of the outstanding photocatalytic performance of bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI), visible-light-driven BiOI-based Janus micromotors have been developed, which can be activated by a broad spectrum of light, including blue and green light. Such BiOI-based Janus micromotors can be propelled by photocatalytic reactions in pure water under environmentally friendly visible light without the addition of any other chemical fuels. The remote control of photocatalytic propulsion by modulating the power of visible light is characterized by velocity and mean-square displacement analysis of optical video recordings. In addition, the self-electrophoresis mechanism has been confirmed for such visible-light-driven BiOI-based Janus micromotors by demonstrating the effects of various coated layers (e.g., Al 2 O 3 , Pt, and Au) on the velocity of motors. The successful demonstration of visible-light-driven Janus micromotors holds a great promise for future biomedical and environmental applications.

A Protective Mechanism of Visible Red Light in Normal Human Dermal Fibroblasts: Enhancement of GADD45A-Mediated DNA Repair Activity.

PubMed

Kim, Yeo Jin; Kim, Hyoung-June; Kim, Hye Lim; Kim, Hyo Jeong; Kim, Hyun Soo; Lee, Tae Ryong; Shin, Dong Wook; Seo, Young Rok

2017-02-01

The phototherapeutic effects of visible red light on skin have been extensively investigated, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. We aimed to elucidate the protective mechanism of visible red light in terms of DNA repair of UV-induced oxidative damage in normal human dermal fibroblasts. The protective effect of visible red light on UV-induced DNA damage was identified by several assays in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell culture systems. With regard to the protective mechanism of visible red light, our data showed alterations in base excision repair mediated by growth arrest and DNA damage inducible, alpha (GADD45A). We also observed an enhancement of the physical activity of GADD45A and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) by visible red light. Moreover, UV-induced DNA damages were diminished by visible red light in an APE1-dependent manner. On the basis of the decrease in GADD45A-APE1 interaction in the activating transcription factor-2 (ATF2)-knockdown system, we suggest a role for ATF2 modulation in GADD45A-mediated DNA repair upon visible red light exposure. Thus, the enhancement of GADD45A-mediated base excision repair modulated by ATF2 might be a potential protective mechanism of visible red light. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shot noise limits to sensitivity of optical interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Sudhakar

1992-01-01

By arguing that the limiting noise is the photoelectron shot noise, we show that the sensitivity of image synthesis by an ideal optical interferometer is independent of the details of beam-splitting and recombination. The signal-to-noise ratio of the synthesized image is proportional to the square root of the total number of photoelectrons detected by the entire array. For non-ideal interferometers, which are forced to employ a closure-phase method of indirect inference of the visibility data, essentially the same result holds for strong sources, but at weak light levels beam-splitting degrades sensitivity.

Built-in hyperspectral camera for smartphone in visible, near-infrared and middle-infrared lights region (second report): sensitivity improvement of Fourier-spectroscopic imaging to detect diffuse reflection lights from internal human tissues for healthcare sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawashima, Natsumi; Hosono, Satsuki; Ishimaru, Ichiro

2016-05-01

We proposed the snapshot-type Fourier spectroscopic imaging for smartphone that was mentioned in 1st. report in this conference. For spectroscopic components analysis, such as non-invasive blood glucose sensors, the diffuse reflection lights from internal human skins are very weak for conventional hyperspectral cameras, such as AOTF (Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter) type. Furthermore, it is well known that the spectral absorption of mid-infrared lights or Raman spectroscopy especially in long wavelength region is effective to distinguish specific biomedical components quantitatively, such as glucose concentration. But the main issue was that photon energies of middle infrared lights and light intensities of Raman scattering are extremely weak. For improving sensitivity of our spectroscopic imager, the wide-field-stop & beam-expansion method was proposed. Our line spectroscopic imager introduced a single slit for field stop on the conjugate objective plane. Obviously to increase detected light intensities, the wider slit width of the field stop makes light intensities higher, regardless of deterioration of spatial resolutions. Because our method is based on wavefront-division interferometry, it becomes problems that the wider width of single slit makes the diffraction angle narrower. This means that the narrower diameter of collimated objective beams deteriorates visibilities of interferograms. By installing the relative inclined phaseshifter onto optical Fourier transform plane of infinity corrected optical systems, the collimated half flux of objective beams derived from single-bright points on objective surface penetrate through the wedge prism and the cuboid glass respectively. These two beams interfere each other and form the infererogram as spatial fringe patterns. Thus, we installed concave-cylindrical lens between the wider slit and objective lens as a beam expander. We successfully obtained the spectroscopic characters of hemoglobin from reflected lights from human fingers.

Highly Transparent, Visible-Light Photodetector Based on Oxide Semiconductors and Quantum Dots.

PubMed

Shin, Seung Won; Lee, Kwang-Ho; Park, Jin-Seong; Kang, Seong Jun

2015-09-09

Highly transparent phototransistors that can detect visible light have been fabricated by combining indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) and quantum dots (QDs). A wide-band-gap IGZO film was used as a transparent semiconducting channel, while small-band-gap QDs were adopted to absorb and convert visible light to an electrical signal. Typical IGZO thin-film transistors (TFTs) did not show a photocurrent with illumination of visible light. However, IGZO TFTs decorated with QDs showed enhanced photocurrent upon exposure to visible light. The device showed a responsivity of 1.35×10(4) A/W and an external quantum efficiency of 2.59×10(4) under illumination by a 635 nm laser. The origin of the increased photocurrent in the visible light was the small band gap of the QDs combined with the transparent IGZO films. Therefore, transparent phototransistors based on IGZO and QDs were fabricated and characterized in detail. The result is relevant for the development of highly transparent photodetectors that can detect visible light.

Cutaneous porphyrins exhibit anti-stokes fluorescence that is detectable in sebum (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Giselle; Zeng, Haishan; Zhao, Jianhua; Wu, Zhenguo; Al Jasser, Mohammed; Lui, Harvey; Mclean, David I.

2016-02-01

Porphyrins produced by Propionibacterium acnes represent the principal fluorophore associated with acne, and appear as orange-red luminescence under the Wood's lamp. Assessment of acne based on Wood's lamp (UV) or visible light illumination is limited by photon penetration depth and has limited sensitivity for earlier stage lesions. Inducing fluorescence with near infrared (NIR) excitation may provide an alternative way to assess porphyrin-related skin disorders. We discovered that under 785 nm CW laser excitation PpIX powder exhibits fluorescence emission in the shorter wavelength range of 600-715 nm with an intensity that is linearly dependent on the excitation power. We attribute this shorter wavelength emission to anti-Stokes fluorescence. Similar anti-Stokes fluorescence was also detected focally in all skin-derived samples containing porphyrins. Regular (Stokes) fluorescence was present under UV and visible light excitation on ex vivo nasal skin and sebum from uninflamed acne, but not on nose surface smears or sebum from inflamed acne. Co-registered CW laser-excited anti-Stokes fluorescence and fs laser-excited multi-photon fluorescence images of PpIX powder showed similar features. In the skin samples because of the anti-Stokes effect, the NIR-induced fluorescence was presumably specific for porphyrins since there appeared to be no anti-Stokes emission signals from other typical skin fluorophores such as lipids, keratins and collagen. Anti-Stokes fluorescence under NIR CW excitation is more sensitive and specific for porphyrin detection than UV- or visible light-excited regular fluorescence and fs laser-excited multi-photon fluorescence. This approach also has higher image contrast compared to NIR fs laser-based multi-photon fluorescence imaging. The anti-Stokes fluorescence of porphyrins within sebum could potentially be applied to detecting and targeting acne lesions for treatment via fluorescence image guidance.

Efficient resource allocation scheme for visible-light communication system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Woo-Chan; Bae, Chi-Sung; Cho, Dong-Ho; Shin, Hong-Seok; Jung, D. K.; Oh, Y. J.

2009-01-01

A visible-light communication utilizing LED has many advantagies such as visibility of information, high SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio), low installation cost, usage of existing illuminators, and high security. Furthermore, exponentially increasing needs and quality of LED have helped the development of visible-light communication. The visibility is the most attractive property in visible-light communication system, but it is difficult to ensure visibility and transmission efficiency simultaneously during initial access because of the small amount of initial access process signals. In this paper, we propose an efficient resource allocation scheme at initial access for ensuring visibility with high resource utilization rate and low data transmission failure rate. The performance has been evaluated through the numerical analysis and simulation results.

Invisible Cirrus Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer's (MODIS') cloud detection capability is so sensitive that it can detect clouds that would be indistinguishable to the human eye. This pair of images highlights MODIS' ability to detect what scientists call 'sub-visible cirrus.' The image on top shows the scene using data collected in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum-the part our eyes can see. Clouds are apparent in the center and lower right of the image, while the rest of the image appears to be relatively clear. However, data collected at 1.38um (lower image) show that a thick layer of previously undetected cirrus clouds obscures the entire scene. These kinds of cirrus are called 'sub-visible' because they can't be detected using only visible light. MODIS' 1.38um channel detects electromagnetic radiation in the infrared region of the spectrum. These images were made from data collected on April 4, 2000. Image courtesy Mark Gray, MODIS Atmosphere Team

Spectrally-resolved measurements of aerosol extinction at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, M.; Washenfelder, R. A.; Brock, C. A.; Brown, S. S.; Rudich, Y.

2012-12-01

Aerosols play an important role in the Earth's radiative budget. Aerosol extinction includes both the scattering and absorption of light, and these vary with wavelength, aerosol diameter, and aerosol composition. Historically, aerosol absorption has been measured using filter-based or extraction methods that are prone to artifacts. There have been few investigations of ambient aerosol optical properties at the blue end of the visible spectrum and into the ultraviolet. Brown carbon is particularly important in this spectral region, because it both absorbs and scatters light, and encompasses a large and variable group of organic compounds from biomass burning and secondary organic aerosol. We have developed a laboratory instrument that combines new, high-power LED light sources with high-finesse optical cavities to achieve sensitive measurements of aerosol optical extinction. This instrument contains two broadband channels, with spectral coverage from 360 - 390 nm and 385 - 420 nm. Using this instrument, we report aerosol extinction in the ultraviolet and near-visible spectral region as a function of chemical composition and structure. We have measured the extinction cross-sections between 360 - 420 nm with 0.5 nm resolution using different sizes and concentrations of polystyrene latex spheres, ammonium sulfate, and Suwannee River fulvic acid. Fitting the real and imaginary part of the refractive index allows the absorption and scattering to be determined.

Hot electron induced NIR detection in CdS films.

PubMed

Sharma, Alka; Kumar, Rahul; Bhattacharyya, Biplab; Husale, Sudhir

2016-03-11

We report the use of random Au nanoislands to enhance the absorption of CdS photodetectors at wavelengths beyond its intrinsic absorption properties from visible to NIR spectrum enabling a high performance visible-NIR photodetector. The temperature dependent annealing method was employed to form random sized Au nanoparticles on CdS films. The hot electron induced NIR photo-detection shows high responsivity of ~780 mA/W for an area of ~57 μm(2). The simulated optical response (absorption and responsivity) of Au nanoislands integrated in CdS films confirms the strong dependence of NIR sensitivity on the size and shape of Au nanoislands. The demonstration of plasmon enhanced IR sensitivity along with the cost-effective device fabrication method using CdS film enables the possibility of economical light harvesting applications which can be implemented in future technological applications.

Visible light curing of Epon SU-8 based superparamagnetic polymer composites with random and ordered particle configurations.

PubMed

Peters, Christian; Ergeneman, Olgaç; Sotiriou, Georgios A; Choi, Hongsoo; Nelson, Bradley J; Hierold, Christofer

2015-01-14

The performance of superparamagnetic polymer composite microdevices is highly dependent on the magnetic particle content. While high loading levels are desired for many applications, the UV absorption of these nanoparticles limits the overall thickness of the fabricated microstructures and subsequently their capability of magnetic interaction. The combination of a visible-light-sensitive photoinitiator and particle self-organization is proposed to extend the exposure depth limitation in Epon SU-8 based superparamagnetic polymer composites. While superparamagnetic iron oxide particles strongly absorb i-line radiation required to cross-link the Epon SU-8 polymer matrix, we propose the utilization of H-Nu 470 photoinitiator to expand the photosensitivity of the composite toward the visible spectrum, where the dispersed nanoparticles are more transparent. The novel photoinitiator preserves the composite's superparamagnetic properties as well as a homogeneous particle distribution. As a result, particle load or resist thickness can be more than doubled while maintaining exposure time. The self-organization of ordered magnetic structures allows for an additional increase in exposure depth of up to 40%, resulting in a 2.5-fold saturation magnetization.

Fourier optics analysis of grating sensors with tilt errors.

PubMed

Ferhanoglu, Onur; Toy, M Fatih; Urey, Hakan

2011-06-15

Dynamic diffraction gratings can be microfabricated with precision and offer extremely sensitive displacement measurements and light intensity modulation. The effect of pure translation of the moving part of the grating on diffracted order intensities is well known. This study focuses on the parameters that limit the intensity and the contrast of the interference. The effects of grating duty cycle, mirror reflectivities, sensor tilt and detector size are investigated using Fourier optics theory and Gaussian beam optics. Analytical findings reveal that fringe visibility becomes <0.3 when the optical path variation exceeds half the wavelength within the grating interferometer. The fringe visibility can be compensated by monitoring the interfering portion of the diffracted order light only through detector size reduction in the expense of optical power. Experiments were conducted with a grating interferometer that resulted in an eightfold increase in fringe visibility with reduced detector size, which is in agreement with theory. Findings show that diffraction grating readout principle is not limited to translating sensors but also can be used for sensors with tilt or other deflection modes.

Human retinal imaging using visible-light optical coherence tomography guided by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy

PubMed Central

Yi, Ji; Chen, Siyu; Shu, Xiao; Fawzi, Amani A.; Zhang, Hao F.

2015-01-01

We achieved human retinal imaging using visible-light optical coherence tomography (vis-OCT) guided by an integrated scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO). We adapted a spectral domain OCT configuration and used a supercontinuum laser as the illumating source. The center wavelength was 564 nm and the bandwidth was 115 nm, which provided a 0.97 µm axial resolution measured in air. We characterized the sensitivity to be 86 dB with 226 µW incidence power on the pupil. We also integrated an SLO that shared the same optical path of the vis-OCT sample arm for alignment purposes. We demonstrated the retinal imaging from both systems centered at the fovea and optic nerve head with 20° × 20° and 10° × 10° field of view. We observed similar anatomical structures in vis-OCT and NIR-OCT. The contrast appeared different from vis-OCT to NIR-OCT, including slightly weaker signal from intra-retinal layers, and increased visibility and contrast of anatomical layers in the outer retina. PMID:26504622

Significant relaxation of residual negative carrier in polar Alq3 film directly detected by high-sensitivity photoemission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinjo, Hiroumi; Lim, Hyunsoo; Sato, Tomoya; Noguchi, Yutaka; Nakayama, Yasuo; Ishii, Hisao

2016-02-01

Tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) has been widely applied as a good electron-injecting layer (EIL) in organic light-emitting diodes. High-sensitivity photoemission measurement revealed a clear photoemission by visible light, although its ionization energy is 5.7 eV. This unusual photoemission is ascribed to Alq3 anions captured by positive polarization charges. The observed electron detachment energy of the anion was about 1 eV larger than the electron affinity reported by inverse photoemission. This difference suggests that the injected electron in the Alq3 layer is energetically relaxed, leading to the reduction in injection barrier. This nature is one of the reasons why Alq3 worked well as the EIL.

The HR 4796A Debris System: Discovery of Extensive Exo-ring Dust Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Glenn; Debes, John H.; Grady, Carol A.; Gáspár, Andras; Henning, Thomas; Hines, Dean C.; Kuchner, Marc J.; Perrin, Marshall; Wisniewski, John P.

2018-02-01

The optically and IR-bright and starlight-scattering HR 4796A ringlike debris disk is one of the most- (and best-) studied exoplanetary debris systems. The presence of a yet-undetected planet has been inferred (or suggested) from the narrow width and inner/outer truncation radii of its r = 1.″05 (77 au) debris ring. We present new, highly sensitive Hubble Space Telescope (HST) visible-light images of the HR 4796A circumstellar debris system and its environment over a very wide range of stellocentric angles from 0.″32 (23 au) to ≈15″ (1100 au). These very high-contrast images were obtained with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) using six-roll PSF template–subtracted coronagraphy suppressing the primary light of HR 4796A, with three image-plane occulters, and simultaneously subtracting the background light from its close angular proximity M2.5V companion. The resulting images unambiguously reveal the debris ring embedded within a much larger, morphologically complex, and biaxially asymmetric exo-ring scattering structure. These images at visible wavelengths are sensitive to and map the spatial distribution, brightness, and radial surface density of micron-size particles over 5 dex in surface brightness. These particles in the exo-ring environment may be unbound from the system and interacting with the local ISM. Herein, we present a new morphological and photometric view of the larger-than-prior-seen HR 4796A exoplanetary debris system with sensitivity to small particles at stellocentric distances an order of magnitude greater than has previously been observed.

Visible light degradation of Orange II using xCuyOz/TiO2 heterojunctions.

PubMed

Helaïli, N; Bessekhouad, Y; Bouguelia, A; Trari, M

2009-08-30

Cu(2)O/TiO(2), Cu/Cu(2)O/TiO(2) and Cu/Cu(2)O/CuO/TiO(2) heterojunctions were prepared and studied for their potential application as photocatalysts able to induce high performance under visible light. Orange II was used as a representative dye molecule. The effect of the amount and composition of the photosensitizers toward the activation of TiO(2) was studied. In each case, the global mechanism of Inter Particle Electrons Injection (IPEI) was discussed. The highest photocatalytic activity was observed for the system Cu/Cu(2)O/CuO (MB2 catalyst) under visible light (t(1/2)=24 min, k=159.7 x 10(-3)min(-1)) and for the heterojunction cascade Cu/Cu(2)O/CuO/TiO(2) (MB2 (50%)/TiO(2)) under UV-vis light (t(1/2)=4 min, k=1342 x 10(-3)min(-1)). In the last case, the high performance was attributed firstly to the electromotive forces developed under this configuration in which CuO energy bands mediate the electrons transfer from Cu(2)O to TiO(2). The formation of monobloc sensitizers also accounts for the decrease of the probability of the charges lost. It was demonstrated that "Cu(2)O/CuO" governs the capability of the heterojunction cascade and Cu does not play a significant role regardless of the heterojunction cascade efficiency. The electrical energy consumption per order of magnitude for photocatalytic degradation of Orange II was investigated for some representative catalytic systems. Visible/MB2 and UV/vis MB2 (50%)/TiO(2) exhibited respectively 0.340 and 0.05 kW hm(-3) demonstrating the high efficiency of the systems.

Approaching attometer laser vibrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rembe, Christian; Kadner, Lisa; Giesen, Moritz

2014-05-27

The heterodyne two-beam interferometer has been proven to be the optimal solution for laser-Doppler vibrometry regarding accuracy and signal robustness. The theoretical resolution limit for a two-beam interferometer of laser class 3R (up to 5 mW visible measurement-light) is in the regime of a few femtometer per square-root Hertz and well suited to study vibrations in microstructures. However, some new applications of RF-MEM resonators, nanostructures, and surface-nano-defect detection require resolutions beyond that limit. The resolution depends only on the noise and the sensor sensitivity to specimen displacements. The noise is already defined in nowadays systems by the quantum nature ofmore » light for a properly designed optical sensor and more light would lead to an inacceptable influence like heating of a very tiny structure. Thus, noise can only be improved by squeezed-light techniques which require a negligible loss of measurement light which is impossible for almost all technical measurement tasks. Thus, improving the sensitivity is the only possible path which could make attometer laser vibrometry possible. Decreasing the measurement wavelength would increase the sensitivity but would also increase the photon shot noise. In this paper, we discuss an approach to increase the sensitivity by assembling an additional mirror between interferometer and specimen to form an optical cavity. A detailed theoretical analysis of this setup is presented and we derive the resolution limit, discuss the main contributions to the uncertainty budget, and show a first experiment proving the sensitivity amplification of our approach.« less

High-performance ultraviolet detection and visible-blind photodetector based on Cu{sub 2}O/ZnO nanorods with poly-(N-vinylcarbazole) intermediate layer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perng, Dung-Ching, E-mail: dcperng@ee.ncku.edu.tw; Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, One University Road, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Lin, Hsueh-Pin

This study reports a high-performance hybrid ultraviolet (UV) photodetector with visible-blind sensitivity fabricated by inserting a poly-(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) intermediate layer between low-cost processed Cu{sub 2}O film and ZnO nanorods (NRs). The PVK layer acts as an electron-blocking/hole-transporting layer between the n-ZnO and p-Cu{sub 2}O films. The Cu{sub 2}O/PVK/ZnO NR photodetector exhibited a responsivity of 13.28 A/W at 360 nm, a high detectivity of 1.03 × 10{sup 13} Jones at a low bias of −0.1 V under a low UV light intensity of 24.9 μW/cm{sup 2}. The photo-to-dark current ratios of the photodetector with and without the PVK intermediate layer at a bias of −0.5 V are 1.34 × 10{supmore » 2} and 3.99, respectively. The UV-to-visible rejection ratios (R{sub 360 nm}/R{sub 450 nm}) are 350 and 1.735, respectively. Several features are demonstrated: (a) UV photo-generated holes at the ZnO NRs can effectively be transported through the PVK layer to the p-Cu{sub 2}O layer; (b) the insertion of a PVK buffer layer significantly minimizes the reverse-bias leakage current, which leads to a larger amplification of the photocurrent; and (c) the PVK buffer layer greatly improves the UV-to-visible responsivity ratio, allowing the device to achieve high UV detection sensitivity at a low bias voltage using a very low light intensity.« less

The system of high accuracy UV spectral radiation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Guan-yu; Yu, Lei; Xu, Dian; Cao, Dian-sheng; Yu, Yu-Xiang

2016-10-01

UV spectral radiation detecting and visible observation telescope is designed by the coaxial optical. In order to decrease due to the incident light polarization effect, and improve the detection precision, polarizer need to be used in the light path. Four pieces of quartz of high Precision UV radiation depolarizer retarder stack together is placed in front of Seya namioka dispersion unit. The coherent detection principle of modulation of light signal and the reference signal multiplied processing, increase the phase sensitive detector can be adjustment function, ensure the UV spectral radiation detection stability. A lock-in amplifier is used in the electrical system to advance the accuracy of measurement. To ensure the precision measurement detected, the phase-sensitive detector function can be adjustable. the output value is not more than 10mV before each measurement, so it can be ensured that the stability of the measured radiation spectrum is less than 1 percent.

Wrinkled silica/titania nanoparticles with tunable interwrinkle distances for efficient utilization of photons in dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Kang, Jin Soo; Lim, Joohyun; Rho, Won-Yeop; Kim, Jin; Moon, Doo-Sik; Jeong, Juwon; Jung, Dongwook; Choi, Jung-Woo; Lee, Jin-Kyu; Sung, Yung-Eun

2016-08-04

Efficient light harvesting is essential for the realization of high energy conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). State-of-the-art mesoporous TiO2 photoanodes fall short for collection of long-wavelength visible light photons, and thus there have been efforts on introduction of scattering nanoparticles. Herein, we report the synthesis of wrinkled silica/titania nanoparticles with tunable interwrinkle distances as scattering materials for enhanced light harvesting in DSCs. These particles with more than 20 times larger specific surface area (>400 m(2)/g) compared to the spherical scattering particles (<20 m(2)/g) of the similar sizes gave rise to the dye-loading amounts, causing significant improvements in photocurrent density and efficiency. Moreover, dependence of spectral scattering properties of wrinkled particles on interwrinkle distances, which was originated from difference in overall refractive indices, was observed.

Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Photon Upconversion in Polymer Thin Film: Sensitizer Design.

PubMed

Jiang, Xinpeng; Guo, Xinyan; Peng, Jiang; Zhao, Dahui; Ma, Yuguo

2016-05-11

Efficient visible-to-UV photon upconversion via triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) is accomplished in polyurethane (PU) films by developing new, powerful photosensitizers fully functional in the solid-state matrix. These rationally designed triplet sensitizers feature a bichromophoric scaffold comprising a tris-cyclometalated iridium(III) complex covalently tethered to a suitable organic small molecule. The very rapid intramolecular triplet energy transfer from the former to the latter is pivotal for achieving the potent sensitizing ability, because this process out-competes the radiative and nonradiative decays inherent to the metal complex and produces long-lived triplet excitons localized with the acceptor moiety readily available for intermolecular transfer and TTA. Nonetheless, compared to the solution state, the molecular diffusion is greatly limited in solid matrices, which even creates difficulty for the Dexter-type intramolecular energy transfer. This is proven by the experimental results showing that the sensitizing performance of the bichromophoric molecules strongly depends on the spatial distance separating the donor (D) and acceptor (A) units and that incorporating a longer linker between the D and A evidently curbs the TTA upconversion efficiency in PU films. Using a rationally optimized sensitizer structure in combination with 2,7-di-tert-butylpyrene as the annihilator/emitter, the doped polyurethane (PU) films demonstrate effective visible-to-UV upconverted emission signal under noncoherent-light irradiation, attaining an upconversion quantum yield of 2.6%. Such quantum efficiency is the highest value so far reported for the visible-to-UV TTA systems in solid matrices.

Effect of some operational parameters on the hydrogen generation efficiency of Ni-ZnO/PANI composite under visible-light irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nsib, Mohamed Faouzi, E-mail: Mohamed.faouzi.ncib@gmail.com; National School of Engineers; Naffati, Naima

2015-10-15

Graphical abstract: UV–vis spectra of PANI, ZnO, Ni{sub 0.01}Zn{sub 0.99}O, Ni{sub 0.01}Zn{sub 0.99}O/PANI3 and Ni{sub 0.1}Zn{sub 0.9}O/PANI{sub 10} nanocomposites. - Highlights: • Ni{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O/PANI{sub y} photocatalysts are synthesized by the impregnation method. • Ni{sup 2+} amount control the morphology of ZnO and enhances its photoactivity. • Both Ni{sup 2+} and PANI extend the light absorption of ZnO toward the visible region. • Both Ni{sup 2+} and PANI enhance the electron–hole separation. - Abstract: Ni{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O/Polyaniline hybrid photocatalysts are synthesized and used for the experiments of hydrogen production from water-splitting under visible irradiation. XRD, UV–vis DRS and SEM aremore » used to characterize the prepared materials. It is shown that the Ni{sup 2+} amount doped into ZnO controls its morphology and enhances its photoactivity for H{sub 2} generation. Polyaniline (PANI) is shown to sensitize ZnO and to extend its light absorption toward the visible region. The hybrid photocatalyst with 10 mol% Ni{sup 2+} and 10 wt.% PANI shows the maximum photocatalytic H{sub 2} production for one hour of visible irradiation: ∼558 μmol while only ∼178 μmol in the presence of pure ZnO. Additives like sacrificial electron donors and carbonate salts are found to play a key role in the improvement of H{sub 2} evolution. Thus, the hydrogen photoproduction efficiency increases in the order: thiosulfate > sulfide > propanol and HCO{sub 3}{sup −} > CO{sub 3}{sup 2−}.« less

A Difference in Cutaneous Pigmentary Response to LED Versus Halogen Incandescent Visible Light: A Case Report from a Single Center, Investigational Clinical Trial Determining a Minimal Pigmentary Visible Light Dose.

PubMed

Soleymani, Teo; Soter, Nicholas A; Folan, Lorcan M; Elbuluk, Nada; Okereke, Uchenna R; Cohen, David E

2017-04-01

BACKGROUND: While most of the attention regarding skin pigmentation has focused on the effects on ultraviolet radiation, the cutaneous effects of visible light (400 to 700nm) are rarely reported. In this report, we describe a case of painful erythema and induration that resulted from direct irradiation of UV-naïve skin with visible LED light in a patient with Fitzpatrick type II skin.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A 24-year-old healthy woman with Fitzpatrick type II skin presented to our department to participate in a clinical study. As part of the study, the subject underwent visible light irradiation with an LED and halogen incandescent visible light source. After 5 minutes of exposure, the patient complained of appreciable pain at the LED exposed site. Evaluation demonstrated erythema and mild induration. There were no subjective or objective findings at the halogen incandescent irradiated site, which received equivalent fluence (0.55 Watts / cm2). The study was halted as the subject was unable to tolerate the full duration of visible light irradiation.

CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the importance of recognizing the effects of visible light on skin. While the vast majority of investigational research has focused on ultraviolet light, the effects of visible light have been largely overlooked and must be taken into consideration, in all Fitzpatrick skin types.

J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(4):388-392.

Subcutaneous white adipocytes express a light sensitive signaling pathway mediated via a melanopsin/TRPC channel axis.

PubMed

Ondrusova, Katarina; Fatehi, Mohammad; Barr, Amy; Czarnecka, Zofia; Long, Wentong; Suzuki, Kunimasa; Campbell, Scott; Philippaert, Koenraad; Hubert, Matthew; Tredget, Edward; Kwan, Peter; Touret, Nicolas; Wabitsch, Martin; Lee, Kevin Y; Light, Peter E

2017-11-27

Subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT) is the major fat depot in humans and is a central player in regulating whole body metabolism. Skin exposure to UV wavelengths from sunlight is required for Vitamin D synthesis and pigmentation, although it is plausible that longer visible wavelengths that penetrate the skin may regulate scWAT function. In this regard, we discovered a novel blue light-sensitive current in human scWAT that is mediated by melanopsin coupled to transient receptor potential canonical cation channels. This pathway is activated at physiological intensities of light that penetrate the skin on a sunny day. Daily exposure of differentiated adipocytes to blue light resulted in decreased lipid droplet size, increased basal lipolytic rate and alterations in adiponectin and leptin secretion. Our results suggest that scWAT function may be directly under the influence of ambient sunlight exposure and may have important implications for our current understanding of adipocyte biology. (150 words).

Irradiation of skin with visible light induces reactive oxygen species and matrix-degrading enzymes.

PubMed

Liebel, Frank; Kaur, Simarna; Ruvolo, Eduardo; Kollias, Nikiforos; Southall, Michael D

2012-07-01

Daily skin exposure to solar radiation causes cells to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are a primary factor in skin damage. Although the contribution of the UV component to skin damage has been established, few studies have examined the effects of non-UV solar radiation on skin physiology. Solar radiation comprises <10% of UV, and thus the purpose of this study was to examine the physiological response of skin to visible light (400-700 nm). Irradiation of human skin equivalents with visible light induced production of ROS, proinflammatory cytokines, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 expression. Commercially available sunscreens were found to have minimal effects on reducing visible light-induced ROS, suggesting that UVA/UVB sunscreens do not protect the skin from visible light-induced responses. Using clinical models to assess the generation of free radicals from oxidative stress, higher levels of free radical activity were found after visible light exposure. Pretreatment with a photostable UVA/UVB sunscreen containing an antioxidant combination significantly reduced the production of ROS, cytokines, and MMP expression in vitro, and decreased oxidative stress in human subjects after visible light irradiation. Taken together, these findings suggest that other portions of the solar spectrum aside from UV, particularly visible light, may also contribute to signs of premature photoaging in skin.

Enhanced Charge Separation Efficiency in Pyridine-Anchored Phthalocyanine-Sensitized Solar Cells by Linker Elongation.

PubMed

Ikeuchi, Takuro; Agrawal, Saurabh; Ezoe, Masayuki; Mori, Shogo; Kimura, Mutsumi

2015-11-01

A series of zinc phthalocyanine sensitizers (PcS22-24) having a pyridine anchoring group are designed and synthesized to investigate the structural dependence on performance in dye-sensitized solar cells. The pyridine-anchor zinc phthalocyanine sensitizer PcS23 shows 79 % incident-photon to current-conversion efficiency (IPCE) and 6.1 % energy conversion efficiency, which are comparable with similar phthalocyanine dyes having a carboxylic acid anchoring group. Based on DFT calculations, the high IPCE is attributed with the mixture of an excited-state molecular orbital of the sensitizer and the orbitals of TiO2 . Between pyridine and carboxylic acid anchor dyes, opposite trends are observed in the linker-length dependence of the IPCE. The red-absorbing PcS23 is applied for co-sensitization with a carboxyl-anchor organic dye D131 that has a complementary spectral response. The site-selective adsorption of PcS23 and D131 on the TiO2 surface results in a panchromatic photocurrent response for the whole visible-light region of sun light. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improved real-time imaging spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambert, James L. (Inventor); Chao, Tien-Hsin (Inventor); Yu, Jeffrey W. (Inventor); Cheng, Li-Jen (Inventor)

1993-01-01

An improved AOTF-based imaging spectrometer that offers several advantages over prior art AOTF imaging spectrometers is presented. The ability to electronically set the bandpass wavelength provides observational flexibility. Various improvements in optical architecture provide simplified magnification variability, improved image resolution and light throughput efficiency and reduced sensitivity to ambient light. Two embodiments of the invention are: (1) operation in the visible/near-infrared domain of wavelength range 0.48 to 0.76 microns; and (2) infrared configuration which operates in the wavelength range of 1.2 to 2.5 microns.

High-nitrogen-based pyrotechnics: development of perchlorate-free green-light illuminants for military and civilian applications.

PubMed

Sabatini, Jesse J; Raab, James M; Hann, Ronald K; Damavarapu, Reddy; Klapötke, Thomas M

2012-06-01

The development of perchlorate-free hand-held signal illuminants for the US Army's M195 green star parachute is described. Compared with the perchlorate-containing control, the optimized perchlorate-free illuminants were less sensitive toward various ignition stimuli while offering comparable burn times and visible-light outputs. The results were also important from the perspective of civilian fireworks because the development of perchlorate-free illuminants remains an important objective of the commercial fireworks industry. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A colorimetric turn-on optical chemosensor for Cu2+ ions and its application as solid state sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pannipara, Mehboobali; Al-Sehemi, Abdullah G.; Assiri, Mohammed; Kalam, Abul

2018-05-01

We report a novel coumarin based optical chemosensor (Probe 1) for the selective and sensitive detection of Cu2+ ions in aqueous medium. The addition of Cu2+ ions to Probe 1 shows distinct color change from light yellow to pinkish red color under visible light with the sensing limit of 1.54 μM. Moreover, practical utility of Probe 1 as solid state optical sensor (test paper, TLC plates) for sensing Cu2+ has been demonstrated by instantaneous "naked eye" response.

U-Shaped and Surface Functionalized Polymer Optical Fiber Probe for Glucose Detection.

PubMed

Azkune, Mikel; Ruiz-Rubio, Leire; Aldabaldetreku, Gotzon; Arrospide, Eneko; Pérez-Álvarez, Leyre; Bikandi, Iñaki; Zubia, Joseba; Vilas-Vilela, Jose Luis

2017-12-25

In this work we show an optical fiber evanescent wave absorption probe for glucose detection in different physiological media. High selectivity is achieved by functionalizing the surface of an only-core poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer optical fiber with phenilboronic groups, and enhanced sensitivity by using a U-shaped geometry. Employing a supercontinuum light source and a high-resolution spectrometer, absorption measurements are performed in the broadband visible light spectrum. Experimental results suggest the feasibility of such a fiber probe as a low-cost and selective glucose detector.

Heteroleptic Cu-Based Sensitizers in Photoredox Catalysis.

PubMed

Hernandez-Perez, Augusto C; Collins, Shawn K

2016-08-16

Photochemistry is an important tool in organic synthesis that has largely been underdeveloped in comparison to thermal activation. Recent advances in technology have ushered in a new era in synthetic photochemistry. The emergence of photocatalysis, which exploits sensitizers for the absorption of visible light, has provided organic chemists with a new route to the generation of radical intermediates for synthesis. Of particular interest is the development of Cu-based complexes for photocatalysis, which possess variable photophysical properties and can display complementary reactivity with common photocatalysts based on heavier transition metals such as Ru or Ir. Heteroleptic Cu-based sensitizers incorporating the presence of both a bisphosphine and diamine ligand bound to the copper center are a promising class of photocatalysts. Their synthesis is a single step, often involving only precipitation for purification. In addition, it was shown that the sensitizers could be formed in situ in the reaction mixture, simplifying the experimental setup. The heteroleptic nature of the Cu-complexes also affords opportunities to fine-tune properties. For example, structurally rigidified bisphosphines reinforce geometries about the metal center to extend the excited state lifetime. Variation of the diamine ligand can influence the excited state oxidation/reduction potentials and optical absorbances. The heteroleptic complex Cu(XantPhos)(neo)BF4 has demonstrated utility in the synthesis of helical polyaromatic carbocycles. The synthesis of [5]helicene, a relatively simple member of the helicene family, was improved from the existing UV-light mediated method by eliminating the formation of unwanted byproducts. In addition, the Cu-based sensitizers also promoted the formation of novel pyrene/helicene hybrids for materials science applications. The synthetic methods that were developed were augmented when combined with continuous flow technology. The irradiation of reaction mixtures as they are pumped through small diameter tubing provides a more homogeneous and increased photon flux compared with irradiation in round-bottom flasks or other batch reactors. The value of continuous flow methods is also evident when examining UV-light photochemistry, where the simple and safe experimental set-ups allow for further exploration of high energy light for synthetic purposes. The synthesis of functionalized complex carbazoles was also studied using both a visible light method exploiting a heteroleptic copper-based sensitizer and a UV-light mediated method. It was demonstrated that both the photocatalysis methods and UV light photochemistries were rendered more user-friendly, safe, and reproducible when using continuous flow methods. Interestingly, the two photochemical methods often afford contrasting selectivities as a result of their inherently different mechanisms. It can be expected that the complementarity of the various photochemical methods will be an asset to synthetic chemists as the field continues to evolve.

Ethanol-assisted multi-sensitive poly(vinyl alcohol) photonic crystal sensor.

PubMed

Chen, Cheng; Zhu, Yihua; Bao, Hua; Shen, Jianhua; Jiang, Hongliang; Peng, Liming; Yang, Xiaoling; Li, Chunzhong; Chen, Guorong

2011-05-21

An ethanol-assisted method is utilized to generate a robust gelated crystalline colloidal array (GCCA) photonic crystal sensor. The functionalized sensor efficiently diffracts the visible light and responds to various stimuli involving solvent, pH, cation, and compressive strain; the related color change can be easily distinguished by the naked eye. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Green synthesis of highly crystalline and visible-light sensitive C-, N- and S- codoped with Ag TiO2 nanocatalyst

EPA Science Inventory

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been a focus of attention as chemically stable, relatively nontoxic, inexpensive and highly efficient photocatalyst applicable for a wide array of uses. However, main disadvantage that severely limits its wider use is the large band gap, 3.0 eV and 3.2...

Use of near-infrared video recording system for the detection of freeze damaged citrus leaves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Escobar, D. E.; Bowen, R. L.; Gausman, H. W.; Cooper, G. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

A video recording system with a visible light blocking filter to give sensitivity in the 0.78 m to 1.1 m waveband detected freeze-damaged citrus leaves rapidly. With this technique, the time to analyze images can be decreased from about one day for conventional photography to less than one hour for video recording.

Manipulation of surface plasmon resonance of a graphene-based Au aperture antenna in visible and near-infrared regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Yuan; An, Yashuai; Tao, Zhi; Deng, Luogen

2018-03-01

Behaviors of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of a graphene-based Au aperture antenna are investigated in visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) regions. Compared with the SPR wavelength of a traditional Au aperture antenna, the SPR wavelength of the graphene-based Au aperture antenna shows a remarkable blue shift due to the redistribution of the electric field in the proposed structure. The electric field of the graphene-based Au aperture antenna is highly localized on the surface of the graphene in the aperture and redistributed to be a standing wave. Moreover, the SPR of a graphene-based Au aperture antenna is sensitive to the thickness and the refractive index of the dielectric layer, the graphene Fermi energy, the refractive index of the environment and the polarization direction of the incident light. Finally, we find the wavelength, intensity and phase of the reflected light of the graphene-based Au aperture antenna array can be actively modulated by varying the graphene Fermi energy. The proposed structure provides a promising platform for realizing a tunable optical filter, a highly sensitive refractive index sensor, and other actively tunable optical and optoelectronic devices.

Optical fibre luminescence sensor for real-time LDR brachytherapy dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woulfe, P.; Sullivan, F. J.; O'Keeffe, S.

2016-05-01

An optical fibre sensor for monitoring low dose radiation is presented. The sensor is based on a scintillation material embedded within the optical fibre core, which emits visible light when exposed to low level ionising radiation. The incident level of ionising radiation can be determined by analysing the optical emission. An optical fibre sensor is presented, based on radioluminescence whereby radiation sensitive scintillation material, terbium doped gadolinium oxysulphide (Gd2O2S:Tb), is embedded in a cavity of 250μm of a 500μm plastic optical fibre. The sensor is designed for in-vivo monitoring of the radiation dose during radio-active seed implantation for brachytherapy, in prostate cancer treatment, providing oncologists with real-time information of the radiation dose to the target area and/or nearby critical structures. The radiation from the brachytherapy seeds causes emission of visible light from the scintillation material through the process of radioluminescence, which penetrates the fibre, propagating along the optical fibre for remote detection using a multi-pixel photon counter. The sensor demonstrates a high sensitivity to Iodine-125, the radioactive source most commonly used in brachytherapy for treating prostate cancer.

Optical fibre luminescence sensor for real-time LDR brachytherapy dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woulfe, P.; O'Keeffe, S.; Sullivan, F. J.

2018-02-01

An optical fibre sensor for monitoring low dose radiation is presented. The sensor is based on a scintillation material embedded within the optical fibre core, which emits visible light when exposed to low level ionising radiation. The incident level of ionising radiation can be determined by analysing the optical emission. An optical fibre sensor is developed, based on radioluminescence whereby radiation sensitive scintillation material, terbium doped gadolinium oxysulphide (Gd2O2S:Tb), is embedded in a cavity of 700μm of a 1mm plastic optical fibre. The sensor is designed for in-vivo monitoring of the radiation dose during radio-active seed implantation for low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy, in prostate cancer treatment, providing radiation oncologists with real-time information of the radiation dose to the target area and/or nearby organs at risk (OARs). The radiation from the brachytherapy seeds causes emission of visible light from the scintillation material through the process of radioluminescence, which penetrates the fibre, propagating along the optical fibre for remote detection using a multi-pixel photon counter. The sensor demonstrates a high sensitivity to 0.397mCi of Iodine125, the radioactive source most commonly used in brachytherapy for treating prostate cancer.

Highly antireflective AlGaN/GaN ultraviolet photodetectors using ZnO nanorod arrays on inverted pyramidal surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

So, Hongyun; Lim, Jongwoo; Suria, Ateeq J.; Senesky, Debbie G.

2017-07-01

Highly antireflective heterostructured aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN)/GaN ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors were demonstrated using a combination of inverted pyramidal surfaces and zinc oxide nanorod arrays (i.e., antireflective surface modification) to enhance the optical sensitivity. The microfabricated hierarchical surfaces significantly reduced the average surface reflectance to less than 0.3% in the UV region and less than 1% in the visible light region, allowing near-perfect absorption of incident light regardless of the angle of incidence (5-80°). As a result, the photodetectors fabricated on highly antireflective AlGaN/GaN surfaces showed higher sensitivity and responsivity over a broad range of incidence angles compared to photodetectors on planar AlGaN/GaN surfaces, supporting the use of a hierarchically modified sensing surface for omnidirectional UV monitoring with higher sensitivity.

Research on optical biosensor with up-converting phosphor marker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yongkai; Zhou, Lei; Wang, Jing; Huang, Lihua; Yan, Zhongqiang; Huang, Huijie; Yang, Ruifu; Liu, Lei; Ren, Bingqiang; Wang, Xiangzhao

2006-08-01

An optical biosensor with up-converting phosphor (UCP) marker is developed for the sensitive rapid immunoassay to the specific biomolecule. UCP can emit visible light when excited by infrared light. Through detecting and analyzing the content of UCP particles on the test strip after immunoreaction, the concentration of target analyte in the sample can be obtained. The detection sensitivity to plague IgG is better than 5 ng/ml; to plague FI-Ab is better than 100 pg/ml; to plague Yersinia pestis cell is better than 3*10^(4) CFU/ml. Good linear response characteristics and an excellent correlation (R2>=0.95) have been verified by quantitative detection results. In the practical application, detection results to 167 analytic samples have an excellent consistency with those obtained by reverse hemagglutination test. The up-converting phosphor technology (UPT) based biosensor has stable, reliable, and sensitive performances. It can meet the need of various bioassay applications.

Vision: A Six-telescope Fiber-fed Visible Light Beam Combiner for the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

Visible-light long baseline interferometry holds the promise of advancing a number of important applications in fundamental astronomy, including the...advance the field of visible-light interferometry requires development of instruments capable of combing light from 15 baselines (6 telescopes

Photocatalytic degradation of Orange G on nitrogen-doped TiO2 catalysts under visible light and sunlight irradiation.

PubMed

Sun, Jianhui; Qiao, Liping; Sun, Shengpeng; Wang, Guoliang

2008-06-30

In this paper, the degradation of an azo dye Orange G (OG) on nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalysts has been investigated under visible light and sunlight irradiation. Under visible light irradiation, the doped TiO2 nanocatalysts demonstrated higher activity than the commercial Dugussa P25 TiO2, allowing more efficient utilization of solar light, while under sunlight, P25 showed higher photocatalytic activity. According to the X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis spectra analyses, it was found that both the nanosized anatase structure and the appearance of new absorption band in the visible region caused by nitrogen doping were responsible for the significant enhancement of OG degradation under visible light. In addition, the photosensitized oxidation mechanism originated from OG itself was also considered contributing to the higher visible-light-induced degradation efficiency. The effect of the initial pH of the solution and the dosage of hydrogen peroxide under different light sources was also investigated. Under visible light and sunlight, the optimal solution pH was both 2.0, while the optimal dosage of H2O2 was 5.0 and 15.0 mmol/l, respectively.

Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2-production activity of CdS-loaded TiO2 microspheres with exposed (001) facets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Bifen; Yuan, Xia; Lu, Penghui; Lin, Bizhou; Chen, Yilin

2015-12-01

CdS-loaded TiO2 microspheres with highly exposed (001) facets were prepared by hydrothermal treatment of a TiF4-HCl-H2O mixed solution followed by a chemical bath deposition of CdS onto TiO2 microspheres. The crystal structure, surficial micro-structure and photo-absorption property of the samples were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, etc. The as-prepared samples exhibited superior visible-light-driven photocatalytic H2-production activity from lactic acid aqueous solution in comparison with CdS-sensitized TiO2 nanoparticles, whose surface was dominated by (101) facets. Photoelectrochemical measurement confirmed that (001) facet is beneficial for the transfer of photo-generated electron from CdS to TiO2 microsphere, which led to the unexpected high photocatalytic activity of CdS-loaded TiO2 microspheres.

An Accreting Protoplanet: Confirmation and Characterization of LkCa15b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Follette, Katherine; Close, Laird; Males, Jared; Macintosh, Bruce; Sallum, Stephanie; Eisner, Josh; Kratter, Kaitlin M.; Morzinski, Katie; Hinz, Phil; Weinberger, Alycia; Rodigas, Timothy J.; Skemer, Andrew; Bailey, Vanessa; Vaz, Amali; Defrere, Denis; spalding, eckhart; Tuthill, Peter

2015-12-01

We present a visible light adaptive optics direct imaging detection of a faint point source separated by just 93 milliarcseconds (~15 AU) from the young star LkCa 15. Using Magellan AO's visible light camera in Simultaneous Differential Imaging (SDI) mode, we imaged the star at Hydrogen alpha and in the neighboring continuum as part of the Giant Accreting Protoplanet Survey (GAPplanetS) in November 2015. The continuum images provide a sensitive and simultaneous probe of PSF residuals and instrumental artifacts, allowing us to isolate H-alpha accretion luminosity from the LkCa 15b protoplanet, which lies well inside of the LkCa15 transition disk gap. This detection, combined with a nearly simultaneous near-infrared detection with the Large Binocular Telescope, provides an unprecedented glimpse at a planetary system during epoch of planet formation. [Nature result in press. Please embargo until released

A high-speed, eight-wavelength visible light-infrared pyrometer for shock physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Rongbo; Li, Shengfu; Zhou, Weijun; Luo, Zhen-Xiong; Meng, Jianhua; Tian, Jianhua; He, Lihua; Cheng, Xianchao

2017-09-01

An eight-channel, high speed pyrometer for precise temperature measurement is designed and realized in this work. The addition of longer-wavelength channels sensitive at lower temperatures highly expands the measured temperature range, which covers the temperature of interest in shock physics from 1500K-10000K. The working wavelength range is 400-1700nm from visible light to near-infrared (NIR). Semiconductor detectors of Si and InGaAs are used as photoelectric devices, whose bandwidths are 50MHz and 150MHz respectively. Benefitting from the high responsivity and high speed of detectors, the time resolution of the pyrometer can be smaller than 10ns. By combining the high-transmittance beam-splitters and narrow-bandwidth filters, the peak spectrum transmissivity of each channel can be higher than 60%. The gray-body temperatures of NaI crystal under shock-loading are successfully measured by this pyrometer.

Heterogeneous semiconductor photocatalysts for hydrogen production from aqueous solutions of electron donors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlova, E. A.; Parmon, V. N.

2017-09-01

Current views on heterogeneous photocatalysts for visible- and near-UV-light-driven production of molecular hydrogen from water and aqueous solutions of inorganic and organic electron donors are analyzed and summarized. Main types of such photocatalysts and methods for their preparation are considered. Particular attention is paid to semiconductor photocatalysts based on sulfides that are known to be sensitive to visible light. The known methods for increasing the quantum efficiency of the target process are discussed, including design of the structure, composition and texture of semiconductor photocatalysts and variation of the medium pH and the substrate and photocatalyst concentrations. Some important aspects of the activation and deactivation of sulfide photocatalysts and the evolution of their properties in the course of hydrogen production processes in the presence of various types of electron donors are analyzed. The bibliography includes 276 references.

Performance improvement by orthogonal pulse amplitude modulation and discrete multitone modulation signals in hybrid fiber-visible laser light communication system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Fangliu; He, Jing; Deng, Rui; Chen, Qinghui; Chen, Lin

2016-10-01

A modulation format, orthogonal pulse amplitude modulation and discrete multitone modulation (O-PAM-DMT), is experimentally demonstrated in a hybrid fiber-visible laser light communication (fiber-VLLC) system using a cost-effective directly modulated laser and blue laser diode. In addition, low overhead is achieved by utilizing only one training sequence to implement synchronization and channel estimation. Through adjusting the ratio of PAM and DMT signal, three types of O-PAM-DMT signals are investigated. After transmission over a 20-km standard single-mode fiber and 5-m free-space VLLC, the receiver sensitivity for 4.36-Gbit/s O-PAM-DMT signals can be improved by 0.4, 1.4, and 2.7 dB, respectively, at a bit error rate of 1×10-3, compared with a conventional DMT signal.

All-inorganic perovskite quantum dot/TiO2 inverse opal electrode platform: stable and efficient photoelectrochemical sensing of dopamine under visible irradiation.

PubMed

Chen, Xu; Li, Dongyu; Pan, Gencai; Zhou, Donglei; Xu, Wen; Zhu, Jinyang; Wang, He; Chen, Cong; Song, Hongwei

2018-06-07

CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br or I) perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have attracted tremendous attention due to their extraordinarily excellent optical properties. However, there is still an obstacle for their bio-application, which is limited by their water-instability. In this work, we have designed a novel visible light triggered photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor for dopamine (DA) based on CsPbBr1.5I1.5 PQD immobilized three-dimensional (3D) TiO2 inverse opal photonic crystals (IOPCs). Supported by the TiO2 IOPCs, the water-stability of the PQDs as well as that of the PEC sensor was considerably improved. Furthermore, employed as a photoactive material in PEC sensor, CsPbBr1.5I1.5 PQDs can expand the photocurrent response of the PEC sensor to the whole visible region. In addition, the modulation of the photonic stop band effect of TiO2 IOPCs on the incident light and the emission of PQDs could further enhance the photocurrent response. Such a PEC sensor demonstrates sensitive detection of DA in phosphate buffer saline solution and serum, with a good linear range from 0.1 μM to 250 μM and a low detection limit of approximately 0.012 μM. Our strategy opens an alternative horizon for PQD based PEC sensing, which could be more sensitive, convenient and inexpensive for clinical and biological analysis.

The visual light field in real scenes

PubMed Central

Xia, Ling; Pont, Sylvia C.; Heynderickx, Ingrid

2014-01-01

Human observers' ability to infer the light field in empty space is known as the “visual light field.” While most relevant studies were performed using images on computer screens, we investigate the visual light field in a real scene by using a novel experimental setup. A “probe” and a scene were mixed optically using a semitransparent mirror. Twenty participants were asked to judge whether the probe fitted the scene with regard to the illumination intensity, direction, and diffuseness. Both smooth and rough probes were used to test whether observers use the additional cues for the illumination direction and diffuseness provided by the 3D texture over the rough probe. The results confirmed that observers are sensitive to the intensity, direction, and diffuseness of the illumination also in real scenes. For some lighting combinations on scene and probe, the awareness of a mismatch between the probe and scene was found to depend on which lighting condition was on the scene and which on the probe, which we called the “swap effect.” For these cases, the observers judged the fit to be better if the average luminance of the visible parts of the probe was closer to the average luminance of the visible parts of the scene objects. The use of a rough instead of smooth probe was found to significantly improve observers' abilities to detect mismatches in lighting diffuseness and directions. PMID:25926970

Development of a visible light transmission (VLT) measurement system using an open-path optical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurulain, S.; Manap, H.

2017-09-01

This paper describes about a visible light transmission (VLT) measurement system using an optical method. VLT rate plays an important role in order to determine the visibility of a medium. Current instrument to measure visibility has a gigantic set up, costly and mostly fails to function at low light condition environment. This research focuses on the development of a VLT measurement system using a simple experimental set-up and at a low cost. An open path optical technique is used to measure a few series of known-VLT thin film that act as sample of different visibilities. This measurement system is able to measure the light intensity of these thin films within the visible light region (535-540 nm) and the response time is less than 1s.

Photocatalysis-Based Nanoprobes Using Noble Metal-Semiconductor Heterostructure for Visible Light-Driven in Vivo Detection of Mercury.

PubMed

Zhi, Lihua; Zeng, Xiaofan; Wang, Hao; Hai, Jun; Yang, Xiangliang; Wang, Baodui; Zhu, Yanhong

2017-07-18

The development of sensitive and reliable methods to monitor the presence of mercuric ions in cells and organisms is of great importance to biological research and biomedical applications. In this work, we propose a strategy to construct a solar-driven nanoprobe using a 3D Au@MoS 2 heterostructure as a photocatalyst and rhodamine B (RB) as a fluorescent and color change reporter molecule for monitoring Hg 2+ in living cells and animals. The sensing mechanism is based on the photoinduced electron formation of gold amalgam in the 3D Au@MoS 2 heterostructure under visible light illumination. This formation is able to remarkably inhibit the photocatalytic activity of the heterostructure toward RB decomposition. As a result, "OFF-ON" fluorescence and color change are produced. Such characteristics enable this new sensing platform to sensitively and selectively detect Hg 2+ in water by fluorescence and colorimetric methods. The detection limits of the fluorescence assay and colorimetric assay are 0.22 and 0.038 nM for Hg 2+ , respectively; these values are well below the acceptable limits in drinking water standards (10 nM). For the first time, such photocatalysis-based sensing platform is successfully used to monitor Hg 2+ in live cells and mice. Our work therefore opens a promising photocatalysis-based analysis methodology for highly sensitive and selective in vivo Hg 2+ bioimaging studies.

Light induced cytosolic drug delivery from liposomes with gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Lajunen, Tatu; Viitala, Lauri; Kontturi, Leena-Stiina; Laaksonen, Timo; Liang, Huamin; Vuorimaa-Laukkanen, Elina; Viitala, Tapani; Le Guével, Xavier; Yliperttula, Marjo; Murtomäki, Lasse; Urtti, Arto

2015-04-10

Externally triggered drug release at defined targets allows site- and time-controlled drug treatment regimens. We have developed liposomal drug carriers with encapsulated gold nanoparticles for triggered drug release. Light energy is converted to heat in the gold nanoparticles and released to the lipid bilayers. Localized temperature increase renders liposomal bilayers to be leaky and triggers drug release. The aim of this study was to develop a drug releasing system capable of releasing its cargo to cell cytosol upon triggering with visible and near infrared light signals. The liposomes were formulated using either heat-sensitive or heat- and pH-sensitive lipid compositions with star or rod shaped gold nanoparticles. Encapsulated fluorescent probe, calcein, was released from the liposomes after exposure to the light. In addition, the pH-sensitive formulations showed a faster drug release in acidic conditions than in neutral conditions. The liposomes were internalized into human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and did not show any cellular toxicity. The light induced cytosolic delivery of calcein from the gold nanoparticle containing liposomes was shown, whereas no cytosolic release was seen without light induction or without gold nanoparticles in the liposomes. The light activated liposome formulations showed a controlled content release to the cellular cytosol at a specific location and time. Triggering with visual and near infrared light allows good tissue penetration and safety, and the pH-sensitive liposomes may enable selective drug release in the intracellular acidic compartments (endosomes, lysosomes). Thus, light activated liposomes with gold nanoparticles are an attractive option for time- and site-specific drug delivery into the target cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

78 FR 18846 - Certifications and Exemptions Under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-28

... vertical separation of the anchor lights and vertical placement of the forward anchor light above the hull... forward of height light to visibility; visibility; visibility; sides in stern in above hull forward rule...

Sensitivity of light interaction computer model to the absorption properties of skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karsten, A. E.; Singh, A.

2011-06-01

Light based treatments offer major benefits to patients. Many of the light based treatments or diagnostic techniques need to penetrate the skin to reach the site of interest. Human skin is a highly scattering medium and the melanin in the epidermal layer of the skin is a major absorber of light in the visible and near infrared wavelength bands. The effect of increasing absorption in the epidermis is tested on skin simulating phantoms as well as on a computer model. Changing the absorption coefficient between 0.1 mm-1 and 1.0 mm-1 resulted in a decrease of light reaching 1 mm into the sample. Transmission through a 1 mm thick sample decreased from 48% to 13% and from 31% to 2% for the different scattering coefficients.

Delta-doped hybrid advanced detector for low energy particle detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunningham, Thomas J. (Inventor); Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Nikzad, Shouleh (Inventor); Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor); Soli, George A. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A delta-doped hybrid advanced detector (HAD) is provided which combines at least four types of technologies to create a detector for energetic particles ranging in energy from hundreds of electron volts (eV) to beyond several million eV. The detector is sensitive to photons from visible light to X-rays. The detector is highly energy-sensitive from approximately 10 keV down to hundreds of eV. The detector operates with milliwatt power dissipation, and allows non-sequential readout of the array, enabling various advanced readout schemes.

Delta-doped hybrid advanced detector for low energy particle detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cunningham, Thomas J. (Inventor); Fossum, Eric R. (Inventor); Nikzad, Shouleh (Inventor); Pain, Bedabrata (Inventor); Soli, George A. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A delta-doped hybrid advanced detector (HAD) is provided which combines at least four types of technologies to create a detector for energetic particles ranging in energy from hundreds of electron volts (eV) to beyond several million eV. The detector is sensitive to photons from visible light to X-rays. The detector is highly energy-sensitive from approximately 10 keV down to hundreds of eV. The detector operates with milliwatt power dissipation, and allows non-sequential readout of the array, enabling various advanced readout schemes.

Achromatization In The 3 To 5 μm Spectral Region With Visible Light Transmitting Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDowell, M. W.; Klee, H. W.

1984-04-01

The theoretical performances of several f/1.5 triplet lenses suitable for use in the 3 to 5um spectral region are compared. Examples are given in which all the materials used have a finite visible transmittance. As centering errors can thus be considerably reduced, it is expected that such a lens will in practice approach more closely its theoretical performance. These lenses are also considerably less sensitive to manufacturing tolerances as a result of lower index materials, and the use of low dn/dT materials offers other advantages over the more usual silicon-germanium combination.

Time-of-flight range imaging for underwater applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merbold, Hannes; Catregn, Gion-Pol; Leutenegger, Tobias

2018-02-01

Precise and low-cost range imaging in underwater settings with object distances on the meter level is demonstrated. This is addressed through silicon-based time-of-flight (TOF) cameras operated with light emitting diodes (LEDs) at visible, rather than near-IR wavelengths. We find that the attainable performance depends on a variety of parameters, such as the wavelength dependent absorption of water, the emitted optical power and response times of the LEDs, or the spectral sensitivity of the TOF chip. An in-depth analysis of the interplay between the different parameters is given and the performance of underwater TOF imaging using different visible illumination wavelengths is analyzed.

Development of a PET/Cerenkov-light hybrid imaging system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yamamoto, Seiichi, E-mail: s-yama@met.nagoya-u.ac.jp; Hamamura, Fuka; Kato, Katsuhiko

2014-09-15

Purpose: Cerenkov-light imaging is a new molecular imaging technology that detects visible photons from high-speed electrons using a high sensitivity optical camera. However, the merit of Cerenkov-light imaging remains unclear. If a PET/Cerenkov-light hybrid imaging system were developed, the merit of Cerenkov-light imaging would be clarified by directly comparing these two imaging modalities. Methods: The authors developed and tested a PET/Cerenkov-light hybrid imaging system that consists of a dual-head PET system, a reflection mirror located above the subject, and a high sensitivity charge coupled device (CCD) camera. The authors installed these systems inside a black box for imaging the Cerenkov-light.more » The dual-head PET system employed a 1.2 × 1.2 × 10 mm{sup 3} GSO arranged in a 33 × 33 matrix that was optically coupled to a position sensitive photomultiplier tube to form a GSO block detector. The authors arranged two GSO block detectors 10 cm apart and positioned the subject between them. The Cerenkov-light above the subject is reflected by the mirror and changes its direction to the side of the PET system and is imaged by the high sensitivity CCD camera. Results: The dual-head PET system had a spatial resolution of ∼1.2 mm FWHM and sensitivity of ∼0.31% at the center of the FOV. The Cerenkov-light imaging system's spatial resolution was ∼275μm for a {sup 22}Na point source. Using the combined PET/Cerenkov-light hybrid imaging system, the authors successfully obtained fused images from simultaneously acquired images. The image distributions are sometimes different due to the light transmission and absorption in the body of the subject in the Cerenkov-light images. In simultaneous imaging of rat, the authors found that {sup 18}F-FDG accumulation was observed mainly in the Harderian gland on the PET image, while the distribution of Cerenkov-light was observed in the eyes. Conclusions: The authors conclude that their developed PET/Cerenkov-light hybrid imaging system is useful to evaluate the merits and the limitations of Cerenkov-light imaging in molecular imaging research.« less

UVA is the major contributor to the photodegradation of tretinoin and isotretinoin: implications for development of improved pharmaceutical formulations

PubMed Central

Tashtoush, Bassam M.; Jacobson, Elaine L.; Jacobson, Myron K.

2008-01-01

The chemical stability of tretinoin (RA) and isotretinoin (13RA) in ethanol and dermatological cream preparations exposed to solar simulated light (SSL), UVA, and visible light has been studied. Photostability was monitored by an HPLC method that allowed simultaneous analysis of RA and 13RA, thus allowing photodegradation due to isomerization to other retinoids and photolysis to non-retinoid products to be monitored. Both retinoids undergo both isomerization and photolysis following SSL, UVA and visible light exposure but RA is more sensitive to photodegradation than 13RA. Degradation of both retinoids by photolysis is considerably greater in cream formulations than in ethanol and the photodegradation follows second order kinetics. Rate constants and half-lives for degradation of RA and 13RA in ethanol solution and cream preparations subjected to different light sources are reported. The UVA component of SSL is the major contributor to photodegradation. Since UVA penetrates deeply into skin, our results suggest that photodegradation of RA may contribute to the photosensitivity associated with RA therapy. Our studies suggest that development of improved formulations and the use of effective UVA sunscreens may reduce the side effects of RA therapy. PMID:18093761

UVA is the major contributor to the photodegradation of tretinoin and isotretinoin: Implications for development of improved pharmaceutical formulations.

PubMed

Tashtoush, Bassam M; Jacobson, Elaine L; Jacobson, Myron K

2008-03-20

The chemical stability of tretinoin (RA) and isotretinoin (13RA) in ethanol and dermatological cream preparations exposed to solar simulated light (SSL), UVA, and visible light has been studied. Photostability was monitored by an HPLC method that allowed simultaneous analysis of RA and 13RA, thus allowing photodegradation due to isomerization to other retinoids and photolysis to non-retinoid products to be monitored. Both retinoids undergo both isomerization and photolysis following SSL, UVA and visible light exposure but RA is more sensitive to photodegradation than 13RA. Degradation of both retinoids by photolysis is considerably greater in cream formulations than in ethanol and the photodegradation follows second order kinetics. Rate constants and half-lives for degradation of RA and 13RA in ethanol solution and cream preparations subjected to different light sources are reported. The UVA component of SSL is the major contributor to photodegradation. Since UVA penetrates deeply into skin, our results suggest that photodegradation of RA may contribute to the photosensitivity associated with RA therapy. Our studies suggest that development of improved formulations and the use of effective UVA sunscreens may reduce the side effects of RA therapy.

Highly Visible Light Responsive, Narrow Band gap TiO2 Nanoparticles Modified by Elemental Red Phosphorus for Photocatalysis and Photoelectrochemical Applications

PubMed Central

Ansari, Sajid Ali; Cho, Moo Hwan

2016-01-01

This paper reports that the introduction of elemental red phosphorus (RP) into TiO2 can shift the light absorption ability from the UV to the visible region, and confirmed that the optimal RP loading and milling time can effectively improve the visible light driven-photocatalytic activity of TiO2. The resulting RP-TiO2 nanohybrids were characterized systematically by a range of techniques and the photocatalytic ability of the RP-TiO2 photocatalysts was assessed further by the photodegradation of a model Rhodamine B pollutant under visible light irradiation. The results suggest that the RP-TiO2 has superior photodegradation ability for model contaminant decomposition compared to other well-known photocatalysts, such as TiO2 and other reference materials. Furthermore, as a photoelectrode, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, differential pulse voltammetry, and linear scan voltammetry were also performed in the dark and under visible light irradiation. These photoelectrochemical performances of RP-TiO2 under visible light irradiation revealed more efficient photoexcited electron-hole separation and rapid charge transfer than under the dark condition, and thus improved photocatalytic activity. These findings show that the use of earth abundant and inexpensive red phosphorus instead of expensive plasmonic metals for inducing visible light responsive characteristics in TiO2 is an effective strategy for the efficient energy conversion of visible light. PMID:27146098

Simultaneous Luminescence Pressure and Temperature Measurement System for Hypersonic Wind Tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buck, Gregory M.

1995-01-01

Surface pressures and temperatures are determined from visible emission brightness and green-to-red color ratioing of induced luminescence from a ceramic surface with an organic dye coating. A ceramic-dye matrix of porous silica ceramic with an adsorbed dye is developed for high-temperature pressure sensitivity and stability (up to 150 C). Induced luminescence may be excited using a broad range of incident radiation from visible blue light (488-nm wavelength) to the near ultraviolet (365 nm). Ceramic research models and test samples are fabricated using net-form slip-casting and sintering techniques. Methods of preparation and effects of adsorption film thickness on measurement sensitivity are discussed. With the present 8-bit imaging system a 10% pressure measurement uncertainty from 50 to 760 torr is estimated, with an improvement to 5% from 3 to 1500 torr with a 12-bit imaging system.

Augmented reality in laser laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quercioli, Franco

2018-05-01

Laser safety glasses block visibility of the laser light. This is a big nuisance when a clear view of the beam path is required. A headset made up of a smartphone and a viewer can overcome this problem. The user looks at the image of the real world on the cellphone display, captured by its rear camera. An unimpeded and safe sight of the laser beam is then achieved. If the infrared blocking filter of the smartphone camera is removed, the spectral sensitivity of the CMOS image sensor extends in the near infrared region up to 1100 nm. This substantial improvement widens the usability of the device to many laser systems for industrial and medical applications, which are located in this spectral region. The paper describes this modification of a phone camera to extend its sensitivity beyond the visible and make a true augmented reality laser viewer.

A Real-Time Ultraviolet Radiation Imaging System Using an Organic Photoconductive Image Sensor†

PubMed Central

Okino, Toru; Yamahira, Seiji; Yamada, Shota; Hirose, Yutaka; Odagawa, Akihiro; Kato, Yoshihisa; Tanaka, Tsuyoshi

2018-01-01

We have developed a real time ultraviolet (UV) imaging system that can visualize both invisible UV light and a visible (VIS) background scene in an outdoor environment. As a UV/VIS image sensor, an organic photoconductive film (OPF) imager is employed. The OPF has an intrinsically higher sensitivity in the UV wavelength region than those of conventional consumer Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors (CIS) or Charge Coupled Devices (CCD). As particular examples, imaging of hydrogen flame and of corona discharge is demonstrated. UV images overlapped on background scenes are simply made by on-board background subtraction. The system is capable of imaging weaker UV signals by four orders of magnitude than that of VIS background. It is applicable not only to future hydrogen supply stations but also to other UV/VIS monitor systems requiring UV sensitivity under strong visible radiation environment such as power supply substations. PMID:29361742

Fixing the Leak: Empirical Corrections for the Small Light Leak in Hinode XRT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saar, Steven H.; DeLuca, E. E.; McCauley, P.; Kobelski, A.

2013-07-01

On May 9, 2012, the the straylight level of XRT on Hinode suddenly increased, consistent with the appearance of a pinhole in the entrance filter (possibly a micrometeorite breach). The effect of this event is most noticeable in the optical G band data, which shows an average light excess of ~30%. However, data in several of the X-ray filters is also affected, due to low sensitivity "tails" of their filter responses into the visible. Observations taken with the G band filter but with the visible light shutter (VLS) closed show a weak, slightly shifted, out-of-focus image, revealing the leaked light. The intensity of the leak depends on telescope pointing, dropping strongly for images taken off-disk. By monitoring light levels in the corners of full-Sun Ti-poly filter images, we determine the approximate time of the event: ~13:30 UT. We use pairs of images taken just-before and after the filter breach to directly measure the leakage in two affected X-ray filters. We then develop a model using a scaled, shifted, and smoothed versions of the VLS closed images to remove the contamination. We estimate the uncertainties involved in our proposed correction procedure. This research was supported under NASA contract NNM07AB07C for Hinode XRT.

In vitro near-infrared imaging of natural secondary caries.

PubMed

Simon, Jacob C; Lucas, Seth; Lee, Robert; Darling, Cynthia L; Staninec, Michal; Vanderhobli, Ram; Pelzner, Roger; Fried, Daniel

2015-02-24

Secondary caries stands as the leading reason for the failure of composite restorations and dentists spend more time replacing existing restorations than placing new ones. Current clinical strategies, and even modern visible light methods designed to detect decay, lack the sensitivity to distinguish incipient lesions, are confounded by staining on the surface and within the tooth, or are limited to detecting decay on the tooth surface. Near-IR (NIR) imaging methods, such as NIR reflectance and transillumination imaging, and optical coherence tomography are promising strategies for imaging secondary caries. Wavelengths longer than 1300-nm avoid interference from stain and exploit the greater transparency of sound enamel and dental composites, to provide increased contrast with demineralized tissues and improved imaging depth. The purpose of this study was to determine whether NIR transillumination (λ=1300-nm) and NIR cross-polarized reflectance (λ=1500-1700-nm) images can serve as reliable indicators of demineralization surrounding composite restorations. Twelve composite margins (n=12) consisting of class I, II & V restorations were chosen from ten extracted teeth. The samples were imaged in vitro using NIR transillumination and reflectance, polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) and a high-magnification digital visible light microscope. Samples were serially sectioned into 200- μ m slices for histological analysis using polarized light microscopy (PLM) and transverse microradiography (TMR). The results presented demonstrate the utility of NIR light for detecting recurrent decay and suggest that NIR images could be a reliable screening tool used in conjunction with PS-OCT for the detection and diagnosis of secondary caries.

In-vitro near-infrared imaging of natural secondary caries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, Jacob C.; Lucas, Seth; Lee, Robert; Darling, Cynthia L.; Staninec, Michal; Vanderhobli, Ram; Pelzner, Roger; Fried, Daniel

2015-02-01

Secondary caries stands as the leading reason for the failure of composite restorations and dentists spend more time replacing existing restorations than placing new ones. Current clinical strategies, and even modern visible light methods designed to detect decay, lack the sensitivity to distinguish incipient lesions, are confounded by staining on the surface and within the tooth, or are limited to detecting decay on the tooth surface. Near-IR (NIR) imaging methods, such as NIR reflectance and transillumination imaging, and optical coherence tomography are promising strategies for imaging secondary caries. Wavelengths longer than 1300-nm avoid interference from stain and exploit the greater transparency of sound enamel and dental composites, to provide increased contrast with demineralized tissues and improved imaging depth. The purpose of this study was to determine whether NIR transillumination (λ=1300-nm) and NIR crosspolarized reflectance (λ=1500-1700-nm) images can serve as reliable indicators of demineralization surrounding composite restorations. Twelve composite margins (n=12) consisting of class I, II and V restorations were chosen from ten extracted teeth. The samples were imaged in vitro using NIR transillumination and reflectance, polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) and a high-magnification digital visible light microscope. Samples were serially sectioned into 200-μm slices for histological analysis using polarized light microscopy (PLM) and transverse microradiography (TMR). The results presented demonstrate the utility of NIR light for detecting recurrent decay and suggest that NIR images could be a reliable screening tool used in conjunction with PS-OCT for the detection and diagnosis of secondary caries.

Transparent, Flexible, Conformal Capacitive Pressure Sensors with Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kim, Hyeohn; Kim, Gwangmook; Kim, Taehoon; Lee, Sangwoo; Kang, Donyoung; Hwang, Min-Soo; Chae, Youngcheol; Kang, Shinill; Lee, Hyungsuk; Park, Hong-Gyu; Shim, Wooyoung

2018-02-01

The fundamental challenge in designing transparent pressure sensors is the ideal combination of high optical transparency and high pressure sensitivity. Satisfying these competing demands is commonly achieved by a compromise between the transparency and usage of a patterned dielectric surface, which increases pressure sensitivity, but decreases transparency. Herein, a design strategy for fabricating high-transparency and high-sensitivity capacitive pressure sensors is proposed, which relies on the multiple states of nanoparticle dispersity resulting in enhanced surface roughness and light transmittance. We utilize two nanoparticle dispersion states on a surface: (i) homogeneous dispersion, where each nanoparticle (≈500 nm) with a size comparable to the visible light wavelength has low light scattering; and (ii) heterogeneous dispersion, where aggregated nanoparticles form a micrometer-sized feature, increasing pressure sensitivity. This approach is experimentally verified using a nanoparticle-dispersed polymer composite, which has high pressure sensitivity (1.0 kPa -1 ), and demonstrates excellent transparency (>95%). We demonstrate that the integration of nanoparticle-dispersed capacitor elements into an array readily yields a real-time pressure monitoring application and a fully functional touch device capable of acting as a pressure sensor-based input device, thereby opening up new avenues to establish processing techniques that are effective on the nanoscale yet applicable to macroscopic processing. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites and investigation on visible-light photocatalytic degradation activity in magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Ma, C. H.; Wang, J.; Li, S. G.; Li, Y.

2014-12-01

In this study, Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites were prepared by three different methods (Ultraviolet Irradiation Deposition (UID), Vitamin C Reduction (VCR) and Sodium Borohydride Reduction (SBR)) for the visible-light photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in magnetic field. And then the prepared Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites were characterized physically by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The visible-light photocatalytic activities of these three kinds of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites were examined and compared through the degradation of several organic dyes under visible-light irradiation in magnetic field. In addition, some influence factors such as visible-light irradiation time, organic dye concentration, revolution speed, magnetic field intensity and organic dye kind on the visible-light photocatalytic activity of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composite were reviewed. The research results showed that the presence of magnetic field significantly enhanced the visible-light photocatalytic activity of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites and then contributed to the degradation of organic dyes.

Barium light source method and apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curry, John J. (Inventor); MacDonagh-Dumler, Jeffrey (Inventor); Anderson, Heidi M. (Inventor); Lawler, James E. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Visible light emission is obtained from a plasma containing elemental barium including neutral barium atoms and barium ion species. Neutral barium provides a strong green light emission in the center of the visible spectrum with a highly efficient conversion of electrical energy into visible light. By the selective excitation of barium ionic species, emission of visible light at longer and shorter wavelengths can be obtained simultaneously with the green emission from neutral barium, effectively providing light that is visually perceived as white. A discharge vessel contains the elemental barium and a buffer gas fill therein, and a discharge inducer is utilized to induce a desired discharge temperature and barium vapor pressure therein to produce from the barium vapor a visible light emission. The discharge can be induced utilizing a glow discharge between electrodes in the discharge vessel as well as by inductively or capacitively coupling RF energy into the plasma within the discharge vessel.

Transition metal-modified zinc oxides for UV and visible light photocatalysis.

PubMed

Bloh, J Z; Dillert, R; Bahnemann, D W

2012-11-01

In order to use photocatalysis with solar light, finding more active and especially visible light active photocatalysts is a very important challenge. Also, studies of these photocatalysts should employ a standardized test procedure so that their results can be accurately compared and evaluated with one another. A systematic study of transition metal-modified zinc oxide was conducted to determine whether they are suitable as visible light photocatalysts. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO modified with eight different transition metals (Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ru, Ti, Zr) in three different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, and 1 at.%) was investigated under irradiation with UV as well as with visible light. The employed activity test is the gas-phase degradation of acetaldehyde as described by the ISO standard 22197-2. The results suggest that the UV activity can be improved with almost any modification element and that there exists an optimal modification ratio at about 0.1 at.%. Additionally, Mn- and Ru-modified ZnO display visible light activity. Especially the Ru-modified ZnO is highly active and surpasses the visible light activity of all studied titania standards. These findings suggest that modified zinc oxides may be a viable alternative to titanium dioxide-based catalysts for visible light photocatalysis. Eventually, possible underlying mechanisms are proposed and discussed.

Dispersion-free continuum two-dimensional electronic spectrometer

PubMed Central

Zheng, Haibin; Caram, Justin R.; Dahlberg, Peter D.; Rolczynski, Brian S.; Viswanathan, Subha; Dolzhnikov, Dmitriy S.; Khadivi, Amir; Talapin, Dmitri V.; Engel, Gregory S.

2015-01-01

Electronic dynamics span broad energy scales with ultrafast time constants in the condensed phase. Two-dimensional (2D) electronic spectroscopy permits the study of these dynamics with simultaneous resolution in both frequency and time. In practice, this technique is sensitive to changes in nonlinear dispersion in the laser pulses as time delays are varied during the experiment. We have developed a 2D spectrometer that uses broadband continuum generated in argon as the light source. Using this visible light in phase-sensitive optical experiments presents new challenges in implementation. We demonstrate all-reflective interferometric delays using angled stages. Upon selecting an ~180 nm window of the available bandwidth at ~10 fs compression, we probe the nonlinear response of broadly absorbing CdSe quantum dots and electronic transitions of Chlorophyll a. PMID:24663470

Selective aerobic oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes over Nb2O5 photocatalyst with visible light.

PubMed

Furukawa, Shinya; Shishido, Tetsuya; Teramura, Kentaro; Tanaka, Tsunehiro

2014-09-15

Primary alcohols are selectively converted into aldehydes by using a Nb(2)O(5) photocatalyst under visible-light irradiation. A strong interaction between the alcohol and Nb(2)O(5) generates a donor level within the forbidden band of Nb(2)O(5), which provides a visible-light-harvesting ability. Over oxidation of aldehydes into carboxylic acids does not proceed under visible-light irradiation. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Observation of radiative surface plasmons in metal-oxide-metal tunnel junctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donohue, J. F.; Yang, E. Y.

1986-01-01

A peak in the UV region of the spectrum of light emitted from metal-oxide-metal (MOM) tunnel junctions has been observed at room temperature. Both the amplitude and wavelength of the peak are sensitive to applied junction bias. The UV peak corresponds to the normal or radiative surface plasmon mode while a visible peak, also present in the present spectra and reported in past MOM literature, is due to the tangential or nonradiative mode. The radiative mode requires no surface roughness or gratings for photon coupling. The results show that it is possible to obtain radiative surface plasmon production followed by a direct decay into photons with MOM tunnel diodes. A MOM diode with a double anode structure is found to emit light associated only with the nonradiative mode. The thickness dependence of the UV peak, along with the experimental results of the double anode MOM diode and the ratio of the UV peak to visible peak, support the contention that the UV light emission is indeed due to the radiative surface plasmon.

Facile synthesis of hierarchical Ag3PO4/TiO2 nanofiber heterostructures with highly enhanced visible light photocatalytic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Jinlei; Yang, Yefeng; He, Haiping; Cheng, Ding; Mao, Minmin; Jiang, Qinxu; Song, Lixin; Xiong, Jie

2015-11-01

Heterostructured semiconductor nanostructures have provoked great interest in the areas of energy, environment and catalysis. Herein, we report a novel hierarchical Ag3PO4/TiO2 heterostructure consisting of nearly spherical Ag3PO4 particles firmly coupled on the surface of TiO2 nanofibers (NFs). The construction of Ag3PO4/TiO2 heterostructure with tailored morphologies, compositions and optical properties was simply achieved via a facile and green synthetic strategy involving the electrospinning and solution-based processes. Owing to the synergetic effects of the components, the resulting hybrid heterostructures exhibited much improved visible light photocatalytic performance, which could degrade the RhB dye completely in 7.5 min. In addition, the coupling of Ag3PO4 particles with UV-light-sensitive TiO2 NFs enabled full utilization of solar energy and less consumption of noble metals, significantly appealing for their practical use in new energy sources and environmental issues. The developed synthetic strategy was considered to be applicable for the rational design and construction of other heterostructured catalysts.

A novel, visible light-induced, rapidly cross-linkable gelatin scaffold for osteochondral tissue engineering

PubMed Central

Mazaki, Tetsuro; Shiozaki, Yasuyuki; Yamane, Kentaro; Yoshida, Aki; Nakamura, Mariko; Yoshida, Yasuhiro; Zhou, Di; Kitajima, Takashi; Tanaka, Masato; Ito, Yoshihiro; Ozaki, Toshifumi; Matsukawa, Akihiro

2014-01-01

Osteochondral injuries remain difficult to repair. We developed a novel photo-cross-linkable furfurylamine-conjugated gelatin (gelatin-FA). Gelatin-FA was rapidly cross-linked by visible light with Rose Bengal, a light sensitizer, and was kept gelled for 3 weeks submerged in saline at 37°C. When bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs) were suspended in gelatin-FA with 0.05% Rose Bengal, approximately 87% of the cells were viable in the hydrogel at 24 h after photo-cross-linking, and the chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs was maintained for up to 3 weeks. BMP4 fusion protein with a collagen binding domain (CBD) was retained in the hydrogels at higher levels than unmodified BMP4. Gelatin-FA was subsequently employed as a scaffold for BMSCs and CBD-BMP4 in a rabbit osteochondral defect model. In both cases, the defect was repaired with articular cartilage-like tissue and regenerated subchondral bone. This novel, photo-cross-linkable gelatin appears to be a promising scaffold for the treatment of osteochondral injury. PMID:24662725

Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Behaviour of Tuned Band Gap CdSe QDs Sensitized LaB₆.

PubMed

Babu, M Soban; Sivanantham, A; Chakravarthi, B Barath; Kannan, R Sujith; Panda, Subhendu K; Berchmans, L John; Arya, S B; Sreedhar, Gosipathala

2017-01-01

We report the fabrication of tuned band gap quantum dots sensitized LaB₆ hybrid nanostructures and their application as a photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting. The lanthanum hexaboride (LaB₆) obtained by molten salt electrolysis method is sensitized with different sized CdSe quantum dots, which form a multiple-level hierarchical heterostructure and such design enhance the light absorption and charge carrier separation, which in turn showed higher photocurrent density compared to that of pristine LaB₆. When LaB₆ is sensitized with CdSe quantum dots of different band gaps, which have the absorption in the green and red (530 and 605 nm) regions in visible light, developed a ten times higher photocurrent density (11.0 mA cm(−2)) compared to that of pristine LaB6 (0.5 mA cm(−2) at 0.75 V vs. Ag/AgCl) in 1 M Na₂S electrolyte under illumination. These results prove that the tuned band gap quantum dots sensitized LaB₆ heterostructures are an ideal candidate for a photoanode in solar water splitting applications.

Tunable Spectrum Selectivity for Multiphoton Absorption with Enhanced Visible Light Trapping in ZnO Nanorods.

PubMed

Tan, Kok Hong; Lim, Fang Sheng; Toh, Alfred Zhen Yang; Zheng, Xia-Xi; Dee, Chang Fu; Majlis, Burhanuddin Yeop; Chai, Siang-Piao; Chang, Wei Sea

2018-04-17

Observation of visible light trapping in zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs) correlated to the optical and photoelectrochemical properties is reported. In this study, ZnO NR diameter and c-axis length respond primarily at two different regions, UV and visible light, respectively. ZnO NR diameter exhibits UV absorption where large ZnO NR diameter area increases light absorption ability leading to high efficient electron-hole pair separation. On the other hand, ZnO NR c-axis length has a dominant effect in visible light resulting from a multiphoton absorption mechanism due to light reflection and trapping behavior in the free space between adjacent ZnO NRs. Furthermore, oxygen vacancies and defects in ZnO NRs are associated with the broad visible emission band of different energy levels also highlighting the possibility of the multiphoton absorption mechanism. It is demonstrated that the minimum average of ZnO NR c-axis length must satisfy the linear regression model of Z p,min = 6.31d to initiate the multiphoton absorption mechanism under visible light. This work indicates the broadening of absorption spectrum from UV to visible light region by incorporating a controllable diameter and c-axis length on vertically aligned ZnO NRs, which is important in optimizing the design and functionality of electronic devices based on light absorption mechanism. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Solar Synthesis: Prospects in Visible Light Photocatalysis

PubMed Central

Schultz, Danielle M.; Yoon, Tehshik P.

2015-01-01

Chemists have long aspired to synthesize molecules the way that plants do — using sunlight to facilitate the construction of complex molecular architectures. Nevertheless, the use of visible light in photochemical synthesis is fundamentally challenging because organic molecules tend not to interact with the wavelengths of visible light that are most strongly emitted in the solar spectrum. Recent research has begun to leverage the ability of visible light absorbing transition metal complexes to catalyze a broad range of synthetically valuable reactions. In this review, we highlight how an understanding of the mechanisms of photocatalytic activation available to these transition metal complexes, and of the general reactivity patterns of the intermediates accessible via visible light photocatalysis, has accelerated the development of this diverse suite of reactions. PMID:24578578

Solar synthesis: prospects in visible light photocatalysis.

PubMed

Schultz, Danielle M; Yoon, Tehshik P

2014-02-28

Chemists have long aspired to synthesize molecules the way that plants do-using sunlight to facilitate the construction of complex molecular architectures. Nevertheless, the use of visible light in photochemical synthesis is fundamentally challenging because organic molecules tend not to interact with the wavelengths of visible light that are most strongly emitted in the solar spectrum. Recent research has begun to leverage the ability of visible light-absorbing transition metal complexes to catalyze a broad range of synthetically valuable reactions. In this review, we highlight how an understanding of the mechanisms of photocatalytic activation available to these transition metal complexes, and of the general reactivity patterns of the intermediates accessible via visible light photocatalysis, has accelerated the development of this diverse suite of reactions.

An aqueous, organic dye derivatized SnO 2 /TiO 2 core/shell photoanode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wee, Kyung-Ryang; Sherman, Benjamin D.; Brennaman, M. Kyle

2016-01-01

Visible light driven water splitting in a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell (DSPEC) based on a phosphonic acid-derivatized donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) organic dye (P–A–π–D) is described with the dye anchored to an FTO|SnO 2/TiO 2core/shell photoanode in a pH 7 phosphate buffer solution.

Improved spring model-based collaborative indoor visible light positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Zhijie; Zhang, WeiNan; Zhou, GuoFu

2016-06-01

Gaining accuracy with indoor positioning of individuals is important as many location-based services rely on the user's current position to provide them with useful services. Many researchers have studied indoor positioning techniques based on WiFi and Bluetooth. However, they have disadvantages such as low accuracy or high cost. In this paper, we propose an indoor positioning system in which visible light radiated from light-emitting diodes is used to locate the position of receivers. Compared with existing methods using light-emitting diode light, we present a high-precision and simple implementation collaborative indoor visible light positioning system based on an improved spring model. We first estimate coordinate position information using the visible light positioning system, and then use the spring model to correct positioning errors. The system can be employed easily because it does not require additional sensors and the occlusion problem of visible light would be alleviated. We also describe simulation experiments, which confirm the feasibility of our proposed method.

High visibility temporal ghost imaging with classical light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jianbin; Wang, Jingjing; Chen, Hui; Zheng, Huaibin; Liu, Yanyan; Zhou, Yu; Li, Fu-li; Xu, Zhuo

2018-03-01

High visibility temporal ghost imaging with classical light is possible when superbunching pseudothermal light is employed. In the numerical simulation, the visibility of temporal ghost imaging with pseudothermal light, equaling (4 . 7 ± 0 . 2)%, can be increased to (75 ± 8)% in the same scheme with superbunching pseudothermal light. The reasons for that the retrieved images are different for superbunching pseudothermal light with different values of degree of second-order coherence are discussed in detail. It is concluded that high visibility and high quality temporal ghost image can be obtained by collecting sufficient number of data points. The results are helpful to understand the difference between ghost imaging with classical light and entangled photon pairs. The superbunching pseudothermal light can be employed to improve the image quality in ghost imaging applications.

Is light-induced degradation of a-Si:H/c-Si interfaces reversible?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

El Mhamdi, El Mahdi; Holovsky, Jakub; Demaurex, Bénédicte

2014-06-23

Thin hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films deposited on crystalline silicon (c-Si) surfaces are sensitive probes for the bulk electronic properties of a-Si:H. Here, we use such samples during repeated low-temperature annealing and visible-light soaking to investigate the long-term stability of a-Si:H films. We observe that during annealing the electronic improvement of the interfaces follows stretched exponentials as long as hydrogen evolution in the films can be detected. Once such evolution is no longer observed, the electronic improvement occurs much faster. Based on these findings, we discuss how the reversibility of light-induced defects depends on (the lack of observable) hydrogen evolution.

Visible-Light Upconversion Carbon Quantum Dots Decorated TiO2 for the Photodegradation of Flowing Gaseous Acetaldehyde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yidan; Xie, Xiaofeng; Wang, Xiao; Wang, Yan; Zeng, Yi; Pui, David Y. H.; Sun, Jing

2018-05-01

Carbon-modified photocatalyst has attracted extensive attentions in the field of gaseous pollutant removal, mainly due to the improved adsorption properties and electronic transport of carbon matrix, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and fullerene, etc. In this work, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were employed to enhance the photocatalytic performance of TiO2-based composites for flowing gaseous acetaldehyde removal. Besides the aforementioned advantages of carbon materials, the unique up-converted photoluminescence property of CQDs is capable of extending the optical absorption to visible-light range. Moreover, the electron spin resonance (ESR) results firstly verified a stable existence of Ti3+ defect in the CQDs/TiO2 composite, which is possibly induced by the electron migration from CQDs to TiO2. And the formed Ti3+ donor energy level in the band gap could further help with the visible-light harvesting. During the photodegradation experiments, with two-hour continuous flowing gaseous acetaldehyde injection (500 ppm, 20 sccm), the CQDs/TiO2 composite remained 99% removal efficiency under fluorescent lamp irradiation (λ > 380 nm). The optimized CQDs content was obtained as 3 wt%, and the underlying mechanism was further analyzed by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) methods. This work will push forward the air purification researches by providing new insights of CQDs sensitized photocatalyst.

In-Situ Generated Graphene as the Catalytic Site for Visible-Light Mediated Ethylene Epoxidation on AG Nanocatalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xueqiang Alex; Jain, Prashant

2017-06-01

Despite the harsh conditions for chemical conversion, ethylene oxide produced from ethylene epoxidation on Ag-based heterogeneous catalyst constitutes one of the largest volume chemicals in chemical industry. Recently, photocatalytic epoxidation of ethylene over plasmonic Ag nanoparticles enables the chemical conversion under significantly decreased temperature and ambient pressure conditions. Yet a detailed understanding of the photocatalytic process at the reactant/catalyst interface is under debate. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy technique that enables the localized detection of rare and/or transient chemical species with high sensitivity under in situ and ambient conditions. Using SERS, we are able to monitor at individual sites of an Ag nanocatalyst the visible-light-mediated adsorption and epoxidation of ethylene. From detected intermediates, we find that the primary step in the photoepoxidation is the transient formation of graphene catalyzed by the Ag surface. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations that model the observed SERS spectra suggest that the defective edge sites of the graphene formed on Ag constitute the active site for C2H4 adsorption and epoxidation. Further studies with pre-formed graphene/Ag catalyst composites confirm the indispensable role of graphene in visible-light-mediated ethylene epoxidation. Carbon is often thought to be either an innocent support or a poison for metallic catalysts; however our studies reveal a surprising role for crystalline carbon layers as potential co-catalysts.

Alpha Lead Oxide (α-PbO): A New 2D Material with Visible Light Sensitivity.

PubMed

Kumar, Prashant; Liu, Jing; Ranjan, Pranay; Hu, Yaowu; Yamijala, Sharma Srkc; Pati, Swapan K; Irudayaraj, Joseph; Cheng, Gary J

2018-03-01

Even though transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are deemed to be novel photonic and optoelectronic 2D materials, the visible band gap being often limited to monolayer, hampers their potential in niche applications due to fabrication challenges. Uncontrollable defects and degraded functionalities at elevated temperature and under extreme environments further restrict their prospects. To address such limitations, the discovery of a new 2D material, α-PbO is reported. Micromechanical as well as sonochemical exfoliation of 2D atomic sheets of α-PbO are demonstrated and its optical behavior is investigated. Spectroscopic investigations indicate layer dependent band gaps. In particular, even multilayered PbO sheets exhibit visible band gap > 2 eV (direct) which is rare among semiconducting 2D materials. The emission lifetime of multilayer PbO atomic sheets is 7 ns (dim light) as compared to the monolayer which gives 2.5 ns lifetime and an intense light. Density functional theory calculations of layer dependent band structure of α-PbO matches well with experimental results. Experimental findings suggest that PbO atomic sheets exhibit hydrophobic nature, thermal robustness, microwave stability, anti-corrosive behaviour and acid resistance. This new low-cost, abundant and robust 2D material is expected to find many applications in the fields of electronics, optoelectronics, sensors, photocatalysis and energy storage. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Merging Visible Light Photoredox Catalysis with Metal Catalyzed C–H Activations: On the Role of Oxygen and Superoxide Ions as Oxidants

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Conspectus The development of efficient catalytic systems for direct aromatic C–H bond functionalization is a long-desired goal of chemists, because these protocols provide environmental friendly and waste-reducing alternatives to classical methodologies for C–C and C–heteroatom bond formation. A key challenge for these transformations is the reoxidation of the in situ generated metal hydride or low-valent metal complexes of the primary catalytic bond forming cycle. To complete the catalytic cycle and to regenerate the C–H activation catalyst, (super)stoichiometric amounts of Cu(II) or Ag(I) salts have often been applied. Recently, “greener” approaches have been developed by applying molecular oxygen in combination with Cu(II) salts, internal oxidants that are cleaved during the reaction, or solvents or additives enabling the metal hydride reoxidation. All these approaches improved the environmental friendliness but have not overcome the obstacles associated with the overall limited functional group and substrate tolerance. Hence, catalytic processes that do not feature the unfavorable aspects described above and provide products in a streamlined as well as economically and ecologically advantageous manner would be desirable. In this context, we decided to examine visible light photoredox catalysis as a new alternative to conventionally applied regeneration/oxidation procedures. This Account summarizes our recent advances in this expanding area and will highlight the new concept of merging distinct redox catalytic processes for C–H functionalizations through the application of visible light photoredox catalysis. Photoredox catalysis can be considered as catalytic electron-donating or -accepting processes, making use of visible-light absorbing homogeneous and heterogeneous metal-based catalysts, as well as organic dye sensitizers or polymers. As a consequence, photoredox catalysis is, in principle, an ideal tool for the recycling of any given metal catalyst via a coupled electron transfer (ET) process. Here we describe our first successful endeavors to address the above challenges by combining visible light photoredox catalysis with different ruthenium, rhodium, or palladium catalyzed C–H activations. Since only small amounts of the oxidant are generated and are immediately consumed in these transformations, side reactions of substrates or products can be avoided. Thus, usually oxidant-sensible substrates can be used, which makes these methods highly suitable for complex molecular structure syntheses. Moreover, mechanistic studies shed light on new reaction pathways, intermediates, and in situ generated species. The successful development of our dual catalysis concept, consisting of combined visible light photoredox catalysis and metal catalyzed C–H functionalization, provides many new opportunities for further explorations in the field of C–H functionalization. PMID:27556812

Simulation of photons from plasmas for the applications to display devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hae June; Yoon, Hyun Jin; Lee, Jae Koo

2007-07-01

Numerical modeling of the photon transport of the ultraviolet (UV) and the visible lights are presented for plasma based display devices. The transport of UV lights which undergo resonance trapping by ground state atoms is solved by using the Holstein equation. After the UV lights are transformed to visible lights at the phosphor surfaces, the visible lights experience complicated traces inside the cell and finally are emitted toward the viewing window after having some power loss within the cell. A three-dimensional ray trace of the visible lights is calculated with a radiosity model. These simulations for the photons strengthen plasma discharge modeling for the application to display devices.

[VISIBLE LIGHT AND HUMAN SKIN (REVIEW)].

PubMed

Tsibadze, A; Chikvaidze, E; Katsitadze, A; Kvachadze, I; Tskhvediani, N; Chikviladze, A

2015-09-01

Biological effect of a visible light depends on extend of its property to penetrate into the tissues: the greater is a wavelength the more is an effect of a radiation. An impact of a visible light on the skin is evident by wave and quantum effects. Quanta of a visible radiation carry more energy than infrared radiation, although an influence of such radiation on the skin is produced by the light spectrum on the boarder of the ultraviolet and the infrared rays and is manifested by thermal and chemical effects. It is determined that large doses of a visible light (405-436 nm) can cause skin erythema. At this time, the ratio of generation of free radicals in the skin during an exposure to the ultraviolet and the visible light range from 67-33% respectively. Visible rays of 400-500 nm length of wave cause an increase of the concentration of oxygen's active form and mutation of DNA and proteins in the skin. The urticaria in 4-18% of young people induced by photodermatosis is described. As a result of a direct exposure to sunlight photosensitive eczema is more common in elderly. Special place holds a hereditary disease - porphyria, caused by a visible light. In recent years, dermatologists widely use phototherapy. The method uses polychromatic, non-coherent (wavelength of 515-1200 nm) pulsating beam. During phototherapy/light treatment a patient is being exposed to sunlight or bright artificial light. Sources of visible light are lasers, LEDs and fluorescent lamps which have the full range of a visible light. Phototherapy is used in the treatment of acne vulgaris, seasonal affective disorders, depression, psoriasis, eczema and neurodermities. LED of the red and near infrared range also is characterized by the therapeutic effect. They have an ability to influence cromatophores and enhance ATP synthesis in mitochondria. To speed up the healing of wounds and stimulate hair growth light sources of a weak intensity are used. The light of blue-green spectrum is widely used for the treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemy. A photodynamic therapy takes a special place. The third generation of the blue (410 nm), yellow (595 nm) and red photosensitors are used. Photodynamic therapy is used in the treatment of cancer as well.

Impacts of PM concentrations on visibility impairment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jie, Guo; Wang, Mei-mei; Han, Ye-Xing; Yu, Zhi-Wei; Tang, Huai-Wu

2016-11-01

In the paper, an accurate and sensitive cavity attenuated phase shift spectroscopy (CAPS) sensor was used to monitor the atmospheric visibility. The CAPS system mainly includes a LED light source, a band-pass filter, an optical resonant cavity (composed of two high mirror, reflectivity is greater than 99.99%), a photoelectric detector and a lock-in amplifier. The 2L/min flow rate, the optical sensor rise and fall response time is about 15 s, so as to realize the fast measurement of visibility. An Allan variance analysis was carried out evaluating the optical system stability (and hence the maximum averaging time for the minimum detection limit) of the CAPS system. The minima ( 0.1 Mm-1) in the Allan plots show the optimum average time ( 100s) for optimum detection performance of the CAPS system. During this period, the extinction coefficient was correlated with PM2.5 mass (0.88), the extinction coefficient was correlated with PM10 mass (0.85). The atmospheric visibility was correlated with PM2.5 mass (0.74). The atmospheric visibility was correlated with PM10 mass (0.66).

Performance and stability analysis of curcumin dye as a photo sensitizer used in nanostructured ZnO based DSSC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, D.; De, D.; Ayaz, A.

2018-03-01

Environmental friendly natural dye curcumin extracted from low-cost Curcumina longa stem is used as a photo-sensitizer for the fabrication of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Nanostructured ZnO is fabricated on a transparent conducting glass (TCO), using a cost-effective chemical bath deposition technique. Scanning electron microscopic images show hexagonal patterned ZnO nano-towers decorated with several nanosteps. The average length of ZnO nano-tower is 5 μm and diameter is 1.2 μm. The UV-Vis spectroscopic study of the curcumin dye is used to understand the light absorption behavior as well as band gap energy of the extracted natural dye. The dye shows wider absorption band-groups over 350-470 nm and 500-600 nm with two peaks positioned at 425 nm and 525 nm. The optical band gap energy and energy band position of the dye is derived which supports its stability and high electron affinity that makes it suitable for light harvesting and effortless electron transfer from dye to the semiconductor or interface between them. FTIR spectrum of curcumin dye-sensitized ZnO-based DSSC shows the presence of anchoring groups and colouring constitutes. The I-V and P-V curves of the fabricated DSSC are measured under simulated light (100 mW/cm2). The highest visible light to electric conversion efficiency of 0.266% (using ITO) and 0.33% (using FTO) is achieved from the curcumin dye-sensitized cell.

Highly sensitive mode mapping of whispering-gallery modes by scanning thermocouple-probe microscopy.

PubMed

Klein, Angela E; Schmidt, Carsten; Liebsch, Mattes; Janunts, Norik; Dobynde, Mikhail; Tünnermann, Andreas; Pertsch, Thomas

2014-03-01

We propose a method for mapping optical near-fields with the help of a thermocouple scanning-probe microscope tip. As the tip scans the sample surface, its apex is heated by light absorption, generating a thermovoltage. The thermovoltage map represents the intensity distribution of light at the sample surface. The measurement technique has been employed to map optical whispering-gallery modes in fused silica microdisk resonators operating at near-infrared wavelengths. The method could potentially be employed for near-field imaging of a variety of systems in the near-infrared and visible spectral range.

Phosphor thermography technique in hypersonic wind tunnel - Feasibility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edy, J. L.; Bouvier, F.; Baumann, P.; Le Sant, Y.

Probative research has been undertaken at ONERA on a new technique of thermography in hypersonic wind tunnels. This method is based on the heat sensitivity of a luminescent coating applied to the model. The luminescent compound, excited by UV light, emits visible light, the properties of which depend on the phosphor temperature, among other factors. Preliminary blowdown wind tunnel tests have been performed, firstly for spot measurements and then for cartographic measurements using a 3-CCD video camera, a BETACAM video recorder and a digital image processing system. The results provide a good indication of the method feasibility.

Contribution to the theory of photopic vision: Retinal phenomena

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calvet, H.

1979-01-01

Principles of thermodynamics are applied to the study of the ultramicroscopic anatomy of the inner eye. Concepts introduced and discussed include: the retina as a three-dimensional sensor, light signals as coherent beams in relation to the dimensions of retinal pigments, pigment effects topographed by the conjugated antennas effect, visualizing lights, the autotropic function of hemoglobin and some cytochromes, and reversible structural arrangements during photopic adaptation. A paleoecological diagram is presented which traces the evolution of scotopic vision (primitive system) to photopic vision (secondary system) through the emergence of structures sensitive to the intensity, temperature, and wavelengths of the visible range.

3D hierarchical structures MnO2/C: A highly efficient catalyst for purification of volatile organic compounds with visible light irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Junli; Wu, Ming; Zhang, Yajun; Zhu, Chenguang; Fang, Yiwen; Li, Yongfeng; Yu, Lin

2018-07-01

This work mainly focuses on exploring carbon coated ε-MnO2 (ε-MnO2/C) with 3D hierarchical structures for degradation of gaseous toluene under visible light. Influence of C-coating on surface adsorption, visible-light activity and photocatalytic activities of C-coated MnO2 have been investigated. The results indicate that the C-coating behave as the adsorption and electron-transfer system, and the resulting C-coated ε-MnO2 could extend the optical response from UV to visible light region, which can generate more electron - hole pairs. The photocatalyst ε-MnO2/0.45C exhibited excellent visible-light photocatalytic activities, with degradation rate of toluene up to 87.34% in 70 min, but no photocatalytic activity could be observed for the pure ε-MnO2. The PL spectra and photocurrent response results indicate that the composite structure can not only enhance the utilization of visible light but also consequently reduce electron (e-)-hole (h+) pair recombination, which improve the photocatalytic efficiency of the composite photocatalyst. This work provides a facile and economic approach for fabricating photocatalysts with high efficiency for degradation of VOCs under visible light at room temperature.

Once the Light Touch to the Brain: Cytotoxic Effects of Low-Dose Gamma-Ray, Laser Light, and Visible Light on Rat Neuronal Cell Culture

PubMed Central

Cakir, Murteza; Colak, Abdullah; Calikoglu, Cagatay; Taspinar, Numan; Sagsoz, Mustafa Erdem; Kadioglu, Hakan Hadi; Hacimuftuoglu, Ahmet; Seven, Sabriye

2016-01-01

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effects of gamma-ray, laser light, and visible light, which neurons are commonly exposed to during treatment of various cranial diseases, on the viability of neurons. Materials and Methods: Neuronal cell culture was prepared from the frontal cortex of 9 newborn rats. Cultured cells were irradiated with gamma-ray for 1–10 min by 152Eu, 241Am, and 132Ba isotopes, visible light for 1–160 min, and laser light for 0.2–2 seconds. The MTT tetrazolium reduction assay was used to assess the number of viable cells in the neuronal cell cultures. Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used to determine Na, K, and Ca levels in cellular fluid obtained from neuronal cell culture plaques. Results: Under low-dose radiation with 152Eu, 241Am, and 132Ba isotopes, cell viability insignificantly decreased with time (p>0.05). On the other hand, exposure to visible light produced statistically significant decrease in cell viability at both short- (1–10 min) and long-term (20–160 min). Cell viability did not change with 2 seconds of laser exposure. Na, K, and Ca levels significantly decreased with gamma-ray and visible light. The level of oxidative stress markers significantly changed with gamma-ray. Conclusion: In conclusion, while low dose gamma-ray has slight to moderate apoptotic effect in neuronal cell cultures by oxidative stress, long-term visible light induces remarkable apoptosis and cell death. Laser light has no significant effect on neurons. Further genetic studies are needed to clarify the chronic effect of visible light on neuronal development and functions. PMID:27551168

Integrating visible light 3D scanning into the everyday world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, Jeremy

2015-05-01

Visible light 3D scanning offers the potential to non-invasively and nearly non-perceptibly incorporate 3D imaging into the everyday world. This paper considers the various possible uses of visible light 3D scanning technology. It discusses multiple possible usage scenarios including in hospitals, security perimeter settings and retail environments. The paper presents a framework for assessing the efficacy of visible light 3D scanning for a given application (and compares this to other scanning approaches such as those using blue light or lasers). It also discusses ethical and legal considerations relevant to real-world use and concludes by presenting a decision making framework.

The Development of Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis in Flow.

PubMed

Garlets, Zachary J; Nguyen, John D; Stephenson, Corey R J

2014-04-01

Visible-light photoredox catalysis has recently emerged as a viable alternative for radical reactions otherwise carried out with tin and boron reagents. It has been recognized that by merging photoredox catalysis with flow chemistry, slow reaction times, lower yields, and safety concerns may be obviated. While flow reactors have been successfully applied to reactions carried out with UV light, only recent developments have demonstrated the same potential of flow reactors for the improvement of visible-light-mediated reactions. This review examines the initial and continuing development of visible-light-mediated photoredox flow chemistry by exemplifying the benefits of flow chemistry compared with conventional batch techniques.

The Development of Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis in Flow

PubMed Central

Garlets, Zachary J.; Nguyen, John D.

2014-01-01

Visible-light photoredox catalysis has recently emerged as a viable alternative for radical reactions otherwise carried out with tin and boron reagents. It has been recognized that by merging photoredox catalysis with flow chemistry, slow reaction times, lower yields, and safety concerns may be obviated. While flow reactors have been successfully applied to reactions carried out with UV light, only recent developments have demonstrated the same potential of flow reactors for the improvement of visible-light-mediated reactions. This review examines the initial and continuing development of visible-light-mediated photoredox flow chemistry by exemplifying the benefits of flow chemistry compared with conventional batch techniques. PMID:25484447

Light-induced changes in bottled white wine and underlying photochemical mechanisms.

PubMed

Grant-Preece, Paris; Barril, Celia; Schmidtke, Leigh M; Scollary, Geoffrey R; Clark, Andrew C

2017-03-04

Bottled white wine may be exposed to UV-visible light for considerable periods of time before it is consumed. Light exposure may induce an off-flavor known as "sunlight" flavor, bleach the color of the wine, and/or increase browning and deplete sulfur dioxide. The changes that occur in bottled white wine exposed to light depend on the wine composition, the irradiation conditions, and the light exposure time. The light-induced changes in the aroma, volatile composition, color, and concentrations of oxygen and sulfur dioxide in bottled white wine are reviewed. In addition, the photochemical reactions thought to have a role in these changes are described. These include the riboflavin-sensitized oxidation of methionine, resulting in the formation of methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide, and the photodegradation of iron(III) tartrate, which gives rise to glyoxylic acid, an aldehyde known to react with flavan-3-ols to form yellow xanthylium cation pigments.

CdSe nanorod/TiO2 nanoparticle heterojunctions with enhanced solar- and visible-light photocatalytic activity

PubMed Central

Laatar, Fakher; Moussa, Hatem; Alem, Halima; Balan, Lavinia; Girot, Emilien; Medjahdi, Ghouti; Ezzaouia, Hatem

2017-01-01

CdSe nanorods (NRs) with an average length of ≈120 nm were prepared by a solvothermal process and associated to TiO2 nanoparticles (Aeroxide® P25) by annealing at 300 °C for 1 h. The content of CdSe NRs in CdSe/TiO2 composites was varied from 0.5 to 5 wt %. The CdSe/TiO2 heterostructured materials were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, XPS, UV–visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. TEM images and XRD patterns show that CdSe NRs with wurtzite structure are associated to TiO2 particles. The UV–visible spectra demonstrate that the narrow bandgap of CdSe NRs serves to increase the photoresponse of CdSe/TiO2 composites until ≈725 nm. The CdSe (2 wt %)/TiO2 composite exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution under simulated sunlight or visible light irradiation. The enhancement in photocatalytic activity likely originates from CdSe sensitization of TiO2 and the heterojunction between these materials which facilitates electron transfer from CdSe to TiO2. Due to its high stability (up to ten reuses without any significant loss in activity), the CdSe/TiO2 heterostructured catalysts show high potential for real water decontamination. PMID:29354345

CdSe nanorod/TiO2 nanoparticle heterojunctions with enhanced solar- and visible-light photocatalytic activity.

PubMed

Laatar, Fakher; Moussa, Hatem; Alem, Halima; Balan, Lavinia; Girot, Emilien; Medjahdi, Ghouti; Ezzaouia, Hatem; Schneider, Raphaël

2017-01-01

CdSe nanorods (NRs) with an average length of ≈120 nm were prepared by a solvothermal process and associated to TiO 2 nanoparticles (Aeroxide ® P25) by annealing at 300 °C for 1 h. The content of CdSe NRs in CdSe/TiO 2 composites was varied from 0.5 to 5 wt %. The CdSe/TiO 2 heterostructured materials were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, XPS, UV-visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. TEM images and XRD patterns show that CdSe NRs with wurtzite structure are associated to TiO 2 particles. The UV-visible spectra demonstrate that the narrow bandgap of CdSe NRs serves to increase the photoresponse of CdSe/TiO 2 composites until ≈725 nm. The CdSe (2 wt %)/TiO 2 composite exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B in aqueous solution under simulated sunlight or visible light irradiation. The enhancement in photocatalytic activity likely originates from CdSe sensitization of TiO 2 and the heterojunction between these materials which facilitates electron transfer from CdSe to TiO 2 . Due to its high stability (up to ten reuses without any significant loss in activity), the CdSe/TiO 2 heterostructured catalysts show high potential for real water decontamination.

Asymmetric Zinc Phthalocyanines as Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tunc, Gulenay; Yavuz, Yunus; Gurek, Aysegul; Canimkurbey, Betul; Kosemen, Arif; San, Sait Eren; Ahsen, Vefa

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have received increasing attention due to their high incident to photon efficiency, easy fabrication and low production cost . Tremendous research efforts have been devoted to the development of new and efficient sensitizers suitable for practical use. In TiO2-based DSSCs, efficiencies of up to 11.4% under simulated sunlight have been obtained with rutheniumepolypyridyl complexes. However, the main drawback of ruthenium complexes is the lack of absorption in the red region of the visible light and the high cost. For this reason, dyes with large and stable p-conjugated systems such as porphyrins and phthalocyanines are important classes of potential sensitizers for highly efficient DSSCs. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) have been widely used as sensitizers because of their improved light-harvesting properties in the far red- and near-IR spectral regions and their extraordinary robustness [1]. In this work, a series of asymmetric Zn(II) Pcs bearing a carboxylic acid group and six hexylthia groups either at the peripheral or non-peripheral positions have been designed and synthesized to investigate the influence of the COOH group and the positions of hexylthia groups on the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) performance.

Visible-blind ultraviolet photodetectors on porous silicon carbide substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naderi, N.; Hashim, M.R., E-mail: roslan@usm.my

2013-06-01

Highlights: • Highly reliable UV detectors are fabricated on porous silicon carbide substrates. • The optical properties of samples are enhanced by increasing the current density. • The optimized sample exhibits enhanced sensitivity to the incident UV radiation. - Abstract: Highly reliable visible-blind ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors were successfully fabricated on porous silicon carbide (PSC) substrates. High responsivity and high photoconductive gain were observed in a metal–semiconductor–metal ultraviolet photodetector that was fabricated on an optimized PSC substrate. The PSC samples were prepared via the UV-assisted photo-electrochemical etching of an n-type hexagonal silicon carbide (6H-SiC) substrate using different etching current densities. Themore » optical results showed that the current density is an outstanding etching parameter that controls the porosity and uniformity of PSC substrates. A highly porous substrate was synthesized using a suitable etching current density to enhance its light absorption, thereby improving the sensitivity of UV detector with this substrate. The electrical characteristics of fabricated devices on optimized PSC substrates exhibited enhanced sensitivity and responsivity to the incident radiation.« less

Waves in Airglow

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

In April 2012, waves in Earth’s “airglow” spread across the nighttime skies of northern Texas like ripples in a pond. In this case, the waves were provoked by a massive thunderstorm. Airglow is a layer of nighttime light emissions caused by chemical reactions high in Earth’s atmosphere. A variety of reactions involving oxygen, sodium, ozone and nitrogen result in the production of a very faint amount of light. In fact, it’s approximately one billion times fainter than sunlight (~10-11 to 10-9 W·cm-2· sr-1). This chemiluminescence is similar to the chemical reactions that light up a glow stick or glow-in-the-dark silly putty. The “day-night band,” of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite captured these glowing ripples in the night sky on April 15, 2012 (top image). The day-night band detects lights over a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses highly sensitive electronics to observe low light signals. (The absolute minimum signals detectable are at the levels of nightglow emission.) The lower image shows the thunderstorm as observed by a thermal infrared band on VIIRS. This thermal band, which is sensitive only to heat emissions (cold clouds appear white), is not sensitive to the subtle visible-light wave structures seen by the day-night band. Technically speaking, airglow occurs at all times. During the day it is called “dayglow,” at twilight “twilightglow,” and at night “nightglow.” There are slightly different processes taking place in each case, but in the image above the source of light is nightglow. The strongest nightglow emissions are mostly constrained to a relatively thin layer of atmosphere between 85 and 95 kilometers (53 and 60 miles) above the Earth’s surface. Little emission occurs below this layer since there’s a higher concentration of molecules, allowing for dissipation of chemical energy via collisions rather than light production. Likewise, little emission occurs above that layer because the atmospheric density is so tenuous that there are too few light-emitting reactions to yield an appreciable amount of light. Suomi NPP is in orbit around Earth at 834 kilometers (about 518 miles), well above the nightglow layer. The day-night band imagery therefore contains signals from the direction upward emission of the nightglow layer and the reflection of the downward nightglow emissions by clouds and the Earth’s surface. The presence of these nightglow waves is a graphic visualization of the usually unseen energy transfer processes that occur continuously between the lower and upper atmosphere. While nightglow is a well-known phenomenon, it’s not typically considered by Earth-viewing meteorological sensors. In fact, scientists were surprised at Suomi NPP’s ability to detect it. During the satellite’s check-out procedure, this unanticipated source of visible light was thought to indicate a problem with the sensor until scientists realized that what they were seeing was the faintest of light in the darkness of night. NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using VIIRS Day-Night Band data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership. Suomi NPP is the result of a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Defense. Caption by Aries Keck and Steve Miller. Instrument: Suomi NPP - VIIRS Credit: NASA Earth Observatory Click here to view all of the Earth at Night 2012 images Click here to read more about this image NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space

Rough gold films as broadband absorbers for plasmonic enhancement of TiO2 photocurrent over 400–800 nm

PubMed Central

Tan, Furui; Li, Tenghao; Wang, Ning; Lai, Sin Ki; Tsoi, Chi Chung; Yu, Weixing; Zhang, Xuming

2016-01-01

Recent years have witnessed an increasing interest in highly-efficient absorbers of visible light for the conversion of solar energy into electrochemical energy. This study presents a TiO2-Au bilayer that consists of a rough Au film under a TiO2 film, which aims to enhance the photocurrent of TiO2 over the whole visible region and may be the first attempt to use rough Au films to sensitize TiO2. Experiments show that the bilayer structure gives the optimal optical and photoelectrochemical performance when the TiO2 layer is 30 nm thick and the Au film is 100 nm, measuring the absorption 80–90% over 400–800 nm and the photocurrent intensity of 15 μA·cm−2, much better than those of the TiO2-AuNP hybrid (i.e., Au nanoparticle covered by the TiO2 film) and the bare TiO2 film. The superior properties of the TiO2-Au bilayer can be attributed to the rough Au film as the plasmonic visible-light sensitizer and the photoactive TiO2 film as the electron accepter. As the Au film is fully covered by the TiO2 film, the TiO2-Au bilayer avoids the photocorrosion and leakage of Au materials and is expected to be stable for long-term operation, making it an excellent photoelectrode for the conversion of solar energy into electrochemical energy in the applications of water splitting, photocatalysis and photosynthesis. PMID:27608836

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+)-incorporated nanocrystalline TiO2 electrodes.

PubMed

Zhu, Guang; Wang, Hongyan; Zhang, Quanxin; Zhang, Li

2015-08-01

Near infrared to visible up-conversion of light by rare earth ion-doped phosphors (NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+)) that convert multiple photons of lower energy to higher energy photons offer new possibilities for improved performance of photovoltaic devices. Here, up-conversion phosphor NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) doped nanocrystalline TiO2 films are designed and used as a electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells, and the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs based on composite electrodes are investigated. The results show the cell with NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) achieves a power conversion efficiency of 7.65% under one sun illumination (AM 1.5G, 100mWcm(-2)), which is an increase of 14% compared to the cell without NaYF4:Yb(3+), Er(3+) (6.71%). The performance improvement is attributed to the dual effects of enhanced light harvesting from extended light absorption range and increased light scattering, and lower electron transfer resistance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Light-driven water oxidation for solar fuels

PubMed Central

Young, Karin J.; Martini, Lauren A.; Milot, Rebecca L.; III, Robert C. Snoeberger; Batista, Victor S.; Schmuttenmaer, Charles A.; Crabtree, Robert H.; Brudvig, Gary W.

2014-01-01

Light-driven water oxidation is an essential step for conversion of sunlight into storable chemical fuels. Fujishima and Honda reported the first example of photoelectrochemical water oxidation in 1972. In their system, TiO2 was irradiated with ultraviolet light, producing oxygen at the anode and hydrogen at a platinum cathode. Inspired by this system, more recent work has focused on functionalizing nanoporous TiO2 or other semiconductor surfaces with molecular adsorbates, including chromophores and catalysts that absorb visible light and generate electricity (i.e., dye-sensitized solar cells) or trigger water oxidation at low overpotentials (i.e., photocatalytic cells). The physics involved in harnessing multiple photochemical events for multielectron reactions, as required in the four-electron water oxidation process, has been the subject of much experimental and computational study. In spite of significant advances with regard to individual components, the development of highly efficient photocatalytic cells for solar water splitting remains an outstanding challenge. This article reviews recent progress in the field with emphasis on water-oxidation photoanodes inspired by the design of functionalized thin film semiconductors of typical dye-sensitized solar cells. PMID:25364029

An efficient visible-light photocatalyst prepared by modifying AgBr particles with a small amount of activated carbon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Desong, E-mail: dswang06@126.com; Zhao, Mangmang; Luo, Qingzhi

2016-04-15

Highlights: • An efficient visible-light photocatalyst was prepared by modifying AgBr particles. • A small amount of activated carbon was used to modify AgBr particles. • The modified AgBr exhibited improved visible-light photocatalytic performances. - Abstract: An efficient visible-light photocatalyst was successfully prepared by modifying AgBr particles with a small amount of activated carbon (AC) via a simple chemical precipitation approach. The AC/AgBr composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic performances of the AC/AgBr composite were investigated by evaluating photodegradation of methyl orange (MO)more » and phenol under visible light irradiation, and the effects of the AC content in the composite, concentrations of AC/AgBr composite and MO, carrier scavengers on MO photodegradation rate were systematically investigated. The results indicated that the modification of AC can hardly change the crystalline and crystal size of AgBr particles, while significantly improve their specific surface areas, visible-light absorption and separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. Compared with pure AgBr, the AC/AgBr composite exhibited drastically enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity and stability. The photogenerated electrons and holes, hydroxyl radicals are responsible to the photodegradation of organic pollutants, and the photogenerated holes are the main active species. On the basis of the results and the properties of AC and AgBr, the visible-light photocatalytic mechanism of the AC/AgBr composite was discussed.« less

Luminescence- and nanoparticle-mediated increase of light absorption by photoreceptor cells: Converting UV light to visible light.

PubMed

Li, Lei; Sahi, Sunil K; Peng, Mingying; Lee, Eric B; Ma, Lun; Wojtowicz, Jennifer L; Malin, John H; Chen, Wei

2016-02-10

We developed new optic devices - singly-doped luminescence glasses and nanoparticle-coated lenses that convert UV light to visible light - for improvement of visual system functions. Tb(3+) or Eu(3+) singly-doped borate glasses or CdS-quantum dot (CdS-QD) coated lenses efficiently convert UV light to 542 nm or 613 nm wavelength narrow-band green or red light, or wide-spectrum white light, and thereby provide extra visible light to the eye. In zebrafish (wild-type larvae and adult control animals, retinal degeneration mutants, and light-induced photoreceptor cell degeneration models), the use of Tb(3+) or Eu(3+) doped luminescence glass or CdS-QD coated glass lenses provide additional visible light to the rod and cone photoreceptor cells, and thereby improve the visual system functions. The data provide proof-of-concept for the future development of optic devices for improvement of visual system functions in patients who suffer from photoreceptor cell degeneration or related retinal diseases.

Photocatalytic surface patterning of cellulose using diazonium salts and visible light.

PubMed

Schroll, Peter; Fehl, Charlie; Dankesreiter, Stephan; König, Burkhard

2013-10-14

Coumarin-functionalized cellulose sheets were chemically modified using a visible light catalyzed "Photo-Meerwein" arylation. Use of a photomask to pattern the surface resulted in directly visible images.

Visible Light Photocatalysis of [2+2] Styrene Cycloadditions via Energy Transfer

PubMed Central

Lu, Zhan; Yoon, Tehshik P.

2012-01-01

Hip to be square: Styrenes participate in [2+2] cycloadditions upon irradiation with visible light in the presence of an iridium(III) polypyridyl complex. In contrast to previous reports of visible light photoredox catalysis, the mechanism of this process involves photosensitization by energy transfer and not electron transfer. PMID:22965321

The potential phototoxicity of nano-scale ZnO induced by visible light on freshwater ecosystems.

PubMed

Du, Jingjing; Qv, Mingxiang; Zhang, Yuyan; Yin, Xiaoyun; Wan, Ning; Zhang, Baozhong; Zhang, Hongzhong

2018-06-06

With the development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials have been widely applied in anti-bacterial coating, electronic device, and personal care products. NanoZnO is one of the most used materials and its ecotoxicity has been extensively studied. To explore the potential phototoxicity of nanoZnO induced by visible light, we conducted a long-term experiment on litter decomposition of Typha angustifolia leaves with assessment of fungal multifaceted natures. After 158 d exposure, the decomposition rate of leaf litter was decreased by nanoZnO but no additional effect by visible light. However, visible light enhanced the inhibitory effect of nanoZnO on fungal sporulation rate due to light-induced dissolution of nanoZnO. On the contrary, enzymes such as β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, and leucine-aminopeptidase were significantly increased by the interaction of nanoZnO and visible light, which led to high efficiency of leaf carbon decomposition. Furthermore, different treatments and exposure time separated fungal community associated with litter decomposition. Therefore, the study provided the evidence of the contribution of visible light to nanoparticle phototoxicity at the ecosystem level. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Visible Light Initiating System for Free Radical Promoted Cationic Polymerization

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-02

identify the end groups in the polymer of cyclohexene oxide. N,N-Dimethylnaphthyl amine (DNA), a compound with high fluorescence quantum yield, was used...candidates to be polymerized via a cationic mechanism include cyclic ethers, cyclic formals and acetals, vinyl ethers, and epoxy compounds . Of these...reported sensitizer, bears two dimethylamino groups, is direct evidence that an aromatic amine can be present in a cationically photopolymerizable system

Contrast Sensitivity With a Subretinal Prosthesis and Implications for Efficient Delivery of Visual Information

PubMed Central

Goetz, Georges; Smith, Richard; Lei, Xin; Galambos, Ludwig; Kamins, Theodore; Mathieson, Keith; Sher, Alexander; Palanker, Daniel

2015-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the contrast sensitivity of a degenerate retina stimulated by a photovoltaic subretinal prosthesis, and assess the impact of low contrast sensitivity on transmission of visual information. Methods We measure ex vivo the full-field contrast sensitivity of healthy rat retina stimulated with white light, and the contrast sensitivity of degenerate rat retina stimulated with a subretinal prosthesis at frequencies exceeding flicker fusion (>20 Hz). Effects of eye movements on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) activity are simulated using a linear–nonlinear model of the retina. Results Retinal ganglion cells adapt to high frequency stimulation of constant intensity, and respond transiently to changes in illumination of the implant, exhibiting responses to ON-sets, OFF-sets, and both ON- and OFF-sets of light. The percentage of cells with an OFF response decreases with progression of the degeneration, indicating that OFF responses are likely mediated by photoreceptors. Prosthetic vision exhibits reduced contrast sensitivity and dynamic range, with 65% contrast changes required to elicit responses, as compared to the 3% (OFF) to 7% (ON) changes with visible light. The maximum number of action potentials elicited with prosthetic stimulation is at most half of its natural counterpart for the ON pathway. Our model predicts that for most visual scenes, contrast sensitivity of prosthetic vision is insufficient for triggering RGC activity by fixational eye movements. Conclusions Contrast sensitivity of prosthetic vision is 10 times lower than normal, and dynamic range is two times below natural. Low contrast sensitivity and lack of OFF responses hamper delivery of visual information via a subretinal prosthesis. PMID:26540657

CIE colorimetric system fails to calculate the chroma of a Nd:YAG crystal under the fluorescent illuminant F7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yan; Chen, Qinghan; Bu, Xianhui; Feng, Pingyun

2002-06-01

The rare earth element neodymium doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) is a laser crystal widely used for producing laser in the infrared range. Neodymium causes many characteristic absorption peaks in the transmittance spectrum of the Nd:YAG crystal in the visible range. The crystal appears pink under daylight and incandescent light, and colorless under fluorescent light. The colorimetric calculation results of chroma under the CIE standard fluorescent illuminant F7 do not agree with the color appearance under fluorescent light. The calculated chroma values should be near zero to agree with a colorless appearance, but it is actually 11.79 in the CIELAB color space. This failure of the colorimetric calculation is caused by the color matching functions of the CIE colorimetric observers. The color matching functions do not agree with the spectral sensitivity curves of the human eye, especially the x(λ) function does not matches the spectral sensitivity curve of the long wavelength cone photoreceptors.

Device for wavelength-selective imaging

DOEpatents

Frangioni, John V.

2010-09-14

An imaging device captures both a visible light image and a diagnostic image, the diagnostic image corresponding to emissions from an imaging medium within the object. The visible light image (which may be color or grayscale) and the diagnostic image may be superimposed to display regions of diagnostic significance within a visible light image. A number of imaging media may be used according to an intended application for the imaging device, and an imaging medium may have wavelengths above, below, or within the visible light spectrum. The devices described herein may be advantageously packaged within a single integrated device or other solid state device, and/or employed in an integrated, single-camera medical imaging system, as well as many non-medical imaging systems that would benefit from simultaneous capture of visible-light wavelength images along with images at other wavelengths.

Position-sensitive detection of ultracold neutrons with an imaging camera and its implications to spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Wei, Wanchun; Broussard, Leah J.; Hoffbauer, Mark Arles; ...

2016-05-16

Position-sensitive detection of ultracold neutrons (UCNs) is demonstrated using an imaging charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. A spatial resolution less than 15μm has been achieved, which is equivalent to a UCN energy resolution below 2 pico-electron-volts through the relation δE=m 0gδx. Here, the symbols δE, δx, m 0 and g are the energy resolution, the spatial resolution, the neutron rest mass and the gravitational acceleration, respectively. A multilayer surface convertor described previously is used to capture UCNs and then emits visible light for CCD imaging. Particle identification and noise rejection are discussed through the use of light intensity profile analysis. Asmore » a result, this method allows different types of UCN spectroscopy and other applications.« less

Position-sensitive detection of ultracold neutrons with an imaging camera and its implications to spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wei, Wanchun; Broussard, Leah J.; Hoffbauer, Mark Arles

Position-sensitive detection of ultracold neutrons (UCNs) is demonstrated using an imaging charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. A spatial resolution less than 15μm has been achieved, which is equivalent to a UCN energy resolution below 2 pico-electron-volts through the relation δE=m 0gδx. Here, the symbols δE, δx, m 0 and g are the energy resolution, the spatial resolution, the neutron rest mass and the gravitational acceleration, respectively. A multilayer surface convertor described previously is used to capture UCNs and then emits visible light for CCD imaging. Particle identification and noise rejection are discussed through the use of light intensity profile analysis. Asmore » a result, this method allows different types of UCN spectroscopy and other applications.« less

Electronic coupling in iron oxide-modified TiO2 leads to a reduced band gap and charge separation for visible light active photocatalysis.

PubMed

Nolan, Michael

2011-10-28

In recent experiments Tada et al. have shown that TiO(2) surfaces modified with iron oxide display visible light photocatalytic activity. This paper presents first principles simulations of iron oxide clusters adsorbed at the rutile TiO(2) (110) surface to elucidate the origin of the visible light photocatalytic activity of iron oxide modified TiO(2). Small iron oxide clusters adsorb at rutile (110) surface and their presence shifts the valence band so that the band gap of the composite is narrowed towards the visible, thus confirming the origin of the visible light activity of this composite material. The presence of iron oxide at the TiO(2) surface leads to charge separation, which is the origin of enhanced photocatalytic efficiency, consistent with experimental photoluminesence and photocurrent data. Surface modification of a metal oxide is thus an interesting route in the development of visible light photocatalytic materials. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

Absorption of monochromatic and narrow band radiation in the visible and near IR by both mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial photoacceptors results in photobiomodulation.

PubMed

Passarella, Salvatore; Karu, Tiina

2014-11-01

In addition to the major functions performed by in the cell, mitochondria play a major role in cell-light interaction. Accordingly it is generally accepted that mitochondria are crucial in cell photobiomodulation; however a variety of biomolecules themselves proved to be targets of light irradiation. We describe whether and how mitochondria can interact with monochromatic and narrow band radiation in the red and near IR optical regions with dissection of both structural and functional effects likely leading to photobiostimulation. Moreover we also report that a variety of biomolecules localized in mitochondria and/or in other cell compartments including cytochrome c oxidase, some proteins, nucleic acids and adenine nucleotides are light sensitive with major modifications in their biochemistry. All together the reported investigations show that the elucidation of the mechanism of the light interaction with biological targets still remains to be completed, this needing further research, however the light sensitivity of a variety of molecules strongly suggests that photobiomodulation could be used in both in photomedicine and in biotechnology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and visible light photocatalytic property of polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3.

PubMed

Li, Guoqiang; Yan, Shicheng; Wang, Zhiqiang; Wang, Xiangyan; Li, Zhaosheng; Ye, Jinhua; Zou, Zhigang

2009-10-28

Polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3 photocatalysts were synthesized by solvothermal and liquid-solid methods. Their photocatalytic properties were evaluated from the photocatalytic O2 evolution under visible light irradiation. The polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3 was induced to grow by shaped silver particles followed by the free-growth model. The photocatalytic results indicate that the polyhedron-shaped morphology is favourable for the photocatalytic O2 evolution under visible light irradiation in comparison with the spherical one. Furthermore, the Cu doping on the surface would enhance the visible light photocatalytic activity significantly.

Orbital Angular Momentum Multiplexing over Visible Light Communication Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, Hardik Rameshchandra

This thesis proposes and explores the possibility of using Orbital Angular Momentum multiplexing in Visible Light Communication system. Orbital Angular Momentum is mainly applied for laser and optical fiber transmissions, while Visible Light Communication is a technology using the light as a carrier for wireless communication. In this research, the study of the state of art and experiments showing some results on multiplexing based on Orbital Angular Momentum over Visible Light Communication system were done. After completion of the initial stage; research work and simulations were performed on spatial multiplexing over Li-Fi channel modeling. Simulation scenarios which allowed to evaluate the Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Received Power Distribution, Intensity and Illuminance were defined and developed.

A facile one-step electrochemical strategy of doping iron, nitrogen, and fluorine into titania nanotube arrays with enhanced visible light photoactivity.

PubMed

Hua, Zulin; Dai, Zhangyan; Bai, Xue; Ye, Zhengfang; Gu, Haixin; Huang, Xin

2015-08-15

Highly ordered iron, nitrogen, and fluorine tri-doped TiO2 (Fe, (N, F)-TiO2) nanotube arrays were successfully synthesized by a facile one-step electrochemical method in an NH4F electrolyte containing Fe ions. The morphology, structure, composition, and photoelectrochemical property of the as-prepared nanotube arrays were characterized by various methods. The photoactivities of the samples were evaluated by the degradation of phenol in an aqueous solution under visible light. Tri-doped TiO2 showed higher photoactivities than undoped TiO2 under visible light. The optimum Fe(3+) doping amount at 0.005M exhibited the highest photoactivity and exceeded that of undoped TiO2 by a factor of 20 times under visible light. The formation of N 2p level near the valence band (VB) contributed to visible light absorption. Doping fluorine and appropriate Fe(3+) ions reduced the photogenerated electrons-holes recombination rate and enhanced visible light photoactivity. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results indicated the presence of synergistic effects in Fe, N, and F tri-doped TiO2, which enhanced visible light photoactivity. The Fe, (N, F)-TiO2 photocatalyst exhibited high stability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of cameras for monitoring visibility impairment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malm, William; Cismoski, Scott; Prenni, Anthony; Peters, Melanie

2018-02-01

Webcams and automated, color photography cameras have been routinely operated in many U.S. national parks and other federal lands as far back as 1988, with a general goal of meeting interpretive needs within the public lands system and communicating effects of haze on scenic vistas to the general public, policy makers, and scientists. Additionally, it would be desirable to extract quantifiable information from these images to document how visibility conditions change over time and space and to further reflect the effects of haze on a scene, in the form of atmospheric extinction, independent of changing lighting conditions due to time of day, year, or cloud cover. Many studies have demonstrated a link between image indexes and visual range or extinction in urban settings where visibility is significantly degraded and where scenes tend to be gray and devoid of color. In relatively clean, clear atmospheric conditions, clouds and lighting conditions can sometimes affect the image radiance field as much or more than the effects of haze. In addition, over the course of many years, cameras have been replaced many times as technology improved or older systems wore out, and therefore camera image pixel density has changed dramatically. It is shown that gradient operators are very sensitive to image resolution while contrast indexes are not. Furthermore, temporal averaging and time of day restrictions allow for developing quantitative relationships between atmospheric extinction and contrast-type indexes even when image resolution has varied over time. Temporal averaging effectively removes the variability of visibility indexes associated with changing cloud cover and weather conditions, and changes in lighting conditions resulting from sun angle effects are best compensated for by restricting averaging to only certain times of the day.

Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using F doped TiO2 photoelectrode under visible light irradiation.

PubMed

Liu, Dong; Tian, Renwen; Wang, Jianqiao; Nie, Er; Piao, Xianqing; Li, Xin; Sun, Zhuo

2017-10-01

Photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) has attracted great interest due to cost effectiveness and high efficiency in water treatment. In this study, F doped TiO 2 (F-TiO 2 ) photoelectrodes with honeycomb like morphology were prepared, and the PEC performance was investigated. F-TiO 2 particles that showed enhanced absorption of visible light were synthesized via a sol-gel method. F-TiO 2 particles were anchored onto the surface of F-doped SnO 2 glass by a screen-printing method to prepare the F-TiO 2 photoelectrodes. The PEC performance of the F-TiO 2 photoelectrodes was investigated via the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The results show that the F-TiO 2 photoelectrodes exhibited an excellent PEC performance that was affected by the F doping content, applied bias and solution pH. A maximum decolorization percentage of 97.8% was achieved by the FT-15 photoelectrode, with a 1.4 V bias at pH 9.94 after 4.0 h of visible light irradiation. The high PEC performance of the F-TiO 2 photoelectrodes is mainly ascribed to the efficient separation of electron-hole (e - -h + ) pairs and the creation of active radicals such as hydroxyl radicals (OH). The PEC decolorization kinetic data were analyzed using the first-order kinetic model and the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) model. The data indicates that the PEC degradation of MB molecules mainly occurred on the surface of the F-TiO 2 photoelectrodes, and the MB molecules were discolored mainly by h + (41.5%) and OH (46.5%). In addition, 8.2% of the MB molecules were discolored by other oxidative species, and 3.8% of the MB molecules were discolored by self-sensitized oxidation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Visible Light Responsive Catalyst for Air Water Purification Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, Raymond M.

2014-01-01

Investigate and develop viable approaches to render the normally UV-activated TIO2 catalyst visible light responsive (VLR) and achieve high and sustaining catalytic activity under the visible region of the solar spectrum.

Photocatalytic Surface Patterning of Cellulose using Diazonium Salts and Visible Light

PubMed Central

Schroll, Peter; Fehl, Charlie; Dankesreiter, Stephan

2013-01-01

Coumarin-functionalized cellulose sheets were chemically modified using a visible light catalyzed “Photo-Meerwein” arylation. Use of a photomask to pattern the surface resulted in directly visible images. PMID:23963264

Photoinitiated Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly (Photo-PISA): New Insights and Opportunities.

PubMed

Yeow, Jonathan; Boyer, Cyrille

2017-07-01

The polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) process is a useful synthetic tool for the efficient synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles of different morphologies. Recently, studies on visible light initiated PISA processes have offered a number of key research opportunities that are not readily accessible using traditional thermally initiated systems. For example, visible light mediated PISA (Photo-PISA) enables a high degree of control over the dispersion polymerization process by manipulation of the wavelength and intensity of incident light. In some cases, the final nanoparticle morphology of a single formulation can be modulated by simple manipulation of these externally controlled parameters. In addition, temporal (and in principle spatial) control over the Photo-PISA process can be achieved in most cases. Exploitation of the mild room temperature polymerizations conditions can enable the encapsulation of thermally sensitive therapeutics to occur without compromising the polymerization rate and their activities. Finally, the Photo-PISA process can enable further mechanistic insights into the morphological evolution of nanoparticle formation such as the effects of temperature on the self-assembly process. The purpose of this mini-review is therefore to examine some of these recent advances that have been made in Photo-PISA processes, particularly in light of the specific advantages that may exist in comparison with conventional thermally initiated systems.

Photoinitiated Polymerization‐Induced Self‐Assembly (Photo‐PISA): New Insights and Opportunities

PubMed Central

Yeow, Jonathan

2017-01-01

The polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) process is a useful synthetic tool for the efficient synthesis of polymeric nanoparticles of different morphologies. Recently, studies on visible light initiated PISA processes have offered a number of key research opportunities that are not readily accessible using traditional thermally initiated systems. For example, visible light mediated PISA (Photo‐PISA) enables a high degree of control over the dispersion polymerization process by manipulation of the wavelength and intensity of incident light. In some cases, the final nanoparticle morphology of a single formulation can be modulated by simple manipulation of these externally controlled parameters. In addition, temporal (and in principle spatial) control over the Photo‐PISA process can be achieved in most cases. Exploitation of the mild room temperature polymerizations conditions can enable the encapsulation of thermally sensitive therapeutics to occur without compromising the polymerization rate and their activities. Finally, the Photo‐PISA process can enable further mechanistic insights into the morphological evolution of nanoparticle formation such as the effects of temperature on the self‐assembly process. The purpose of this mini‐review is therefore to examine some of these recent advances that have been made in Photo‐PISA processes, particularly in light of the specific advantages that may exist in comparison with conventional thermally initiated systems. PMID:28725534

Solventless visible light-curable coating: I. Critical formulation and processing parameters.

PubMed

Bose, Sagarika; Bogner, Robin H

2010-06-30

Film coating is generally accomplished by spraying polymers dissolved in solvents onto a cascading bed of tablets. The limitations associated with the use of solvents (both aqueous and organic) can be overcome by the use of solventless coating technologies. In this proposed solventless photocurable film coating system, each layer of coating onto the pellets (non-pareil beads) was formed using liquid photocurable monomer, powdered pore-forming agents, photosensitizers and photoinitiators in a mini-coating pan and later cured by visible light. Yield, coating efficiency, variation in color, diameter and roundness were determined for each batch to evaluate process efficiency and coating quality. It was found that the ratio (S/L ratio) of the amount of solid (S) pore-forming agent to volume of liquid (L) monomer, particle size and type of the pore-forming agent, concentration of initiator, and total exposure (light intensity x exposure time) of light were critical formulation and processing parameters for the process. Using lactose as a pore-forming agent, an optimum ratio of pore-forming agent to photocurable polymer was 1.8-3.0 to achieve good process efficiency and uniformity. The ratio was sensitive to particle size and type of pore-forming agent. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity improvement of one-shot Fourier spectroscopic imager for realization of noninvasive blood glucose sensors in smartphones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawashima, Natsumi; Nogo, Kosuke; Hosono, Satsuki; Nishiyama, Akira; Wada, Kenji; Ishimaru, Ichiro

2016-11-01

The use of the wide-field-stop and beam-expansion method for sensitivity enhancement of one-shot Fourier spectroscopy is proposed to realize health care sensors installed in smartphones for daily monitoring. When measuring the spectral components of human bodies noninvasively, diffuse reflected light from biological membranes is too weak for detection using conventional hyperspectral cameras. One-shot Fourier spectroscopy is a spatial phase-shift-type interferometer that can determine the one-dimensional spectral characteristics from a single frame. However, this method has low sensitivity, so that only the spectral characteristics of light sources with direct illumination can be obtained, because a single slit is used as a field stop. The sensitivity of the proposed spectroscopic method is improved by using the wide-field-stop and beam-expansion method. The use of a wider field stop slit width increases the detected light intensity; however, this simultaneously narrows the diffraction angle. The narrower collimated objective beam diameter degrades the visibility of interferograms. Therefore, a plane-concave cylindrical lens between the objective plane and the single slit is introduced to expand the beam diameter. The resulting sensitivity improvement achieved when using the wide-field-stop and beam-expansion method allows the spectral characteristics of hemoglobin to be obtained noninvasively from a human palm using a midget lamp.

Effects of aerosol species on atmospheric visibility in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang-Gai Lee; Chung-Shin Yuan; Jui-Cheng Chang

2005-07-01

Visibility data collected from Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, for the past two decades indicated that the air pollutants have significantly degraded visibility in recent years. During the study period, the seasonal mean visibilities in spring, summer, fall, and winter were only 5.4, 9.1, 8.2, and 3.4 km, respectively. To ascertain how urban aerosols influence the visibility, we conducted concurrent visibility monitoring and aerosol sampling in 1999 to identify the principal causes of visibility impairments in the region. In this study, ambient aerosols were sampled and analyzed for 11 constituents, including water-soluble ions and carbon materials, to investigate the chemical composition ofmore » Kaohsiung aerosols. Stepwise regression method was used to correlate the impact of aerosol species on visibility impairments. Both seasonal and diurnal variation patterns were found from the monitoring of visibility. Results showed that light scattering was attributed primarily to aerosols with sizes that range from 0.26 to 0.90 {mu}m, corresponding with the wavelength region of visible light, which accounted for {approximately} 72% of the light scattering coefficient. Sulfate was a dominant component that affected both the light scattering coefficient and the visibility in the region. On average, (NH{sub 4}){sup 2}SO{sub 4}, NH{sub 4}NO{sub 3}, total carbon, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-remainder contributed 53%, 17%, 16%, and 14% to total light scattering, respectively. An empirical regression model of visibility based on sulfate, elemental carbon, and humidity was developed, and the comparison indicated that visibility in an urban area could be properly simulated by the equation derived herein. 35 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Manipulation of visible-light polarization with dendritic cell-cluster metasurfaces.

PubMed

Fang, Zhen-Hua; Chen, Huan; An, Di; Luo, Chun-Rong; Zhao, Xiao-Peng

2018-06-26

Cross-polarization conversion plays an important role in visible light manipulation. Metasurface with asymmetric structure can be used to achieve polarization conversion of linearly polarized light. Based on this, we design a quasi-periodic dendritic metasurface model composed of asymmetric dendritic cells. The simulation indicates that the asymmetric dendritic structure can vertically rotate the polarization direction of the linear polarization wave in visible light. Silver dendritic cell-cluster metasurface samples were prepared by the bottom-up electrochemical deposition. It experimentally proved that they could realize the cross - polarization conversion in visible light. Cross-polarized propagating light is deflected into anomalous refraction channels. Dendritic cell-cluster metasurface with asymmetric quasi-periodic structure conveys significance in cross-polarization conversion research and features extensive practical application prospect and development potential.

Low intensity X-ray and gamma-ray imaging device. [fiber optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yin, L. I. (Inventor)

1979-01-01

A radiation to visible light converter is combined with a visible light intensifier. The converter is a phosphor or scintillator material which is modified to block ambient light. The intensifier includes fiber optics input and output face plates with a photocathode-microchannel plate amplifier-phosphor combination. Incoming radiation is converted to visible light by the converter which is piped into the intensifier by the input fiber optics face plate. The photocathode converts the visible light to electrons which are amplified by a microchannel plate amplifier. The electrons are converted back to light by a phosphor layer and piped out for viewing by the output fiber optics faces plate. The converter-intensifier combination may be further combined with its own radiation source or used with an independent source.

Enhanced Photoelectrocatalytic Activity of BiOI Nanoplate-Zinc Oxide Nanorod p-n Heterojunction.

PubMed

Kuang, Pan-Yong; Ran, Jing-Run; Liu, Zhao-Qing; Wang, Hong-Juan; Li, Nan; Su, Yu-Zhi; Jin, Yong-Gang; Qiao, Shi-Zhang

2015-10-19

The development of highly efficient and robust photocatalysts has attracted great attention for solving the global energy crisis and environmental problems. Herein, we describe the synthesis of a p-n heterostructured photocatalyst, consisting of ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs) decorated with BiOI nanoplates (NPs), by a facile solvothermal method. The product thus obtained shows high photoelectrochemical water splitting performance and enhanced photoelectrocatalytic activity for pollutant degradation under visible light irradiation. The p-type BiOI NPs, with a narrow band gap, not only act as a sensitizer to absorb visible light and promote electron transfer to the n-type ZnO NRAs, but also increase the contact area with organic pollutants. Meanwhile, ZnO NRAs provide a fast electron-transfer channel, thus resulting in efficient separation of photoinduced electron-hole pairs. Such a p-n heterojunction nanocomposite could serve as a novel and promising catalyst in energy and environmental applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Intercorrelated In-Plane and Out-of-Plane Ferroelectricity in Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Layered Semiconductor In2Se3.

PubMed

Cui, Chaojie; Hu, Wei-Jin; Yan, Xingxu; Addiego, Christopher; Gao, Wenpei; Wang, Yao; Wang, Zhe; Li, Linze; Cheng, Yingchun; Li, Peng; Zhang, Xixiang; Alshareef, Husam N; Wu, Tom; Zhu, Wenguang; Pan, Xiaoqing; Li, Lain-Jong

2018-02-14

Enriching the functionality of ferroelectric materials with visible-light sensitivity and multiaxial switching capability would open up new opportunities for their applications in advanced information storage with diverse signal manipulation functions. We report experimental observations of robust intralayer ferroelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals layered α-In 2 Se 3 ultrathin flakes at room temperature. Distinct from other 2D and conventional ferroelectrics, In 2 Se 3 exhibits intrinsically intercorrelated out-of-plane and in-plane polarization, where the reversal of the out-of-plane polarization by a vertical electric field also induces the rotation of the in-plane polarization. On the basis of the in-plane switchable diode effect and the narrow bandgap (∼1.3 eV) of ferroelectric In 2 Se 3 , a prototypical nonvolatile memory device, which can be manipulated both by electric field and visible light illumination, is demonstrated for advancing data storage technologies.

Pentosan-derived water-soluble carbon nano dots with substantial fluorescence: Properties and application as a photosensitizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qiong; Li, Wei; Wu, Yanjiao; Huang, Zhanhua; Liu, Shouxin

2014-10-01

The hydrothermal carbonization of monosaccharides and polysaccharides is widely used in the production of carbonaceous material with a desired structure. However, the liquid products are regarded as waste and discarded. Here, we report a facile approach for the synthesis of water-soluble carbon nano dots (CNDs) with substantial fluorescence from the liquid by-products of the hydrothermal carbonization of pentosan, thus the by-products of pulp refining. The synthesized CNDs are monodispersed spheres with abundant oxygen-containing groups and they have an average size of 30 nm. Quantum yield measurements revealed CNDs with substantial green photoluminescence (PL) without passivation. Additionally, excitation was independent, pH-sensitive and stable. The use of CNDs as a photosensitizer in the CNDs/TiO2 system for methylene blue (MB) degradation under visible light irradiation is attractive. The spectral response range of the CNDs/TiO2 system can be widened from the UV region to a part of the visible light region (400-550 nm).

PEG Molecular Net-Cloth Grafted on Polymeric Substrates and Its Bio-Merits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Changwen; Lin, Zhifeng; Yin, Huabing; Ma, Yuhong; Xu, Fujian; Yang, Wantai

2014-05-01

Polymer brushes and hydrogels are sensitive to the environment, which can cause uncontrolled variations on their performance. Herein, for the first time, we report a non-swelling ``PEG molecular net-cloth'' on a solid surface, fabricated using a novel ``visible light induced surface controlled graft cross-linking polymerization'' (VSCGCP) technique. Via this method, we show that 1) the 3D-network structure of the net-cloth can be precisely modulated and its thickness controlled; 2) the PEG net-cloth has excellent resistance to non-specific protein adsorption and cell adhesion; 3) the mild polymerization conditions (i.e. visible light and room temperature) provided an ideal tool for in situ encapsulation of delicate biomolecules such as enzymes; 4) the successive grafting of reactive three-dimensional patterns on the PEG net-cloth enables the creation of protein microarrays with high signal to noise ratio. Importantly, this strategy is applicable to any C-H containing surface, and can be easily tailored for a broad range of applications.

Innovative, energy-efficient lighting for New York state roadways : opportunities for incorporating mesopic visibility considerations into roadway lighting practice

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-04-01

The present report outlines activities undertaken to assess the potential for implementing research on visibility at mesopic light levels into lighting practices for roadways in New York State. Through measurements of light levels at several roadway ...

Integrative Multi-Spectral Sensor Device for Far-Infrared and Visible Light Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Tiezhu; Chen, Lulu; Pang, Yusong; Yan, Gaowei

2018-06-01

Infrared and visible light image fusion technology is a hot spot in the research of multi-sensor fusion technology in recent years. Existing infrared and visible light fusion technologies need to register before fusion because of using two cameras. However, the application effect of the registration technology has yet to be improved. Hence, a novel integrative multi-spectral sensor device is proposed for infrared and visible light fusion, and by using the beam splitter prism, the coaxial light incident from the same lens is projected to the infrared charge coupled device (CCD) and visible light CCD, respectively. In this paper, the imaging mechanism of the proposed sensor device is studied with the process of the signals acquisition and fusion. The simulation experiment, which involves the entire process of the optic system, signal acquisition, and signal fusion, is constructed based on imaging effect model. Additionally, the quality evaluation index is adopted to analyze the simulation result. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed sensor device is effective and feasible.

Visible light driven multifunctional photocatalysis in TeO2-based semiconductor glass ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kushwaha, Himmat Singh; Thomas, Paramanandam; Vaish, Rahul

2017-01-01

Photocatalytic xCaCu3Ti4O12-(100-x)TeO2 (x=0.25 mol% to 3 mol%), glass nanocomposites were fabricated and investigated for wastewater treatment, self-cleaning surfaces, and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Visible light active crystals of Cu-doped TiO2 and TiTe3O8 were grown by optimized crystallization of as-quenched glasses. The visible light photocatalytic activity of glass samples was investigated for estrogenic pharmaceutical pollutants, and the degradation rate was obtained as 168.56 min-1 m-2. A higher photocatalytic H2 production rate was observed (135 μmole h-1 g-1) for the crystallized CaCu3Ti4O12-TeO2 (x=3. 0) glass plate under visible light. The self-cleaning performance was observed using contact angle measurements for water under dark and light conditions. These visible light active glass ceramics are a cost effective sustainable solution for water treatment and self-cleaning applications.

Two dimensional visible-light-active Pt-BiOI photoelectrocatalyst for efficient ethanol oxidation reaction in alkaline media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Chunyang; Hu, Jiayue; Sun, Mingjuan; Zhu, Mingshan

2018-02-01

Two dimensional (2D) BiOI nanoplates were synthesized and used as support for the deposition of Pt nanoparticles. Owing to broad visible light absorption (up to 660 nm), the as-obtained Pt-BiOI electrode was used as effective photoelectrocatalyst in the application of catalytic ethanol oxidation in alkaline media under visible light irradiation. Compared to dark condition, the Pt-BiOI modified electrode displayed 3 times improved catalytic activity towards ethanol oxidation under visible light irradiation. The synergistic effect of electrocatalytic and photocatalytic, and the unique of 2D structures contribute to the improvement of catalytic activity. The mechanism of enhanced photoelectrocatalytic process is proposed. The present results suggest that 2D visible-light-activated BiOI can be served as promising support for the decoration of Pt and applied in the fields of photoelectrochemical and photo-assisted fuel cell applications

Plasmon-resonance-enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity of Ag quantum dots/TiO2 microspheres for methyl orange degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xin; Shang, Liwei; Wang, Dongjun; An, Li; Li, Zhonghua; Liu, Jiawen; Shen, Jun

2018-06-01

We successfully prepared Ag quantum dots modified TiO2 microspheres by facile solvothermal and calcination method. The as-prepared Ag quantum dots/TiO2 microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The Ag quantum dots/TiO2 photocatalyst showed excellent visible light absorption and efficient photocatalytic activity for methyl orange degradation. And the sample with the molar ratio of 0.05 (Ag to Ti) showed the best visible light photocatalytic activity for methyl orange degradation, mainly because of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects of Ag quantum dots to generate electron and hole pairs for enhanced visible light photocatalysis. Finally, possible visible light photocatalytic mechanism of Ag quantum dots/TiO2 microspheres for methyl orange degradation was proposed in detail.

[Spectral Analysis of CdZnSe Ternary Quantum Dots Sensitized TiO2 Tubes and Its Application in Visible-Light Photocatalysis].

PubMed

Han, Zhi-zhong; Ren, Li-li; Pan, Hai-bo; Li, Chun-yan; Chen, Jing-hua; Chen, Jian-zhong

2015-11-01

In this work, cadmium nitrate hexahydrate [Cd(NO₃)₂ · 6H₂O] is as a source of cadmium, zinc nitrate [Zn(NO₃)₂] as a source of zinc source, and NaHSe as a source of selenium which was prepared through reducing the elemental selenium with sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). Then water-soluble Cd₁₋xZnxSe ternary quantum dots with different component were prepared by colloid chemistry. The as-prepared Cd₁₋xZnx Se ternary quantum dots exhibit stable fluorescent property in aqueous solution, and can still maintain good dispersivity at room temperature for four months. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) were used to analyze crystal structure and morphology of the prepared Cd₁₋xZnxSe. It is found that the as-prepared ternary quantum dots are cubic phase, show as sphere, and the average of particle size is approximate 4 nm. The spectral properties and energy band structure of the as-prepared ternary quantum dots were modulated through changing the atom ratio of elements Zn and Cd. Compared with binary quantum dots CdSe and ZnSe, the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Visible) absorption spectrum and fluorescence (FL) emission spectrum of ternary quantum dots are both red-shift. The composites (Cd₀.₅ Zn₀.₅ Se@TNTs) of Cd₀.₅ Zn₀.₅ Se ternary quantum dots and TiO₂ nanotubes (TNTs) were prepared by directly immerging TNTs into quantum dots dispersive solution for 5 hours. TEM image shows that the Cd₀.₅ Zn₀.₅ Se ternary quantum dots were closely combined to nanotube surface. The infrared spectra show that the Ti-Se bond was formed between Cd₀.₅ Zn₀.₅ Se ternary quantum dots and TiO₂ nanotubes, which improve the stability of the composite. Compared to pristine TNTs, UV-Visible absorption spectrum of the composites is significantly enhanced in the visible region of light. And the absorption band edge of Cd₀.₅Zn₀.₅ Se@TNTs red-shift from 400 to 700 nm. The recombination of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs was restrained with the as-prepared ternary quantum dots. Therefore, the visible-light photocatalytic efficiency was greatly improved. After visible-light irradiation for 60 min, the degradation of Cd₀.₅ Zn₀.₅ Se@TNTs photocatalysts for RhB is nearly 100%, which is about 3. 3 times of that of pristine TNTs and 2. 5 times of that of pure Cd₀.₅ Zn₀.₅ Se ternary quantum dots, respectively.

A novel inter-fibre light coupling sensor probe using plastic optical fibre for ethanol concentration monitoring at initial production rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Memon, Sanober F.; Lewis, Elfed; Pembroke, J. Tony; Chowdhry, Bhawani S.

2017-04-01

A novel, low cost and highly sensitive optical fibre probe sensor for concentration measurement of ethanol solvent (C2H5OH) corresponding to bio-ethanol production rate by an algae is reported. The principle of operation of the sensor is based on inter-fibre light coupling through an evanescent field interaction to couple the light between two multimode fibres mounted parallel to each other at a minimum possible separation i.e. < 1mm. The sensor was fabricated using a low cost 1000um plastic optical fibre (POF) and was characterized for real time measurement in the broadband spectrum including visible and near infra-red. The wavelength dependency of this sensor design was also investigated by post processing analysis of real time data and hence the optimum wavelength range determined. The proposed sensor has shown significant response in the range of 0.005 - 0.1 %v/v (%volume/volume or volume concentration) which depicts the high sensitivity for monitoring very minute changes in concentration corresponding refractive index changes of the solution. Numerically, sensor has shown the sensitivity of 21945 intensity counts/%v/v or 109.7 counts per every 0.0050 %v/v.

Elastic light single-scattering spectroscopy for detection of dysplastic tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canpolat, Murat; Denkçeken, Tuba; Akman, Ayşe.; Alpsoy, Erkan; Tuncer, Recai; Akyüz, Mahmut; Baykara, Mehmet; Yücel, Selçuk; Başsorgun, Ibrahim; ćiftçioǧlu, M. Akif; Gökhan, Güzide Ayşe.; Gürer, ElifInanç; Peştereli, Elif; Karaveli, Šeyda

2013-11-01

Elastic light single-scattering spectroscopy (ELSSS) system has been developed and tested in diagnosis of cancerous tissues of different organs. ELSSS system consists of a miniature visible light spectrometer, a single fiber optical probe, a halogen tungsten light source and a laptop. Measurements were performed on excised brain, skin, cervix and prostate tumor specimens and surrounding normal tissues. Single fiber optical probe with a core diameter of 100 μm was used to deliver white light to and from tissue. Single optical fiber probe mostly detects singly scattered light from tissue rather than diffused light. Therefore, measured spectra are sensitive to size of scatters in tissue such as cells, nuclei, mitochondria and other organelles of cells. Usually, nuclei of tumor cells are larger than nuclei of normal cells. Therefore, spectrum of singly scattered light of tumor tissue is different than normal tissue. The spectral slopes were shown to be positive for normal brain, skin and prostate and cervix tissues and negative for the tumors of the same tissues. Signs of the spectral slopes were used as a discrimination parameter to differentiate tumor from normal tissues for the three organ tissues. Sensitivity and specificity of the system in differentiation between tumors from normal tissues were 93% and %100 for brain, 87% and 85% for skin, 93.7% and 46.1% for cervix and 98% and 100% for prostate.

A comparative study between titania and zirconia as material for scattering layer in dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nursam, N. M.; Hidayat, J.; Shobih; Rosa, E. S.; Pranoto, L. M.

2018-04-01

The photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) is typically composed of nanocrystalline titania (TiO2) layer that has been sensitized with light-absorbing dye molecules. Large portion of the light, however, could not be efficiently absorbed due to some physical reasons, such as TiO2 crystal size (typically 10-25 nm) that makes the photoanode remains partially transparent to the visible region in the solar spectrum. One of the ways to improve the light harvesting efficiency in DSSC could be achieved by employing an additional scattering layer over the TiO2 electron transport material. In this contribution, we evaluate the effect of light scattering properties on the performance of DSSC. Specifically, the light scattering properties provided from two different scattering materials, i.e. additional TiO2 scattering layer and zirconia (ZrO2) scattering layer, were compared. Both layers were deposited using screen printing technique under the same condition on top of 8 µm thick TiO2 photoanode layer. All samples subsequently received the same thermal annealing treatment at 500 °C and sensitized with ruthenium-based synthetic dyes. Our results revealed that the thickness of the scattering layer for both TiO2 and ZrO2 had a significant effect on the solar cell performance. The best photoconversion efficiency was achieved by samples that were coated with one screen-printing cycle, giving an overall efficiency of 3.50 % and 4.02% for TiO2 and ZrO2, respectively.

A review of astronomical science with visible light adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Close, Laird M.

2016-07-01

We review astronomical results in the visible (λ<1μm) with adaptive optics. Other than a brief period in the early 1990s, there has been little (<1 paper/yr) night-time astronomical science published with AO in the visible from 2000-2013 (outside of the solar or Space Surveillance Astronomy communities where visible AO is the norm, but not the topic of this invited review). However, since mid-2013 there has been a rapid increase visible AO with over 50 refereed science papers published in just 2.5 years (visible AO is experiencing a rapid growth rate very similar to that of NIR AO science from 1997-2000 Close 2000). Currently the most productive small (D < 2 m) visible light AO telescope is the UV-LGS Robo-AO system (Baranec, et al. 2016) on the robotic Palomar D=1.5 m telescope (currently relocated to the Kitt Peak 1.8m; Salama et al. 2016). Robo-AO uniquely offers the ability to target >15 objects/hr, which has enabled large (>3000 discrete targets) companion star surveys and has resulted in 23 refereed science publications. The most productive large telescope visible AO system is the D=6.5m Magellan telescope AO system (MagAO). MagAO is an advanced Adaptive Secondary Mirror (ASM) AO system at the Magellan 6.5m in Chile (Morzinski et al. 2016). This ASM secondary has 585 actuators with < 1 msec response times (0.7 ms typically). MagAO utilizes a 1 kHz pyramid wavefront sensor. The relatively small actuator pitch ( 22 cm/subap) allows moderate Strehls to be obtained in the visible (0.63-1.05 microns). Long exposures (60s) achieve <30mas resolutions, 30% Strehls at 0.62 microns (r') with the VisAO camera in 0.5" seeing with bright R <= 9 mag stars. These capabilities have led to over 22 MagAO refereed science publications in the visible. The largest (D=8m) telescope to achieve regular visible AO science is SPHERE/ZIMPOL. ZIMPOL is a polarimeter fed by the 1.2 kHz SPHERE ExAO system (Fusco et al. 2016). ZIMPOL's ability to differentiate scattered polarized light from starlight allows the sensitive detection of circumstellar disks, stellar surfaces, and envelopes of evolved AGB stars. Here we review the key steps to having good performance in the visible and review the exciting new AO visible science opportunities and science results in the fields of: exoplanet detection; circumstellar and protoplanetary disks; young stars; AGB stars; emission line jets; and stellar surfaces. The recent rapid increase in the scientific publications and power of visible AO is due to the maturity of the next-generation of AO systems and our new ability probe circumstellar regions with very high (10-30 mas) spatial resolutions that would otherwise require much larger (>10m) diameter telescopes in the infrared.

Rapid-Response Low Infrared Emission Broadband Ultrathin Plasmonic Light Absorber

PubMed Central

Tagliabue, Giulia; Eghlidi, Hadi; Poulikakos, Dimos

2014-01-01

Plasmonic nanostructures can significantly advance broadband visible-light absorption, with absorber thicknesses in the sub-wavelength regime, much thinner than conventional broadband coatings. Such absorbers have inherently very small heat capacity, hence a very rapid response time, and high light power-to-temperature sensitivity. Additionally, their surface emissivity can be spectrally tuned to suppress infrared thermal radiation. These capabilities make plasmonic absorbers promising candidates for fast light-to-heat applications, such as radiation sensors. Here we investigate the light-to-heat conversion properties of a metal-insulator-metal broadband plasmonic absorber, fabricated as a free-standing membrane. Using a fast IR camera, we show that the transient response of the absorber has a characteristic time below 13 ms, nearly one order of magnitude lower than a similar membrane coated with a commercial black spray. Concurrently, despite the small thickness, due to the large absorption capability, the achieved absorbed light power-to-temperature sensitivity is maintained at the level of a standard black spray. Finally, we show that while black spray has emissivity similar to a black body, the plasmonic absorber features a very low infra-red emissivity of almost 0.16, demonstrating its capability as selective coating for applications with operating temperatures up to 400°C, above which the nano-structure starts to deform. PMID:25418040

Fabrication of thin-film thermoelectric generators with ball lenses for conversion of near-infrared solar light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Yoshitaka; Mizoshiri, Mizue; Mikami, Masashi; Kondo, Tasuku; Sakurai, Junpei; Hata, Seiichi

2017-06-01

We designed and fabricated thin-film thermoelectric generators (TEGs) with ball lenses, which separated visible light and near-infrared (NIR) solar light using a chromatic aberration. The transmitted visible light was used as daylight and the NIR light was used for thermoelectric generation. Solar light was estimated to be separated into the visible light and NIR light by a ray tracing method. 92.7% of the visible light was used as daylight and 9.9% of the NIR light was used for thermoelectric generation. Then, the temperature difference of the pn junctions of the TEG surface was 0.71 K, determined by heat conduction analysis using a finite element method. The thin-film TEGs were fabricated using lithography and deposition processes. When the solar light (A.M. 1.5) was irradiated to the TEGs, the open-circuit voltage and maximum power were 4.5 V/m2 and 51 µW/m2, respectively. These TEGs are expected to be used as an energy supply for Internet of Things sensors.

Characterization and application of the hetero-junction ZnFe2O4/TiO2 for Cr(VI) reduction under visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rekhila, G.; Trari, M.; Bessekhouad, Y.

2017-06-01

The spinel ZnFe2O4 prepared by nitrate route is used as dispersed photons collector capable to sensitize TiO2 under visible light and to reduce Cr(VI) into trivalent state. The transport properties, optical and photo-electrochemical characterizations are correlated, to build the energetic diagram of the hetero-system ZnFe2O4/TiO2/CrO4 - solution. A gap of 1.97 eV is obtained for the spinel from the diffuse reflectance. The conduction band of ZnFe2O4 (-1.47 V SCE) favors the electrons injection into TiO2, permitting a physical separation of the charge carriers. The oxidation of oxalic acid by photoholes prevents the corrosion of the spinel. The best configuration ZnFe2O4 (75 %)/TiO2 (25 %) is used to catalyze the downhill reaction (2HCrO4 - + 3C2H4O4 + 1.5O2 + 8H+ → 2Cr3+ + 6CO2 + 11 H2O, Δ G° = -557 kcal mol-1). 60 % of Cr(VI) are reduced after 3 h of visible light illumination and the photoactivity follows a first-order kinetic with a half-life of 70 min. The water reduction competes with the HCrO4 - reduction which is the reason in the regression of the photoactivity; a hydrogen evolution rate of 24 µmol mg-1 h-1 is obtained.

CMOS-compatible plenoptic detector for LED lighting applications.

PubMed

Neumann, Alexander; Ghasemi, Javad; Nezhadbadeh, Shima; Nie, Xiangyu; Zarkesh-Ha, Payman; Brueck, S R J

2015-09-07

LED lighting systems with large color gamuts, with multiple LEDs spanning the visible spectrum, offer the potential of increased lighting efficiency, improved human health and productivity, and visible light communications addressing the explosive growth in wireless communications. The control of this "smart lighting system" requires a silicon-integrated-circuit-compatible, visible, plenoptic (angle and wavelength) detector. A detector element, based on an offset-grating-coupled dielectric waveguide structure and a silicon photodetector, is demonstrated with an angular resolution of less than 1° and a wavelength resolution of less than 5 nm.

Impact of long-wavelength UVA and visible light on melanocompetent skin.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Bassel H; Ruvolo, Eduardo; Hexsel, Camile L; Liu, Yang; Owen, Michael R; Kollias, Nikiforos; Lim, Henry W; Hamzavi, Iltefat H

2010-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of visible light on the immediate pigmentation and delayed tanning of melanocompetent skin; the results were compared with those induced by long-wavelength UVA (UVA1). Two electromagnetic radiation sources were used to irradiate the lower back of 20 volunteers with skin types IV-VI: UVA1 (340-400 nm) and visible light (400-700 nm). Pigmentation was assessed by visual examination, digital photography with a cross-polarized filter, and diffused reflectance spectroscopy at 7 time points over a 2-week period. Confocal microscopy and skin biopsies for histopathological examination using different stains were carried out. Irradiation was also carried out on skin type II. Results showed that although both UVA1 and visible light can induce pigmentation in skin types IV-VI, pigmentation induced by visible light was darker and more sustained. No pigmentation was observed in skin type II. The quality and quantity of pigment induced by visible light and UVA1 were different. These findings have potential implications on the management of photoaggravated pigmentary disorders, the proper use of sunscreens, and the treatment of depigmented lesions.

Preparation and characterization of ZnO-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite for photocatalytic disinfection of bacteria and detoxification of cyanide under visible light

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karunakaran, C., E-mail: karunakaranc@rediffmail.com; Abiramasundari, G.; Gomathisankar, P.

2011-10-15

Highlights: {yields} ZnO-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite, obtained by modified ammonia-evaporation-induced synthetic method, absorbs visible light. {yields} ZnO-TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles catalyze bacteria disinfection and cyanide detoxification under sunlight. {yields} ZnO-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite is selective in photocatalysis. -- Abstract: ZnO-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite was prepared by modified ammonia-evaporation-induced synthetic method. It was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray, UV-visible diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies. Incorporation of ZnO leads to visible light absorption, larger charge transfer resistance and lower capacitance. The nanocomposite effectively catalyzes the inactivation of E. coli under visible light. Further,more » the prepared nanocomposite displays selective photocatalysis. While its photocatalytic efficiency to detoxify cyanide with visible light is higher than that of TiO{sub 2} P25, its efficiency to degrade methylene blue, sunset yellow and rhodamine B dyes under UV-A light is less than that of TiO{sub 2} P25.« less

Protection from visible light by commonly used textiles is not predicted by ultraviolet protection.

PubMed

Van den Keybus, Caroline; Laperre, Jan; Roelandts, Rik

2006-01-01

Interest is increasing in the prevention of acute and chronic actinic damage provided by clothing. This interest has focused mainly on protection against ultraviolet irradiation, but it has now also turned to protection against visible light. This change is mainly due to the action spectrum in the visible light range of some photodermatoses and the increasing interest in photodynamic therapy. The ultraviolet protection provided by commercially available textiles can be graded by determining an ultraviolet protection factor. Several methods have already been used to determine the ultraviolet protection factor. The fact that protection from visible light by textiles cannot be predicted by their ultraviolet protection makes the situation more complicated. This study attempts to determine whether or not the ultraviolet protection factor value of a particular textile is a good parameter for gauging its protection in the visible light range and concludes that a protection factor of textile materials against visible light needs to be developed. This development should go beyond the protection factor definition used in this article, which has some limitations, and should take into account the exact action spectrum for which the protection is needed.

Visible light spectral domain optical coherence microscopy system for ex vivo imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lichtenegger, Antonia; Harper, Danielle J.; Augustin, Marco; Eugui, Pablo; Fialová, Stanislava; Woehrer, Adelheid; Hitzenberger, Christoph K.; Baumann, Bernhard

2017-02-01

A visible light spectral domain optical coherence microscopy system operating in the wavelength range of 450-680 nm was developed. The resulting large wavelength range of 230 nm enabled an ultrahigh axial resolution of 0.88μm in tissue. The setup consisted of a Michelson interferometer combined with a homemade spectrometer with a spectral resolution of 0.03 nm. Scanning of 1 x 1 mm2 and 0.5 x 0.5 mm2 areas was performed by an integrated microelectromechanical mirror. After scanning the light beam is focused onto the tissue by a commercial objective with a 10 x magnification, resulting in a transverse resolution of 2 μm . Specification measurements showed that a -89 dB sensitivity with a 24 dB/mm roll-off could be achieved with the system. First of all the capabilities of the system were tested by investigating millimeter paper, tape and the USAF (US Air Force) 1951 resolution test target. Finally cerebral tissues from non-pathological and Alzheimer's disease affected brains were investigated. The results showed that structures, such as white and gray matter, could be distinguished. Furthermore a first effort was made to differentiate Alzheimer's disease from healthy brain tissue.

Water Photo-oxidation Initiated by Surface-Bound Organic Chromophores.

PubMed

Eberhart, Michael S; Wang, Degao; Sampaio, Renato N; Marquard, Seth L; Shan, Bing; Brennaman, M Kyle; Meyer, Gerald J; Dares, Christopher; Meyer, Thomas J

2017-11-15

Organic chromophores can be synthesized by established methods and offer an opportunity to expand overall solar spectrum utilization for dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells. However, there are complications in the use of organic chromophores arising from the instability of their oxidized forms, the inability of their oxidized forms to activate a water oxidation catalyst, or the absence of a sufficiently reducing excited state for electron injection into appropriate semiconductors. Three new triarylamine donor-acceptor organic dyes have been investigated here for visible-light-driven water oxidation. They offer highly oxidizing potentials (>1 V vs NHE in aqueous solution) that are sufficient to drive a water oxidation catalyst and excited-state potentials (∼-1.2 V vs NHE) sufficient to inject into TiO 2 . The oxidized form of one of the chromophores is sufficiently stable to exhibit reversible electrochemistry in aqueous solution. The chromophores also have favorable photophysics. Visible-light-driven oxygen production by an organic chromophore for up to 1 h of operation has been demonstrated with reasonable faradaic efficiencies for measured O 2 production. The properties of organic chromophores necessary for successfully driving water oxidation in a light-driven system are explored along with strategies for improving device performance.

Propagation of polarised light in bent hi-bi spun fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Przhiyalkovsky, Ya V.; Morshnev, S. K.; Starostin, N. I.; Gubin, V. P.

2015-11-01

The evolution of polarisation states (PS's) of broadband light propagating through a bent optical fibre with a helical structure of its refractive index anisotropy (hi-bi spun fibre) has been studied theoretically and experimentally. It has been shown that there exists a coordinate system of PS's in which the differential Jones matrix can be replaced by a diagonal matrix, which allows the polarisation parameters of the output broadband light to be readily calculated with sufficient accuracy. We have derived a formula for evaluating the magneto-optical sensitivity of a bent spun fibre. An approach has been proposed for restoring the degree of polarisation of light in a bent hi-bi spun fibre and, as a consequence, the visibility (contrast) of the interferometer in a current sensor with a sensing element based on the fibre under consideration.

Automatic illumination compensation device based on a photoelectrochemical biofuel cell driven by visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, You; Han, Yanchao; Xu, Miao; Zhang, Lingling; Dong, Shaojun

2016-04-01

Inverted illumination compensation is important in energy-saving projects, artificial photosynthesis and some forms of agriculture, such as hydroponics. However, only a few illumination adjustments based on self-powered biodetectors that quantitatively detect the intensity of visible light have been reported. We constructed an automatic illumination compensation device based on a photoelectrochemical biofuel cell (PBFC) driven by visible light. The PBFC consisted of a glucose dehydrogenase modified bioanode and a p-type semiconductor cuprous oxide photocathode. The PBFC had a high power output of 161.4 μW cm-2 and an open circuit potential that responded rapidly to visible light. It adjusted the amount of illumination inversely irrespective of how the external illumination was changed. This rational design of utilizing PBFCs provides new insights into automatic light adjustable devices and may be of benefit to intelligent applications.Inverted illumination compensation is important in energy-saving projects, artificial photosynthesis and some forms of agriculture, such as hydroponics. However, only a few illumination adjustments based on self-powered biodetectors that quantitatively detect the intensity of visible light have been reported. We constructed an automatic illumination compensation device based on a photoelectrochemical biofuel cell (PBFC) driven by visible light. The PBFC consisted of a glucose dehydrogenase modified bioanode and a p-type semiconductor cuprous oxide photocathode. The PBFC had a high power output of 161.4 μW cm-2 and an open circuit potential that responded rapidly to visible light. It adjusted the amount of illumination inversely irrespective of how the external illumination was changed. This rational design of utilizing PBFCs provides new insights into automatic light adjustable devices and may be of benefit to intelligent applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00759g

Photocatalytic activity of attapulgite–BiOCl–TiO{sub 2} toward degradation of methyl orange under UV and visible light irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Lili, E-mail: zll@hytc.edu.cn; Zhang, Jiahui; Zhang, Weiguang

2015-06-15

Highlights: • Excellent photocatalyst was obtained by introducing BiOCl–TiO{sub 2} onto attapulgite. • 100 mg L{sup −1} methyl orange (MO) was totally decomposed under UV light within 70 min. • 92.6% of 10 mg L{sup −1} MO was decomposed within 120 min under visible light. • ATT–BiOCl–TiO{sub 2} show better activity than P{sub 25} especially under visible light. • Mechanism of photocatalytic activity enhancement was identified. - Abstract: An environmental friendly composite photocatalyst with efficient UV and visible light activity has been synthesized by introducing BiOCl–TiO{sub 2} hybrid oxide onto the surface of attapulgite (ATT) (denoted as ATT–BiOCl–TiO{sub 2}), usingmore » a simple in situ depositing technique. The obtained products were characterized by XRD, TEM, BET and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra measurements. Results showed that BiOCl–TiO{sub 2} composite particles were successfully loaded onto attapulgite fibers' surface without obvious aggregation. The photocatalytic activity of ATT–BiOCl–TiO{sub 2} was investigated by degradation of methyl orange under UV and visible light irradiation. It was found that 100 mg L{sup −1} methyl orange was totally decomposed under UV light within 70 min and 92.57% of 10 mg L{sup −1} methyl orange was decomposed under visible light within 120 min using ATT–BiOCl–TiO{sub 2} as photocatalyst. These results were quite better than that of P{sub 25}, especially under visible light irradiation. Possible mechanism for the enhancement was proposed.« less

Black phosphorus quantum dots/attapulgite nanocomposite with enhanced photocatalytic performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiazhang; Li, Feihong; Lu, Xiaowang; Zuo, Shixiang; Zhuang, Ziheng; Yao, Chao

Novel black phosphorus quantum dots/attapulgite (BPQDs/ATP) nanocomposites were prepared via a facile hydrothermal-deposition method. TEM showed that BPQDs dispersed evenly on the surface of ATP with uniform particle size about 5nm. UV-Vis revealed that the BPQDs/ATP composite showed wider visible light absorption range as compared with pure ATP. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). Results showed that BPQDs/ATP reached 90% degradation rate under solar light irradiation for 180min. The coherent heterostructure formed by BPQDs and ATP was responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic performance, due to the sensitization effect of BPQDs and the facilitation of charges separation.

Surging Across the Rings

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-07-26

A surge in brightness appears on the rings directly opposite the Sun from the Cassini spacecraft. This "opposition surge" travels across the rings as the spacecraft watches. This view looks toward the sunlit side of the rings from about 9 degrees below the ringplane. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft wide-angle camera on June 12, 2007 using a spectral filter sensitive to wavelengths of infrared light centered at 853 nanometers. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 524,374 kilometers (325,830 miles) from Saturn. Image scale is 31 kilometers (19 miles) per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA08992

Transmission of light in the visible spectrum (400-700 nm) and blue spectrum (360-540 nm) through CAD/CAM polymers.

PubMed

Güth, Jan-Frederik; Kauling, Ana Elisa Colle; Ueda, Kazuhiko; Florian, Beuer; Stimmelmayr, Michael

2016-12-01

CAD/CAM-fabricated long-term temporary restorations from high-density polymers can be applied for a wide range of indications. Milled from monolithic, mono-colored polymer blocks, the translucency of the material plays an important role for an esthetically acceptable result. The aim of this study was to compare the transmittance through visible light and blue light of CAD CAM polymers to a glass-ceramic material of the same color. Ambarino High-Class (AM), Telio-CAD (TC), Zenotec PMMA (ZT), Cercon base PMMA (CB), CAD Temp (CT), Artbloc Temp (AT), Polycon ae (PS), New Outline CAD (NC), QUATTRO DISK Eco PMMA (GQ), Lava Ultimate (LU), and Paradigm MZ 100 (PA) were employed in this study using the feldspathic glass-ceramic Vita Mark II (MK) as control group. Using a spectrophotometer, the overall light transmittance was measured for each material (n = 40) and was calculated as the integration (t c (λ) dλ [10 -5 ]) of all t c values for the wavelengths of blue light (360-540 nm). Results were compared to previous data of the authors for visible light (400 to 700 nm). Wilcoxon test showed significant differences between the light transmittance of visible and blue light for all materials. CAD/CAM polymers showed different translucency for blue and visible light. This means clinicians may not conclude from the visible translucency of a material to its permeability for blue light. This influences considerations regarding light curing. CAD/CAM polymers need to be luted adhesively; therefore, clinicians should be aware about the amount of blue light passing through a restoration.

An estimation methode for measurement of ultraviolet radiation during nondestructive testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseinipanah, M.; Movafeghi, A.; Farvadin, D.

2018-04-01

Dye penetrant testing and magnetic particle testing are among conventional NDT methods. For increased sensitivity, fluorescence dyes and particles can be used with ultraviolet (black) lights. UV flaw detection lights have different spectra. With the help of photo-filters, the output lights are transferred to UV-A and visible zones. UV-A light can be harmful to human eyes in some conditions. In this research, UV intensity and spectrum were obtained by a Radio-spectrometer for two different UV flaw detector lighting systems. According to the standards such as ASTM E709, UV intensity must be at least 10 W/m2 at a distance of 30 cm. Based on our measurements; these features not achieved in some lamps. On the other hand, intensity and effective intensity of UV lights must be below the some limits for prevention of unprotected eye damage. NDT centers are usually using some type of UV measuring devices. A method for the estimation of effective intensity of UV light has been proposed in this research.

A polarization sensitive hyperspectral imaging system for detection of differences in tissue properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peller, Joseph A.; Ceja, Nancy K.; Wawak, Amanda J.; Trammell, Susan R.

2018-02-01

Polarized light imaging and optical spectroscopy can be used to distinguish between healthy and diseased tissue. In this study, the design and testing of a single-pixel hyperspectral imaging system that uses differences in the polarization of light reflected from tissue to differentiate between healthy and thermally damaged tissue is discussed. Thermal lesions were created in porcine skin (n = 8) samples using an IR laser. The damaged regions were clearly visible in the polarized light hyperspectral images. Reflectance hyperspectral and white light imaging was also obtained for all tissue samples. Sizes of the thermally damaged regions as measured via polarized light hyperspectral imaging are compared to sizes of these regions as measured in the reflectance hyperspectral images and white light images. Good agreement between the sizes measured by all three imaging modalities was found. Hyperspectral polarized light imaging can differentiate between healthy and damaged tissue. Possible applications of this imaging system include determination of tumor margins during cancer surgery or pre-surgical biopsy.

Efficient visibility encoding for dynamic illumination in direct volume rendering.

PubMed

Kronander, Joel; Jönsson, Daniel; Löw, Joakim; Ljung, Patric; Ynnerman, Anders; Unger, Jonas

2012-03-01

We present an algorithm that enables real-time dynamic shading in direct volume rendering using general lighting, including directional lights, point lights, and environment maps. Real-time performance is achieved by encoding local and global volumetric visibility using spherical harmonic (SH) basis functions stored in an efficient multiresolution grid over the extent of the volume. Our method enables high-frequency shadows in the spatial domain, but is limited to a low-frequency approximation of visibility and illumination in the angular domain. In a first pass, level of detail (LOD) selection in the grid is based on the current transfer function setting. This enables rapid online computation and SH projection of the local spherical distribution of visibility information. Using a piecewise integration of the SH coefficients over the local regions, the global visibility within the volume is then computed. By representing the light sources using their SH projections, the integral over lighting, visibility, and isotropic phase functions can be efficiently computed during rendering. The utility of our method is demonstrated in several examples showing the generality and interactive performance of the approach.

The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by green semiconductor films that is induced by irradiation by a light-emitting diode and visible light.

PubMed

Yang, Chih-Chi; Doong, Ruey-An; Chen, Ku-Fan; Chen, Giin-Shan; Tsai, Yung-Pin

2018-01-01

This study develops a low-energy rotating photocatalytic contactor (LE-RPC) that has Cu-doped TiO 2 films coated on stainless-steel rotating disks, to experimentally evaluate the efficiency of the degradation and decolorization of methylene blue (MB) under irradiation from different light sources (visible 430 nm, light-emitting diode [LED] 460 nm, and LED 525 nm). The production of hydroxyl radicals is also examined. The experimental results show that the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 that is doped with Cu 2+ is induced by illumination with visible light and an LED. More than 90% of methylene blue at a 10 mg/L concentration is degraded after illumination by visible light (430 nm) for 4 hr at 20 rpm. This study also demonstrates that the quantity of hydroxyl radicals produced is directly proportional to the light energy intensity. The greater the light energy intensity, the greater is the number of hydroxyl radicals produced. The CuO-doped anatase TiO 2 powder was successfully synthesized in this study by a sol-gel method. The catalytic abilities of the stainless-steel film were enhanced in the visible light regions. This study has successfully modified the nano-photocatalytic materials to drop band gap and has also successfully fixed the nano-photocatalytic materials on a substratum to effectively treat dye wastewater in the range of visible light. The results can be useful to the development of a low-energy rotating photocatalytic contactor for decontamination purposes.

N,N'-Bis((6-methoxylpyridin-2-yl)methylene)-p-phenylenediimine based d(10) transition metal complexes and their utilization in co-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Wei, Liguo; Yang, Yulin; Fan, Ruiqing; Na, Yong; Wang, Ping; Dong, Yuwei; Yang, Bin; Cao, Wenwu

2014-08-07

N,N'-Bis((6-methoxylpyridin-2-yl)methylene)-p-phenylenediimine based four-coordinated d(10) transition metal complexes (named ML, M = Zn, Cd, Hg) were synthesized and employed as co-sensitizers and co-adsorbents in combination with a ruthenium complex N719 in dye sensitized solar cells. After co-sensitization, not only the incident-photon-to-current conversion efficiency is enhanced but also the dark current is reduced. A short circuit current density of 14.46 mA cm(-2), an open circuit voltage of 0.74 V and a fill factor of 0.62 corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 6.65% under AM 1.5 G solar irradiation were achieved when ZnL was used as a co-sensitizer, which are much higher than that for DSSCs only sensitized by N719 (5.22%) under the same conditions. The improvement in efficiency is attributed to the fact that N,N'-bis((6-methoxylpyridin-2-yl)methylene)-p-phenylenediimine coordinated complexes overcome the deficiency of N719 absorption in the low wavelength region of the visible spectrum, prevent its aggregation, offset competitive visible light absorption of I3(-) and reduce charge recombination due to formation of an effective cover layer of the dye molecules on the TiO2 surface. As a result, the synthesized complexes are promising candidates as co-adsorbents and co-sensitizers for highly efficient DSSCs.

A Cu-Zn nanoparticle promoter for selective carbon dioxide reduction and its application in visible-light-active Z-scheme systems using water as an electron donor.

PubMed

Yin, Ge; Sako, Hiroshi; Gubbala, Ramesh V; Ueda, Shigenori; Yamaguchi, Akira; Abe, Hideki; Miyauchi, Masahiro

2018-04-17

Selective carbon dioxide photoreduction to produce formic acid was achieved under visible light irradiation using water molecules as electron donors, similar to natural plants, based on the construction of a Z-scheme light harvesting system modified with a Cu-Zn alloy nanoparticle co-catalyst. The faradaic efficiency of our Z-scheme system for HCOOH generation was over 50% under visible light irradiation.

A visible-light-excited europium(III) complex-based luminescent probe for visualizing copper ions and hydrogen sulfide in living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yiren; Wang, Huan; Yang, Mei; Yuan, Jingli; Wu, Jing

2018-01-01

Development of visible-light-excited lanthanide (III) complex-based luminescent probes is highly appealing due to their superiority of less damage to the living biosystems over the conventional UV-light-excited ones. In this work, a visible-light-excited europium (III) complex-based luminescent probe, BPED-BHHCT-Eu3+-BPT, has been designed and synthesized by conjugating the Cu2+-binding N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethanediamine (BPED) to a tetradentate β-diketone ligand 4,4‧-bis(1″,1″,1″,2″,2″,3″,3″-heptafluoro-4″,6″-hexanedione-6″-yl)chlorosulfo-o-terphenyl (BHHCT) and coordinating with a coligand 2-(N,N-diethylanilin-4-yl)-4,6-bis(pyrazol-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine) (BPT) for the time-gated luminescence detection of Cu2+ ions and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in living cells. BPED-BHHCT-Eu3+-BPT exhibited a sharp excitation peak at 407 nm and a wide excitation window extending to beyond 460 nm. Upon its reaction with Cu2+ ions, the luminescence of BPED-BHHCT-Eu3+-BPT was efficiently quenched, which could be reversibly restored by the addition of H2S due to the strong affinity between Cu2+ ions and H2S. The "on-off-on" type luminescence behavior of BPED-BHHCT-Eu3+-BPT towards Cu2+ ions and H2S enabled the sensing of the two species with high sensitivity and selectivity. The performances of BPED-BHHCT-Eu3+-BPT for visualizing intracellular Cu2+ ions and H2S were investigated, and the results have demonstrated the practical applicability of the probe for molecular imaging of cells.

Computational design of materials for solar hydrogen generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umezawa, Naoto

Photocatalysis has a great potential for the production of hydrogen from aquerous solution under solar light. In this talk, two different approaches toward the computational materials desing for solar hydrogen generation will be presented. Tin (Sn), which has two major oxidation states, Sn2+ and Sn4+, is abundant on the earth's crust. Recently, visible-light responsive photocatalytc H2 evolution reaction was identified over a mixed valence tin oxide Sn3O4. We have carried out crystal structure prediction for mixed valence tin oxides in different atomic compositions under ambient pressure condition using advanced computational methods based on the evolutionary crystal-structure search and density-functional theory. The predicted novel crystal structures realize the desirable band gaps and band edge positions for H2 evolution under visible light irradiation. It is concluded that multivalent tin oxides have a great potential as an abundant, cheap and environmentally-benign solar-energy conversion photofunctional materials. Transition metal doping is effective for sensitizing SrTiO3 under visible light. We have theoretically investigated the roles of the doped Cr in STO based on hybrid density-functional calculations. Cr atoms are preferably substituting for Ti under any equilibrium growth conditions. The lower oxidation state Cr3+, which is stabilized under an n-type condition of STO, is found to be advantageous for the photocatalytic performance. It is firther predicted that lanthanum is the best codopant for stabilizing the favorable oxidation state, Cr3+. The prediction was validated by our experiments that La and Cr co-doped STO shows the best performance among examined samples. This work was supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO) and International Research Fellow program of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) through project P14207.

Status and Prospects for Low-Light Visible Sensing from the VIIRS Day/Night Band on Suomi NPP and JPSS-1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, S. D.; Seaman, C.; Combs, C.; Solbrig, J. E.; Straka, W. C.; Walther, A.; NOH, Y. J.; Heidinger, A.

2016-12-01

Since its launch in October 2011, the Visible/Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite has delivered above and beyond expectations, revolutionizing our ability to observe and characterize the nocturnal environment. Taking advantage of natural and artificial (man-made) light sources, the DNB offers unique information content ranging from the surface to the upper atmosphere. Notable developments include the quantitative use of moonlight for cloud property retrievals and the discovery of nightglow sensitivity revealing the signatures of gravity waves. The DNB represents a remarkable advance to the heritage low-light visible sensing of the Operational Linescan System (OLS), providing spatial and radiometric resolution unprecedented to the space platform. Soon, we will have yet another dimension of resolution to consider—temporal. In early 2017, NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (J1) will join S-NPP in early afternoon (1330 local time, ascending node) sun-synchronous orbital plane, displaced ½ orbit ( 50 min) from S-NPP. Having two DNB sensors will offer an expanded ability (lower latitudes) to examine the temporal properties of various light sources, track the motion of ships, low-level clouds and dust storms, fire line evolution, cloud optical properties, and even the dynamics of mesospheric gravity wave structures such as thunderstorm-induced concentric gravity waves and mesospheric bores. This presentation will provide an update to the science and application-oriented research involving the S-NPP/DNB, examples of key capabilities, first results of lunar irradiance model validation, and a look ahead toward the new research opportunities to be afforded by tandem S-NPP/J1 observations. The AGU is well-positioned for anticipating these capabilities "on the eve" of the J1 launch.

Night vision imaging system design, integration and verification in spacecraft vacuum thermal test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Yonghong; Wang, Jing; Gong, Zhe; Li, Xiyuan; Pei, Yifei; Bai, Tingzhu; Zhen, Haijing

2015-08-01

The purposes of spacecraft vacuum thermal test are to characterize the thermal control systems of the spacecraft and its component in its cruise configuration and to allow for early retirement of risks associated with mission-specific and novel thermal designs. The orbit heat flux is simulating by infrared lamp, infrared cage or electric heater. As infrared cage and electric heater do not emit visible light, or infrared lamp just emits limited visible light test, ordinary camera could not operate due to low luminous density in test. Moreover, some special instruments such as satellite-borne infrared sensors are sensitive to visible light and it couldn't compensate light during test. For improving the ability of fine monitoring on spacecraft and exhibition of test progress in condition of ultra-low luminous density, night vision imaging system is designed and integrated by BISEE. System is consist of high-gain image intensifier ICCD camera, assistant luminance system, glare protect system, thermal control system and computer control system. The multi-frame accumulation target detect technology is adopted for high quality image recognition in captive test. Optical system, mechanical system and electrical system are designed and integrated highly adaptable to vacuum environment. Molybdenum/Polyimide thin film electrical heater controls the temperature of ICCD camera. The results of performance validation test shown that system could operate under vacuum thermal environment of 1.33×10-3Pa vacuum degree and 100K shroud temperature in the space environment simulator, and its working temperature is maintains at 5° during two-day test. The night vision imaging system could obtain video quality of 60lp/mm resolving power.

Multi-anode microchannel arrays. [for use in ground-based and spaceborne telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timothy, J. G.; Mount, G. H.; Bybee, R. L.

1979-01-01

The Multi-Anode Microchannel Arrays (MAMA's) are a family of photoelectric, photon-counting array detectors being developed for use in instruments on both ground-based and space-borne telescopes. These detectors combine high sensitivity and photometric stability with a high-resolution imaging capability. MAMA detectors can be operated in a windowless configuration at extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelengths or in a sealed configuration at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. Prototype MAMA detectors with up to 512 x 512 pixels are now being tested in the laboratory and telescope operation of a simple (10 x 10)-pixel visible-light detector has been initiated. The construction and modes-of-operation of the MAMA detectors are briefly described and performance data are presented.

Detecting technology of biophotons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Junfu; Zhu, Zhaohui; Zhu, Yanbin

2002-03-01

A key technique of detecting the ultra-weak photon emission from biological system (UPE) is to change the light signal of an extremely weak level into electric signal of a considerable level when the photo-electric detecting system were be applied. This paper analyzed the difficult for detecting the ultra-weak photon emission from biological system (UPE) mainly is in the absence of high sensitivity detector in UV-visible-infra spectra region. An experimental setup for testing UPE in different spectral region was designed. Using the experimental setup the test data of different several spectral regions from 300 nm to 1060 nm has were tested. The test result show the UPE of living biological system exists in wide spectra region from UV- visible to infrared.

Synthesis of Bi2S3 quantum dots for sensitized solar cells by reverse SILAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Navjot; Sharma, J.; Tripathi, S. K.

2016-05-01

Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar cells (QDSSC) have great potential to replace silicon-based solar cells. Quantum dots of various materials and sizes could be used to convert most of the visible light into the electrical current. This paper put emphasis on the synthesis of Bismuth Sulphide quantum dots and selectivity of the anionic precursor by Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption Reaction (SILAR). Bismuth Sulfide (Bi2S3) (group V - Vi semiconductor) is strong contestant for cadmium free solar cells due to its optimum band gap for light harvesting. Optical, structural and electrical measurements are reported and discussed. Problem regarding the choice of precursor for anion extraction is discussed. Band gap of the synthesized quantum dots is 1.2 eV which does not match with the required energy band gap of bismuth sulfide that is 1.7eV.

Large angle solid state position sensitive x-ray detector system

DOEpatents

Kurtz, David S.; Ruud, Clay O.

1998-01-01

A method and apparatus for x-ray measurement of certain properties of a solid material. In distinction to known methods and apparatus, this invention employs a specific fiber-optic bundle configuration, termed a reorganizer, itself known for other uses, for coherently transmitting visible light originating from the scintillation of diffracted x-radiation from the solid material gathered along a substantially one dimensional linear arc, to a two-dimensional photo-sensor array. The two-dimensional photodetector array, with its many closely packed light sensitive pixels, is employed to process the information contained in the diffracted radiation and present the information in the form of a conventional x-ray diffraction spectrum. By this arrangement, the angular range of the combined detector faces may be increased without loss of angular resolution. Further, the prohibitively expensive coupling together of a large number of individual linear diode photodetectors, which would be required to process signals generated by the diffracted radiation, is avoided.

A down-shifting Eu3+-doped Y2WO6/TiO2 photoelectrode for improved light harvesting in dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llanos, J.; Brito, I.; Espinoza, D.; Sekar, Ramkumar; Manidurai, P.

2018-02-01

Y1.86Eu0.14WO6 phosphors were prepared using a solid-state reaction method. Their optical properties were analysed, and they was mixed with TiO2, sintered, and used as a photoelectrode (PE) in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The as-prepared photoelectrode was characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and X-ray diffraction. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of the DSSC with TiO2:Y1.86Eu0.14WO6 (100:2.5) was 25.8% higher than that of a DSCC using pure TiO2 as PE. This high efficiency is due to the ability of the luminescent material to convert ultraviolet radiation from the sun to visible radiation, thus improving the solar light harvesting of the DSSC.

Smart photovoltaics based on dye-sensitized solar cells using photochromic spiropyran derivatives as photosensitizers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Shengbo; Ting, Hungkit; Ma, Yingzhuang

2015-05-15

In this paper, smart photovoltaic (SPV) devices, integrating both functions of solar cells and smart windows, was fabricated based on dye-sensitized solar cells using photochromic spiropyran derivatives SIBT as photosensitizers. SPV devices have self-regulated power conversion efficiency (PCE) and light transmission responding to the incident spectra due to the photoisomerization of SIBT. SIBT isomerize from closed-ring form to open-ring form under UV illumination, accompanied with enhanced visible light absorption and electron delocalization. Therefore, increased PCE and absorption in SPV devices were observed under UV treatment and the devices can be restored gradually to the initial status when kept in dark.more » The SPV devices have self-regulation of PCE and sunlight transmission responding to the changing sun spectra in different times of a day, providing a proper energy usage and a better sun-shading.« less

Far-ultraviolet spectral changes of titanium dioxide with gold nanoparticles by ultraviolet and visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanabe, Ichiro; Kurawaki, Yuji

2018-05-01

Attenuated total reflectance spectra including the far-ultraviolet (FUV, ≤ 200 nm) region of titanium dioxide (TiO2) with and without gold (Au) nanoparticles were measured. A newly developed external light-irradiation system enabled to observe spectral changes of TiO2 with Au nanoparticles upon light irradiations. Absorption in the FUV region decreased and increased by the irradiation with ultraviolet and visible light, respectively. These spectral changes may reflect photo-induced electron transfer from TiO2 to Au nanoparticles under ultraviolet light and from Au nanoparticles to TiO2 under visible light, respectively.

Two pathogen reduction technologies--methylene blue plus light and shortwave ultraviolet light--effectively inactivate hepatitis C virus in blood products.

PubMed

Steinmann, Eike; Gravemann, Ute; Friesland, Martina; Doerrbecker, Juliane; Müller, Thomas H; Pietschmann, Thomas; Seltsam, Axel

2013-05-01

Contamination of blood products with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause infections resulting in acute and chronic liver diseases. Pathogen reduction methods such as photodynamic treatment with methylene blue (MB) plus visible light as well as irradiation with shortwave ultraviolet (UVC) light were developed to inactivate viruses and other pathogens in plasma and platelet concentrates (PCs), respectively. So far, their inactivation capacities for HCV have only been tested in inactivation studies using model viruses for HCV. Recently, a HCV infection system for the propagation of infectious HCV in cell culture was developed. Inactivation studies were performed with cell culture-derived HCV and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a model for HCV. Plasma units or PCs were spiked with high titers of cell culture-grown viruses. After treatment of the blood units with MB plus light (Theraflex MB-Plasma system, MacoPharma) or UVC (Theraflex UV-Platelets system, MacoPharma), residual viral infectivity was assessed using sensitive cell culture systems. HCV was sensitive to inactivation by both pathogen reduction procedures. HCV in plasma was efficiently inactivated by MB plus light below the detection limit already by 1/12 of the full light dose. HCV in PCs was inactivated by UVC irradiation with a reduction factor of more than 5 log. BVDV was less sensitive to the two pathogen reduction methods. Functional assays with human HCV offer an efficient tool to directly assess the inactivation capacity of pathogen reduction procedures. Pathogen reduction technologies such as MB plus light treatment and UVC irradiation have the potential to significantly reduce transfusion-transmitted HCV infections. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

Preparation of W and N, S-codoped titanium dioxide with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huo, Rui; Yang, Jing-Yu; Liu, You-Qin

2016-04-15

Highlights: • W, N, S codoped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation-impregnation method. • New linkages N–Ti–O, Ti–O–S and Ti–O–W were formed. • The activity of 0.011W, 0.030(N,S)-TiO{sub 2} is 10 times higher than that of TiO{sub 2}. • The doping enhanced visible light absorbance and accelerated the charge carrier separation. - Abstract: In this work, the preparation and physiochemical characterization of tungsten, nitrogen and sulfur codoping TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts (W, N, S-TiO{sub 2}) was undertaken. W, N, S-TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized via the precipitation-impregnation method. To investigate the structural, optical, and electronic properties, the as-prepared W, N,more » S-TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectrum (DRS). W, N, S-TiO{sub 2} samples showed photo-absorption in the visible light region and higher visible light photocatalytic activity than TiO{sub 2}. 0.011W, 0.030(N, S)-TiO{sub 2} exhibited the highest visible light photocatalytic activity, and the photocatalyic degradation activity of 0.011W,0.030(N,S)-TiO{sub 2} is nearly 10 times higher than that of TiO{sub 2}. Compared with the undoped TiO{sub 2}, the improved photocatalytic activity of W, N, S-TiO{sub 2} samples under visible light irradiation is attributed to the increase of the visible light absorption and the reduction in photogenerated electron-hole recombination.« less

Plasmon-Sensitized Graphene/TiO2 Inverse Opal Nanostructures with Enhanced Charge Collection Efficiency for Water Splitting.

PubMed

Boppella, Ramireddy; Kochuveedu, Saji Thomas; Kim, Heejun; Jeong, Myung Jin; Marques Mota, Filipe; Park, Jong Hyeok; Kim, Dong Ha

2017-03-01

In this contribution we have developed TiO 2 inverse opal based photoelectrodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting devices, in which Au nanoparticles (NPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have been strategically incorporated (TiO 2 @rGO@Au). The periodic hybrid nanostructure showed a photocurrent density of 1.29 mA cm -2 at 1.23 V vs RHE, uncovering a 2-fold enhancement compared to a pristine TiO 2 reference. The Au NPs were confirmed to extensively broaden the absorption spectrum of TiO 2 into the visible range and to reduce the onset potential of these photoelectrodes. Most importantly, TiO 2 @rGO@Au hybrid exhibited a 14-fold enhanced PEC efficiency under visible light and a 2.5-fold enrichment in the applied bias photon-to-current efficiency at much lower bias potential compared with pristine TiO 2 . Incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency measurements highlighted a synergetic effect between Au plasmon sensitization and rGO-mediated facile charge separation/transportation, which is believed to significantly enhance the PEC activity of these nanostructures under simulated and visible light irradiation. Under the selected operating conditions the incorporation of Au NPs and rGO into TiO 2 resulted in a remarkable boost in the H 2 evolution rate (17.8 μmol/cm 2 ) compared to a pristine TiO 2 photoelectrode reference (7.6 μmol/cm 2 ). In line with these results and by showing excellent stability as a photoelectrode, these materials are herin underlined to be of promising interest in the PEC water splitting reaction.

Pedestrian Detection Based on Adaptive Selection of Visible Light or Far-Infrared Light Camera Image by Fuzzy Inference System and Convolutional Neural Network-Based Verification.

PubMed

Kang, Jin Kyu; Hong, Hyung Gil; Park, Kang Ryoung

2017-07-08

A number of studies have been conducted to enhance the pedestrian detection accuracy of intelligent surveillance systems. However, detecting pedestrians under outdoor conditions is a challenging problem due to the varying lighting, shadows, and occlusions. In recent times, a growing number of studies have been performed on visible light camera-based pedestrian detection systems using a convolutional neural network (CNN) in order to make the pedestrian detection process more resilient to such conditions. However, visible light cameras still cannot detect pedestrians during nighttime, and are easily affected by shadows and lighting. There are many studies on CNN-based pedestrian detection through the use of far-infrared (FIR) light cameras (i.e., thermal cameras) to address such difficulties. However, when the solar radiation increases and the background temperature reaches the same level as the body temperature, it remains difficult for the FIR light camera to detect pedestrians due to the insignificant difference between the pedestrian and non-pedestrian features within the images. Researchers have been trying to solve this issue by inputting both the visible light and the FIR camera images into the CNN as the input. This, however, takes a longer time to process, and makes the system structure more complex as the CNN needs to process both camera images. This research adaptively selects a more appropriate candidate between two pedestrian images from visible light and FIR cameras based on a fuzzy inference system (FIS), and the selected candidate is verified with a CNN. Three types of databases were tested, taking into account various environmental factors using visible light and FIR cameras. The results showed that the proposed method performs better than the previously reported methods.

Reduced graphene oxide and Ag wrapped TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst for enhanced visible light photocatalysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leong, Kah Hon; Sim, Lan Ching; Jang, Min

2015-10-01

A well-organised reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and silver (Ag) wrapped TiO{sub 2} nano-hybrid was successfully achieved through a facile and easy route. The inherent characteristics of the synthesized RGO-Ag/TiO{sub 2} were revealed through crystalline phase, morphology, chemical composition, Raman scattering, UV-visible absorption, and photoluminescence analyses. The adopted synthesis route significantly controlled the uniform formation of silver nanoparticles and contributed for the absorption of light in the visible spectrum through localized surface plasmon resonance effects. The wrapped RGO nanosheets triggered the electron mobility and promoted visible light shift towards red spectrum. The accomplishment of synergised effect of RGO and Ag wellmore » degraded Bisphenol A under visible light irradiation with a removal efficiency of 61.9%.« less

Synthesis and characterization of substituted Schiff-base ligands and their d(10) metal complexes: structure-induced luminescence tuning behaviors and applications in co-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Dong, Yu-Wei; Fan, Rui-Qing; Wang, Ping; Wei, Li-Guo; Wang, Xin-Ming; Zhang, Hui-Jie; Gao, Song; Yang, Yu-Lin; Wang, Yu-Lei

2015-03-28

Nine IIB group complexes, [ZnL1Cl2] (Zn1), [CdL1Cl2]2 (Cd1), [HgL1Cl2] (Hg1), [ZnL2Cl2] (Zn2), [CdL2Cl2] (Cd2), [HgL2Cl2] (Hg2), [ZnL3Cl2] (Zn3), [CdL3Cl2] (Cd3) and [HgL3Cl2] (Hg3), have been synthesized from the corresponding ortho-(6-methoxy-pyridyl)(CH[double bond, length as m-dash]NAr) (where Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3, L1; 4-MeC6H4, L2; 2-OMeC6H4, L3) Schiff base and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, (1)H NMR and X-ray single-crystal analysis. Crystallographic studies reveal that the center metal of the complexes adopts a distorted tetrahedron geometry (except for Cd1 and Cd3, which display square pyramidal geometry) and C-HCl hydrogen bonds and ππ stacking interactions contribute to three-dimensional supramolecular structures. The series of complexes exhibit tunable luminescence from blue, through green, to light yellow by varying the temperature (298 K and 77 K), both in solution and in the solid state. Moreover, the quantum yields range from 0.027 to 0.422, and decrease according to the order of the periodic table (Zn > Cd > Hg). These results indicate that the center atom of the complexes leads to the geometry differences and hence to the tunable luminescence properties. Because Zn1-Zn3 exhibited higher molar extinction coefficients and a distinct absorption region, they were employed as co-sensitizers in ruthenium dye N719-sensitized photoanodes to deliver light-electricity efficiency enhancement, being assembled with counter-electrodes and electrolyte to prepare ZnX/N719 (where ZnX = Zn1, Zn2, and Zn3) co-sensitized dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) devices. The prepared co-absorbent could overcome the deficiency of N719 absorption in the low-wavelength region of the visible spectrum, and offset competitive visible-light absorption of I3(-). Application of these prepared complexes in N719-sensitized solar cells enhanced their performance by 10-36%, which indicated a potential application of these types of complexes in DSSCs.

Facile one-pot synthesis of flower-like AgCl microstructures and enhancing of visible light photocatalysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Flower-like AgCl microstructures with enhanced visible light-driven photocatalysis are synthesized by a facile one-pot hydrothermal process for the first time. The evolution process of AgCl from dendritic structures to flower-like octagonal microstructures is investigated quantitatively. Furthermore, the flower-like AgCl microstructures exhibit enhanced ability of visible light-assisted photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the flower-like AgCl microstructure is attributed to its three-dimensional hierarchical structure exposing with [100] facets. This work provides a fresh view into the insight of electrochemical process and the application area of visible light photocatalysts. PMID:24153176

Significantly enhanced visible light response in single TiO2 nanowire by nitrogen ion implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Pengcheng; Song, Xianyin; Si, Shuyao; Ke, Zunjian; Cheng, Li; Li, Wenqing; Xiao, Xiangheng; Jiang, Changzhong

2018-05-01

The metal-oxide semiconductor TiO2 shows enormous potential in the field of photoelectric detection; however, UV-light absorption only restricts its widespread application. It is considered that nitrogen doping can improve the visible light absorption of TiO2, but the effect of traditional chemical doping is far from being used for visible light detection. Herein, we dramatically broadened the absorption spectrum of the TiO2 nanowire (NW) by nitrogen ion implantation and apply the N-doped single TiO2 NW to visible light detection for the first time. Moreover, this novel strategy effectively modifies the surface states and thus regulates the height of Schottky barriers at the metal/semiconductor interface, which is crucial to realizing high responsivity and a fast response rate. Under the illumination of a laser with a wavelength of 457 nm, our fabricated photodetector exhibits favorable responsivity (8 A W-1) and a short response time (0.5 s). These results indicate that ion implantation is a promising method in exploring the visible light detection of TiO2.

Significantly enhanced visible light response in single TiO2 nanowire by nitrogen ion implantation.

PubMed

Wu, Pengcheng; Song, Xianyin; Si, Shuyao; Ke, Zunjian; Cheng, Li; Li, Wenqing; Xiao, Xiangheng; Jiang, Changzhong

2018-05-04

The metal-oxide semiconductor TiO 2 shows enormous potential in the field of photoelectric detection; however, UV-light absorption only restricts its widespread application. It is considered that nitrogen doping can improve the visible light absorption of TiO 2 , but the effect of traditional chemical doping is far from being used for visible light detection. Herein, we dramatically broadened the absorption spectrum of the TiO 2 nanowire (NW) by nitrogen ion implantation and apply the N-doped single TiO 2 NW to visible light detection for the first time. Moreover, this novel strategy effectively modifies the surface states and thus regulates the height of Schottky barriers at the metal/semiconductor interface, which is crucial to realizing high responsivity and a fast response rate. Under the illumination of a laser with a wavelength of 457 nm, our fabricated photodetector exhibits favorable responsivity (8 A W -1 ) and a short response time (0.5 s). These results indicate that ion implantation is a promising method in exploring the visible light detection of TiO 2 .

An Unusual Strong Visible-Light Absorption Band in Red Anatase TiO2 Photocatalyst Induced by Atomic Hydrogen-Occupied Oxygen Vacancies.

PubMed

Yang, Yongqiang; Yin, Li-Chang; Gong, Yue; Niu, Ping; Wang, Jian-Qiang; Gu, Lin; Chen, Xingqiu; Liu, Gang; Wang, Lianzhou; Cheng, Hui-Ming

2018-02-01

Increasing visible light absorption of classic wide-bandgap photocatalysts like TiO 2 has long been pursued in order to promote solar energy conversion. Modulating the composition and/or stoichiometry of these photocatalysts is essential to narrow their bandgap for a strong visible-light absorption band. However, the bands obtained so far normally suffer from a low absorbance and/or narrow range. Herein, in contrast to the common tail-like absorption band in hydrogen-free oxygen-deficient TiO 2 , an unusual strong absorption band spanning the full spectrum of visible light is achieved in anatase TiO 2 by intentionally introducing atomic hydrogen-mediated oxygen vacancies. Combining experimental characterizations with theoretical calculations reveals the excitation of a new subvalence band associated with atomic hydrogen filled oxygen vacancies as the origin of such band, which subsequently leads to active photo-electrochemical water oxidation under visible light. These findings could provide a powerful way of tailoring wide-bandgap semiconductors to fully capture solar light. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photochemical Synthesis of Complex Carbazoles: Evaluation of Electronic Effects in Both UV- and Visible-Light Methods in Continuous Flow.

PubMed

Hernandez-Perez, Augusto C; Caron, Antoine; Collins, Shawn K

2015-11-09

An evaluation of both a visible-light- and UV-light-mediated synthesis of carbazoles from various triarylamines with differing electronic properties under continuous-flow conditions has been conducted. In general, triarylamines bearing electron-rich groups tend to produce higher yields than triarylamines possessing electron-withdrawing groups. The incorporation of nitrogen-based heterocycles, as well as halogen-containing arenes in carbazole skeletons, was well tolerated, and often synthetically useful complementarity was observed between the UV-light and visible-light (photoredox) methods. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Methods and apparatus for transparent display using up-converting nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Hsu, Chia Wei; Qiu, Wenjun; Zhen, Bo; Shapira, Ofer; Soljacic, Marin

2016-10-04

Disclosed herein are transparent color displays with nanoparticles made with nonlinear materials and/or designed to exhibit optical resonances. These nanoparticles are embedded in or hosted on a transparent substrate, such as a flexible piece of clear plastic or acrylic. Illuminating the nanoparticles with invisible light (e.g., infrared or ultraviolet light) causes them to emit visible light. For example, a rare-earth doped nanoparticle may emit visible light when illuminated simultaneoulsy with a first infrared beam at a first wavelength .lamda..sub.1 and a second infrared beam at a second wavelength .lamda..sub.2. And a frequency-doubling nanoparticle may emit visible light when illuminated with a single infrared beam at the nanoparticle's resonant frequency. Selectively addressing these nanoparticles with appropiately selected pump beams yields visible light emitted from the nanoparticles hosted by the transparent substrate in a desired pattern.

Multi-channel medical imaging system

DOEpatents

Frangioni, John V

2013-12-31

A medical imaging system provides simultaneous rendering of visible light and fluorescent images. The system may employ dyes in a small-molecule form that remain in the subject's blood stream for several minutes, allowing real-time imaging of the subject's circulatory system superimposed upon a conventional, visible light image of the subject. The system may provide an excitation light source to excite the fluorescent substance and a visible light source for general illumination within the same optical guide used to capture images. The system may be configured for use in open surgical procedures by providing an operating area that is closed to ambient light. The systems described herein provide two or more diagnostic imaging channels for capture of multiple, concurrent diagnostic images and may be used where a visible light image may be usefully supplemented by two or more images that are independently marked for functional interest.

Multi-channel medical imaging system

DOEpatents

Frangioni, John V.

2016-05-03

A medical imaging system provides simultaneous rendering of visible light and fluorescent images. The system may employ dyes in a small-molecule form that remain in a subject's blood stream for several minutes, allowing real-time imaging of the subject's circulatory system superimposed upon a conventional, visible light image of the subject. The system may provide an excitation light source to excite the fluorescent substance and a visible light source for general illumination within the same optical guide used to capture images. The system may be configured for use in open surgical procedures by providing an operating area that is closed to ambient light. The systems described herein provide two or more diagnostic imaging channels for capture of multiple, concurrent diagnostic images and may be used where a visible light image may be usefully supplemented by two or more images that are independently marked for functional interest.

Optical effects of exposing intact human lenses to ultraviolet radiation and visible light.

PubMed

Kessel, Line; Eskildsen, Lars; Lundeman, Jesper Holm; Jensen, Ole Bjarlin; Larsen, Michael

2011-12-30

The human lens is continuously exposed to high levels of light. Ultraviolet radiation is believed to play a causative role in the development of cataract. In vivo, however, the lens is mainly exposed to visible light and the ageing lens absorbs a great part of the short wavelength region of incoming visible light. The aim of the present study was to examine the optical effects on human lenses of short wavelength visible light and ultraviolet radiation. Naturally aged human donor lenses were irradiated with UVA (355 nm), violet (400 and 405 nm) and green (532 nm) lasers. The effect of irradiation was evaluated qualitatively by photography and quantitatively by measuring the direct transmission before and after irradiation. Furthermore, the effect of pulsed and continuous laser systems was compared as was the effect of short, intermediate and prolonged exposures. Irradiation with high intensity lasers caused scattering lesions in the human lenses. These effects were more likely to be seen when using pulsed lasers because of the high pulse intensity. Prolonged irradiation with UVA led to photodarkening whereas no detrimental effects were observed after irradiation with visible light. Irradiation with visible light does not seem to be harmful to the human lens except if the lens is exposed to laser irradiances that are high enough to warrant thermal protein denaturation that is more readily seen using pulsed laser systems.

Photocatalytic activity of Fe-doped CaTiO₃ under UV-visible light.

PubMed

Yang, He; Han, Chong; Xue, Xiangxin

2014-07-01

The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) over Fe-doped CaTiO₃ under UV-visible light was investigated. The as-prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) system, Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results show that the doping with Fe significantly promoted the light absorption ability of CaTiO₃ in the visible light region. The Fe-doped CaTiO₃ exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than CaTiO₃ for the degradation of MB. However, the photocatalytic activity of the Fe-doped CaTiO₃ was greatly influenced by the calcination temperature during the preparation process. The Fe-doped CaTiO₃ prepared at 500°C exhibited the best photocatalytic activity, with degradation of almost 100% MB (10ppm) under UV-visible light for 180 min. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Highly sensitive photoelectrochemical biosensor for kinase activity detection and inhibition based on the surface defect recognition and multiple signal amplification of metal-organic frameworks.

PubMed

Wang, Zonghua; Yan, Zhiyong; Wang, Feng; Cai, Jibao; Guo, Lei; Su, Jiakun; Liu, Yang

2017-11-15

A turn-on photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor based on the surface defect recognition and multiple signal amplification of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) was proposed for highly sensitive protein kinase activity analysis and inhibitor evaluation. In this strategy, based on the phosphorylation reaction in the presence of protein kinase A (PKA), the Zr-based metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66) accommodated with [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ photoactive dyes in the pores were linked to the phosphorylated kemptide modified TiO 2 /ITO electrode through the chelation between the Zr 4+ defects on the surface of UiO-66 and the phosphate groups in kemptide. Under visible light irradiation, the excited electrons from [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ adsorbed in the pores of UiO-66 injected into the TiO 2 conduction band to generate photocurrent, which could be utilized for protein kinase activities detection. The large surface area and high porosities of UiO-66 facilitated a large number of [Ru(bpy) 3 ] 2+ that increased the photocurrent significantly, and afforded a highly sensitive PEC analysis of kinase activity. The detection limit of the as-proposed PEC biosensor was 0.0049UmL -1 (S/N!=!3). The biosensor was also applied for quantitative kinase inhibitor evaluation and PKA activities detection in MCF-7 cell lysates. The developed visible-light PEC biosensor provides a simple detection procedure and a cost-effective manner for PKA activity assays, and shows great potential in clinical diagnosis and drug discoveries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Erbium and nitrogen co-doped SrTiO{sub 3} with highly visible light photocatalytic activity and stability by solvothermal synthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Jing; Wei, Yuelin, E-mail: ylwei@hqu.edu.cn; Huang, Yunfang

Highlights: • Er/N co-doped SrTiO{sub 3} was prepared by a solvothermal process at low temperature. • The co-doping induces the band gap narrowing and prominent absorbance in visible light region. • The samples show excellent catalytic activity and stability under visible light irradiation. - Abstract: Erbium–nitrogen co-doped SrTiO{sub 3} photocatalysts have been synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. The resulting samples were analyzed by FE-SEM, XRD, BET-surface area and UV–vis. The UV–vis absorption spectra of these powders indicated that erbium–nitrogen co-doped SrTiO{sub 3} possessed stronger absorption bands in the visible light region in comparison with that of pure SrTiO{sub 3}.more » The occurrence of the erbium–nitrogen co-doped cubic SrTiO{sub 3} induced the higher photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under irradiation by ultraviolet light and visible light, respectively, being superior to that of pure SrTiO{sub 3} and commercial TiO{sub 2} (P-25) powders. In addition, the Er–N co-doped SrTiO{sub 3} (initial molar ratios of Sr/Er/N = 1:0.015:0.1, designated as S5) sample showed the best photocatalytic activity with the degradation rate as high as 98% after 30 min under the visible light irradiation. After five cycles, the photocatalytic activity of the S5 catalyst showed no significant decrease, which indicated that the photocatalysts were stable under visible light irradiation.« less

VISTA Captures Celestial Cat's Hidden Secrets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-04-01

The Cat's Paw Nebula, NGC 6334, is a huge stellar nursery, the birthplace of hundreds of massive stars. In a magnificent new ESO image taken with the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile, the glowing gas and dust clouds obscuring the view are penetrated by infrared light and some of the Cat's hidden young stars are revealed. Towards the heart of the Milky Way, 5500 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Scorpius (the Scorpion), the Cat's Paw Nebula stretches across 50 light-years. In visible light, gas and dust are illuminated by hot young stars, creating strange reddish shapes that give the object its nickname. A recent image by ESO's Wide Field Imager (WFI) at the La Silla Observatory (eso1003) captured this visible light view in great detail. NGC 6334 is one of the most active nurseries of massive stars in our galaxy. VISTA, the latest addition to ESO's Paranal Observatory in the Chilean Atacama Desert, is the world's largest survey telescope (eso0949). It works at infrared wavelengths, seeing right through much of the dust that is such a beautiful but distracting aspect of the nebula, and revealing objects hidden from the sight of visible light telescopes. Visible light tends to be scattered and absorbed by interstellar dust, but the dust is nearly transparent to infrared light. VISTA has a main mirror that is 4.1 metres across and it is equipped with the largest infrared camera on any telescope. It shares the spectacular viewing conditions with ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), which is located on the nearby summit. With this powerful instrument at their command, astronomers were keen to see the birth pains of the big young stars in the Cat's Paw Nebula, some nearly ten times the mass of the Sun. The view in the infrared is strikingly different from that in visible light. With the dust obscuring the view far less, they can learn much more about how these stars form and develop in their first few million years of life. VISTA's very wide field of view allows the whole star-forming region to be imaged in one shot with much greater clarity than ever before. The VISTA image is filled with countless stars of our Milky Way galaxy overlaid with spectacular tendrils of dark dust that are seen here fully for the first time. The dust is sufficiently thick in places to block even the near-infrared radiation to which VISTA's camera is sensitive. In many of the dusty areas, such as those close to the centre of the picture, features that appear orange are apparent - evidence of otherwise hidden active young stars and their accompanying jets. Further out though, slightly older stars are laid bare to VISTA's vision, revealing the processes taking them from their first nuclear fusion along the unsteady path of the first few million years of their lives. The VISTA telescope is now embarking on several big surveys of the southern sky that will take years to complete. The telescope's large mirror, high quality images, sensitive camera and huge field of view make it by far the most powerful infrared survey telescope on Earth. As this striking image shows, VISTA will keep astronomers busy analysing data they could not have otherwise acquired. This cat is out of the bag. More information ESO, the European Southern Observatory, is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive astronomical observatory. It is supported by 14 countries: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and VISTA, the world's largest survey telescope. ESO is the European partner of a revolutionary astronomical telescope ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. ESO is currently planning a 42-metre European Extremely Large optical/near-infrared Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky".

Photocatalytic degradation of p,p'-DDT under UV and visible light using interstitial N-doped TiO₂.

PubMed

Ananpattarachai, Jirapat; Kajitvichyanukul, Puangrat

2015-01-01

1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (or p,p'-DDT) is one of the most persistent pesticides. It is resistant to breakdown in nature and cause the water contamination problem. In this work, a major objective was to demonstrate the application of N-doped TiO2 in degradation and mineralization of the p,p'-DDT under UV and visible light in aqueous solution. The N-doped TiO2 nanopowders were prepared by a simple modified sol-gel procedure using diethanolamine (DEA) as a nitrogen source. The catalyst characteristics were investigated using XRD, SEM, TEM, and XPS. The adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation of p,p'-DDT using the synthesized N-doped TiO2 under UV and visible light were conducted in a batch photocatalytic experiment. The kinetics and p,p'-DDT degradation performance of the N-doped TiO2 were evaluated. Results show that the N-doped TiO2 can degrade p,p'-DDT effectively under both UV and visible lights. The rate constant of the p,p'-DDT degradation under UV light was only 0.0121 min(-1), whereas the rate constant of the p,p'-DDT degradation under visible light was 0.1282 min(-1). Under visible light, the 100% degradation of p,p'-DDT were obtained from N-doped TiO2 catalyst. The reaction rate of p,p'-DDT degradation using N-doped TiO2 under visible light was sixfold higher than that under UV light. According to Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, the adsorption equilibrium constant (K) for the N-doped TiO2 under visible light was 0.03078 L mg(-1), and the apparent reaction rate constant (k) was 1.3941 mg L(-1)-min. Major intermediates detected during the p,p'-DDT degradation were p,p'-DDE, o,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD and p,p'-DDD. Results from this work can be applied further for the breakdown of p,p'-DDT molecule in the real contaminated water using this technology.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Yeping, E-mail: ypli@ujs.edu.cn; Huang, Liying; Xu, Jingbo

Highlights: • Novel MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite was prepared by a mixing-calcination method. • The MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite shows remarkably enhanced absorption of visible light. • The MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite shows superior visible-light photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Composite photocatalyst of blue MoO{sub 3}/g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} (denoted as MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) was prepared by a simple mixing-calcination method. The obtained MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} composite contains a low amount of molybdenum blue and shows remarkably enhanced absorption of visible light and high efficiency for the degradation of methylene blue dye (MB) under visible light. Themore » enhancement of visible light photocatalytic activity in MoO{sub 3}–C{sub 3}N{sub 4} is attributed to the synergetic effect: (i) the strong and wide absorption of visible light, (ii) the high separation and easy transfer of photogenerated electron–hole pairs at the heterojunction interfaces derived from the match of band position between the g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and MoO{sub 3}.« less

IrisDenseNet: Robust Iris Segmentation Using Densely Connected Fully Convolutional Networks in the Images by Visible Light and Near-Infrared Light Camera Sensors

PubMed Central

Arsalan, Muhammad; Naqvi, Rizwan Ali; Kim, Dong Seop; Nguyen, Phong Ha; Owais, Muhammad; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-01-01

The recent advancements in computer vision have opened new horizons for deploying biometric recognition algorithms in mobile and handheld devices. Similarly, iris recognition is now much needed in unconstraint scenarios with accuracy. These environments make the acquired iris image exhibit occlusion, low resolution, blur, unusual glint, ghost effect, and off-angles. The prevailing segmentation algorithms cannot cope with these constraints. In addition, owing to the unavailability of near-infrared (NIR) light, iris recognition in visible light environment makes the iris segmentation challenging with the noise of visible light. Deep learning with convolutional neural networks (CNN) has brought a considerable breakthrough in various applications. To address the iris segmentation issues in challenging situations by visible light and near-infrared light camera sensors, this paper proposes a densely connected fully convolutional network (IrisDenseNet), which can determine the true iris boundary even with inferior-quality images by using better information gradient flow between the dense blocks. In the experiments conducted, five datasets of visible light and NIR environments were used. For visible light environment, noisy iris challenge evaluation part-II (NICE-II selected from UBIRIS.v2 database) and mobile iris challenge evaluation (MICHE-I) datasets were used. For NIR environment, the institute of automation, Chinese academy of sciences (CASIA) v4.0 interval, CASIA v4.0 distance, and IIT Delhi v1.0 iris datasets were used. Experimental results showed the optimal segmentation of the proposed IrisDenseNet and its excellent performance over existing algorithms for all five datasets. PMID:29748495

IrisDenseNet: Robust Iris Segmentation Using Densely Connected Fully Convolutional Networks in the Images by Visible Light and Near-Infrared Light Camera Sensors.

PubMed

Arsalan, Muhammad; Naqvi, Rizwan Ali; Kim, Dong Seop; Nguyen, Phong Ha; Owais, Muhammad; Park, Kang Ryoung

2018-05-10

The recent advancements in computer vision have opened new horizons for deploying biometric recognition algorithms in mobile and handheld devices. Similarly, iris recognition is now much needed in unconstraint scenarios with accuracy. These environments make the acquired iris image exhibit occlusion, low resolution, blur, unusual glint, ghost effect, and off-angles. The prevailing segmentation algorithms cannot cope with these constraints. In addition, owing to the unavailability of near-infrared (NIR) light, iris recognition in visible light environment makes the iris segmentation challenging with the noise of visible light. Deep learning with convolutional neural networks (CNN) has brought a considerable breakthrough in various applications. To address the iris segmentation issues in challenging situations by visible light and near-infrared light camera sensors, this paper proposes a densely connected fully convolutional network (IrisDenseNet), which can determine the true iris boundary even with inferior-quality images by using better information gradient flow between the dense blocks. In the experiments conducted, five datasets of visible light and NIR environments were used. For visible light environment, noisy iris challenge evaluation part-II (NICE-II selected from UBIRIS.v2 database) and mobile iris challenge evaluation (MICHE-I) datasets were used. For NIR environment, the institute of automation, Chinese academy of sciences (CASIA) v4.0 interval, CASIA v4.0 distance, and IIT Delhi v1.0 iris datasets were used. Experimental results showed the optimal segmentation of the proposed IrisDenseNet and its excellent performance over existing algorithms for all five datasets.

Enhanced performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible upconversion luminescence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liang, Li; Yulin, Yang, E-mail: ylyang@hit.edu.cn; Mi, Zhou

2013-02-15

TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible upconversion luminescence (UC-TiO{sub 2}) is prepared by a sol-gel method and calcined at 700 Degree-Sign C for 6 h. The material broadens the response region of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) from an ultraviolet-visible region to the whole region of the solar spectrum. It shifts NIR sunlight to visible light which matches the strong absorbing region of the dye (N719). DSSCs based on UC-TiO{sub 2} achieved higher conversion efficiency than that on raw TiO{sub 2}. UC-TiO{sub 2} was mixed with commercial raw TiO{sub 2} as additive, and the short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage andmore » conversion efficiency of the DSSC reached to the optimum values 13.38 mA/cm{sup 2}, 0.78 V and 6.63% (AM1.5 global), comparing with the blank values: 7.99 mA/cm{sup 2}, 0.75 V and 4.07%, respectively. Also the mechanisms of upconversion by multiphoton absorption and energy transfer processes are interpreted in this paper. - Graphical abstract: By introducing TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible up-conversion luminescence into DSSC, a signal reflection was explored from ultra-violet region to visible region, and to near-IR region. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2} with NIR-absorption and visible up-conversion luminescence (UC-TiO{sub 2}) was prepared by a sol-gel method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A systematic characterization and analysis was carried out to discuss the mechanism. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A significantly enhanced performance of DSSC was explored by using UC-TiO{sub 2} as an additive.« less

Photodeposition of Ag2S on TiO2 nanorod arrays for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Ag2S quantum dots were deposited on the surface of TiO2 nanorod arrays by a two-step photodeposition. The prepared TiO2 nanorod arrays as well as the Ag2S deposited electrodes were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope, suggesting a large coverage of Ag2S quantum dots on the ordered TiO2 nanorod arrays. UV–vis absorption spectra of Ag2S deposited electrodes show a broad absorption range of the visible light. The quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) based on these electrodes were fabricated, and the photoelectrochemical properties were examined. A high photocurrent density of 10.25 mA/cm2 with a conversion efficiency of 0.98% at AM 1.5 solar light of 100 mW/cm2 was obtained with an optimal photodeposition time. The performance of the QDSSC at different incident light intensities was also investigated. The results display a better performance at a lower incident light level with a conversion efficiency of 1.25% at 47 mW/cm2. PMID:23286551

UV actinometer film

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coulbert, C. D.; Gupta, A.; Pitts, J.

1980-01-01

Cumulative UV radiation can be measured by low-cost polymer film that is unaffacted by visible light. Useful for virtually any surface, film can help paint and plastics manufacturers determine how well their products stand up against UV radiation. Actinometer film uses photochemically sensitive compound that changes its chemical composition in response to solar radiation. Extent of chemical conversion depends on length exposure and can be measured by examining film sample with spectrophotometer. Film can be exposed from several seconds up to month.

Optical properties of anthocyanin dyes on TiO2 as photosensitizers for application of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahliha, A. H.; Nurosyid, F.; Supriyanto, A.; Kusumaningsih, T.

2018-03-01

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is one of the alternative energy that can convert light energy into electrical energy. The component of DSSC consists of FTO substrates, TiO2, electrolyte, dye sensitizer, and counter electrode. This study aim was to determine the effect of optical properties of anthocyanin dyes on efficiency of DSSC. The dye sensitizer used can be extracted from anthocyanin pigments such as dragon fruit, black rice, and red cabbage. The red cabbage sensitizer shows lower absorbance value in the visible range (450-580 nm), than dragon fruit and black rice. The chemical structure of each dye molecules has an R group (carbonyl and hydroxyl) that forms a bond with the oxide layer. Red cabbage dye cell has the highest efficiency, 0.06% then dragon fruit and black rice, 0.02% and 0.03%.

Bactericidal effects and mechanisms of visible light-responsive titanium dioxide photocatalysts on pathogenic bacteria.

PubMed

Liou, Je-Wen; Chang, Hsin-Hou

2012-08-01

This review focuses on the antibacterial activities of visible light-responsive titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) photocatalysts. These photocatalysts have a range of applications including disinfection, air and water cleaning, deodorization, and pollution and environmental control. Titanium dioxide is a chemically stable and inert material, and can continuously exert antimicrobial effects when illuminated. The energy source could be solar light; therefore, TiO(2) photocatalysts are also useful in remote areas where electricity is insufficient. However, because of its large band gap for excitation, only biohazardous ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation can excite TiO(2), which limits its application in the living environment. To extend its application, impurity doping, through metal coating and controlled calcination, has successfully modified the substrates of TiO(2) to expand its absorption wavelengths to the visible light region. Previous studies have investigated the antibacterial abilities of visible light-responsive photocatalysts using the model bacteria Escherichia coli and human pathogens. The modified TiO(2) photocatalysts significantly reduced the numbers of surviving bacterial cells in response to visible light illumination. They also significantly reduced the activity of bacterial endospores; reducing their toxicity while retaining their germinating abilities. It is suggested that the photocatalytic killing mechanism initially damages the surfaces weak points of the bacterial cells, before totally breakage of the cell membranes. The internal bacterial components then leak from the cells through the damaged sites. Finally, the photocatalytic reaction oxidizes the cell debris. In summary, visible light-responsive TiO(2) photocatalysts are more convenient than the traditional UV light-responsive TiO(2) photocatalysts because they do not require harmful UV light irradiation to function. These photocatalysts, thus, provide a promising and feasible approach for disinfection of pathogenic bacteria; facilitating the prevention of infectious diseases.

Nighttime visibility of in-service pavement markings, pavement markers, and guardrail delineation in Alaska (with and without continuous lighting).

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-03-01

This research determined the visibility of in-service pavement markings along lighted and unlighted highway sections, and compared : visibility of in-service pavement markings to the FHWA proposed minimum retroreflectivity levels for the Alaska Depar...

Optical Fiber Illumination System for visual flight simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollow, R. H.

1981-01-01

An electronically controlled lighting system simulating runway, aircraft carrier, and landing aid lights for flight simulations is described. The various colored lights that would be visible to a pilot by day, at dusk, or at night are duplicated at the distances the lights would normally become visible. Plastic optical fiber illuminators using tungsten halogen lights are distributed behind the model. The tips of the fibers of illuminators simulating runway lights are bevelled in order that they may be seen from long distances and at low angles. Fibers representing taxiway lights are pointed and polished for omni-directional visibility. The electronic intensity controls, which can be operated either manually or remotely, regulate the intensity of the lights to simulate changes in distance. A dichronic mirror, infrared filter system is used to maintain color integrity.

Far-ultraviolet spectral changes of titanium dioxide with gold nanoparticles by ultraviolet and visible light.

PubMed

Tanabe, Ichiro; Kurawaki, Yuji

2018-05-15

Attenuated total reflectance spectra including the far-ultraviolet (FUV, ≤200nm) region of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) with and without gold (Au) nanoparticles were measured. A newly developed external light-irradiation system enabled to observe spectral changes of TiO 2 with Au nanoparticles upon light irradiations. Absorption in the FUV region decreased and increased by the irradiation with ultraviolet and visible light, respectively. These spectral changes may reflect photo-induced electron transfer from TiO 2 to Au nanoparticles under ultraviolet light and from Au nanoparticles to TiO 2 under visible light, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An ion exchange strategy to BiOI/CH3COO(BiO) heterojunction with enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Qiaofeng; Yang, Zhen; Wang, Li; Shen, Zichen; Wang, Xin; Zhu, Junwu; Jiang, Xiaohong

2017-05-01

It is very significant to develop CH3COO(BiO) (denoted as BiOAc) based photocatalysts for the removal of pollutants due to its non-toxicity and availability. We previously reported that BiOAc exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for rhodamine B (RhB) degradation under UV light irradiation. Herein, by an ion exchange approach, BiOI/BiOAc heterojunction could be easily obtained. The as-prepared heterojunction possessed enhanced photodegradation activity for multiple dyes including RhB and methyl orange (MO) under visible light illumination in comparison with individual materials. Good visible-light photocatalytic activity of the heterojunction could be attributed to the increased visible light response, effective charge transfer from the modified band position and close interfacial contact due to partial ion exchange method.

Visible-light optical coherence tomography: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Xiao; Beckmann, Lisa; Zhang, Hao F.

2017-12-01

Visible-light optical coherence tomography (vis-OCT) is an emerging imaging modality, providing new capabilities in both anatomical and functional imaging of biological tissue. It relies on visible light illumination, whereas most commercial and investigational OCTs use near-infrared light. As a result, vis-OCT requires different considerations in engineering design and implementation but brings unique potential benefits to both fundamental research and clinical care of several diseases. Here, we intend to provide a summary of the development of vis-OCT and its demonstrated applications. We also provide perspectives on future technology improvement and applications.

Research progress of infrared detecting and display integrated device based on infrared-visible up-conversion technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Junfeng; Li, Weile; He, Bo; Wang, Haowei; Song, Yong; Yang, Shengyi; Ni, Guoqiang

2018-01-01

Infrared detecting and display device (IR-DDD) is a newly developed optical up-conversion device that integrates the light-emitting diode (LED) onto the infrared (IR) photo-detector, in order to convert IR light into the carriers photo-generated in detection materials and inject them into LED to emit visible light. This IR-DDD can achieve the direct up-conversion from IR ray to visible light, showing the considerable potential in night-vision application. This paper attempts a review of its working principle and current research progresses.

Porphyrin-sensitized solar cells: systematic molecular optimization, coadsorption and cosensitization.

PubMed

Song, Heli; Liu, Qingyun; Xie, Yongshu

2018-02-15

As a promising low-cost solar energy conversion technique, dye-sensitized solar cells have undergone spectacular development since 1991. For practical applications, improvement of power conversion efficiency has always been one of the major research topics. Porphyrins are outstanding sensitizers endowed with strong sunlight harvesting ability in the visible region and multiple reaction sites available for functionalization. However, judicious molecular design in consideration of light-harvest, energy levels, operational dynamics, adsorption geometry and suppression of back reactions is specifically required for achieving excellent photovoltaic performance. This feature article highlights some of the recently developed porphyrin sensitizers, especially focusing on the systematic dye structure optimization approach in combination with coadsorption and cosensitization methods in pursuing higher efficiencies. Herein, we expect to provide more insights into the structure-performance correlation and molecular engineering strategies in a stepwise manner.

Sensitizing of TiO2 with a merocyanine dye in the photocatalytic reduction of methylene blue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobasa, I. M.; Kondratyeva, I. V.; Kropelnytska, Yu. V.

Three merocyanine dyes (D) with various polymethine chain lengths were checked for their applicability as sensitizers for TiO2. Based on the absorption data and cyclic voltammetric redox potentials, the lower unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy was calculated. The LUMO energy was higher than the conductance band edge energy of the anatase-type TiO2 for all the dyes, meaning that they all can act as efficient sensitizers for various functional materials to be used in the wide-zone visible light solar cells, toxic wastes decontamination technologies and other similar applications. Merocyanines applicability as effective sensitizing agents was approved by construction of the heterostructures (HS) D/TiO2 consisting of the merocyanines and acting as photocatalysts in the test reaction of methylene blue (MB) reduction by formaldehyde.

Preliminary evidence on photoreactivation of Frankia spores with visible light after exposure to UV-C radiation.

PubMed

Sayed, W F

2011-06-01

Spores of four Frankia strains, the nitrogen-fixing actinomycete, were exposed to short wavelength UV-C radiation of 254 nm at 1 lux cm(2) (0.24 mw cm2 of energy) for 10 min. The used strains were HFP020203, UGL020604, UGL020602q and ORS021001. Exposure to UV was followed by reactivation with visible white light at 327.4 lux cm(2) for the same period of time. Spore germination percentage, spore protein content, and cell growth were damaged by this treatment. The lower and higher percentages of reduction in spore germination were 32 and 63% and, for the same strains, the recovery by white light was 7.2 and 37%. The lower percentages of UV damage and subsequent low recovery were recorded for strain ORS021001 that is considered more resistant to UV than the other strains. The higher percentages were recorded for strain HFP020203 that is more sensitive to UV but having more efficient repairing mechanisms. All the tested strains showed repairing activity induced by white light as indicated from the increase in their spore germination, protein content and almost restoring the normal shape of Frankia hyphae, after being damaged, as revealed by scanning electron microscope. This is the first evidence that photo-repairing systems are present in Frankia strains although there are variations in their response to both UV-C and photoreactivation by white light.

g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}/NaTaO{sub 3} organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposite: High-performance and recyclable visible light driven photocatalyst

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, Santosh; Kumar, Bharat; Surendar, T.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: High-performance and recyclable visible-light driven g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}/NaTaO{sub 3} hybrid nanocomposite photocatalysts have been prepared by a facile ultrasonic dispersion method. The hybrid nanocomposite photocatalyst can be promising photocatalytic material for practical application in water splitting and environmental remediation. - Highlights: • Novel g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}/NaTaO{sub 3} nanocomposites as a high performance and recyclable photocatalysts. • These catalysts exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity under UV–visible light irradiation. • More attractively, dramatic activity is generated under visible light irradiation due to the g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} loaded. • Interestingly, the as-prepared hybrid nanocomposites possess high reusability. - Abstract: Novel g-C{submore » 3}N{sub 4}/NaTaO{sub 3} hybrid nanocomposites have been prepared by a facile ultrasonic dispersion method. Our results clearly show the formation of interface between NaTaO{sub 3} and g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} and further loading of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} did not affect the crystal structure and morphology of NaTaO{sub 3}. The g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}/NaTaO{sub 3} nanocomposites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance for the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV–visible and visible light irradiation compared to pure NaTaO{sub 3} and Degussa P25. Interestingly, the visible light photocatalytic activity is generated due to the loading of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}. A mechanism is proposed to discuss the enhanced photocatalytic activity based on trapping experiments of photoinduced radicals and holes. Under visible light irradiation, electron excited from the valance band (VB) to conduction band (CB) of g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} could directly inject into the CB of NaTaO{sub 3}, making g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}/NaTaO{sub 3} visible light driven photocatalyst. Since the as-prepared hybrid nanocomposites possess high reusability therefore it can be promising photocatalyst for environmental applications.« less

Biocompatibility and light transmission of liposomal lenses.

PubMed

Danion, Anne; Doillon, Charles J; Giasson, Claude J; Djouahra, Saliha; Sauvageau, Patrick; Paradis, Renée; Vermette, Patrick

2007-10-01

To validate the biocompatibility and transmittance properties of contact lenses bearing intact liposomes. These liposomal lenses loaded with therapeutics can be used as ophthalmic drug delivery systems. The biocompatibility of soft contact lenses, coated with liposomes was evaluated through in vitro direct and indirect cytocompatibility assays on human corneal epithelial cells, on reconstructed human corneas and on ex vivo rabbit corneas. The direct and indirect transmission spectra of liposome-covered lenses were also evaluated to test if they transmit all wavelengths of the ultraviolet-visible spectrum, to thereby fulfill their optical function, without gross alteration of the colors perception and with a minimum of light dispersion. Contact lenses bearing layers of stable liposomes did not induce any significant changes in cell viability and in cell growth, compared with lenses bearing no liposome. Elution assays revealed that no cytotoxic compound leaks from the lenses whether bearing liposomes or not. Histological analyses of reconstructed human corneas and ex vivo rabbit corneas directly exposed to liposomal lenses revealed neither alteration to the cell nor to the tissue structures. Contact lenses bearing layers of liposomes did not significantly affect light transmission compared with control lenses without liposome at the wavelength of maximal photopic sensitivity, i.e., 550 nm. In addition, the contact lenses afford more eye protection in the ultraviolet spectrum, compared with the control lenses. Liposomal contact lenses are biocompatible and their transmittance properties are not affected in the visible light range.

Photo-oxidation of polymer-like amorphous hydrogenated carbon under visible light illumination

DOE PAGES

Baxamusa, Salmaan; Laurence, Ted; Worthington, Matthew; ...

2015-11-10

Amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H), a polymer-like network typically synthesized by plasma chemical vapor deposition, has long been understood to exhibit optical absorption of visible light (λ > 400 nm). In this report we explain that this absorption is accompanied by rapid photo-oxidation (within minutes) that behaves in most respects like classic polymer photo-oxidation with the exception that it occurs under visible light illumination rather than ultraviolet illumination.

Redox mediators in visible light photocatalysis: photocatalytic radical thiol-ene additions.

PubMed

Tyson, Elizabeth L; Niemeyer, Zachary L; Yoon, Tehshik P

2014-02-07

Synthetically useful radical thiol-ene reactions can be initiated by visible light irradiation in the presence of transition metal polypyridyl photocatalysts. The success of this method relies upon the use of p-toluidine as an essential additive. Using these conditions, high-yielding thiol-ene reactions of cysteine-containing biomolecules can be accomplished using biocompatibile wavelengths of visible light, under aqueous conditions, and with the thiol component as the limiting reagent. We present evidence that p-toluidine serves as a redox mediator that is capable of catalyzing the otherwise inefficient photooxidation of thiols to the key thiyl radical intermediate. Thus, we show that co-catalytic oxidants can be important in the design of synthetic reactions involving visible light photoredox catalysis.

Indoor anti-occlusion visible light positioning systems based on particle filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Meng; Huang, Zhitong; Li, Jianfeng; Zhang, Ruqi; Ji, Yuefeng

2015-04-01

As one of the most popular categories of mobile services, a rapid growth of indoor location-based services has been witnessed over the past decades. Indoor positioning methods based on Wi-Fi, radio-frequency identification or Bluetooth are widely commercialized; however, they have disadvantages such as low accuracy or high cost. An emerging method using visible light is under research recently. The existed visible light positioning (VLP) schemes using carrier allocation, time allocation and multiple receivers all have limitations. This paper presents a novel mechanism using particle filtering in VLP system. By this method no additional devices are needed and the occlusion problem in visible light would be alleviated which will effectively enhance the flexibility for indoor positioning.

Visible-Light-Responsive Catalyst Development for Volatile Organic Carbon Remediation Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeitlin, Nancy; Hintze, Paul E.; Coutts, Janelle

2015-01-01

Photocatalysis is a process in which light energy is used to 'activate' oxidation/reduction reactions. Unmodified titanium dioxide (TiO2), a common photocatalyst, requires high-energy UV light for activation due to its large band gap (3.2 eV). Modification of TiO2 can reduce this band gap, leading to visible-light-responsive (VLR) photocatalysts. These catalysts can utilize solar and/or visible wavelength LED lamps as an activation source, replacing mercury-containing UV lamps, to create a "greener," more energy-efficient means for air and water revitalization. Recently, KSC developed several VLR catalysts that, on preliminary evaluation, possessed high catalytic activity within the visible spectrum; these samples out-performed existing commercial VLR catalysts.

CdS/CdSe quantum dots and ZnPc dye co-sensitized solar cells with Au nanoparticles/graphene oxide as efficient modified layer.

PubMed

Chen, Cong; Cheng, Yu; Jin, Junjie; Dai, Qilin; Song, Hongwei

2016-10-15

Co-sensitization by using two or more sensitizers with complementary absorption spectra to expand the spectral response range is an effective approach to enhance device performance of quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). To improve the light-harvesting in the visible/near-infrared (NIR) region, organic dye zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) was combined with CdS/CdSe quantum dots (QDs) for co-sensitized solar cells based on ZnO inverse opals (IOs) as photoanode. The resulting co-sensitized device shows an efficient panchromatic spectral response feature to ∼750nm and presents an overall conversion efficiency of 4.01%, which is superior to that of the individual ZnPc-sensitized solar cells and CdS/CdSe-sensitized solar cells. Meanwhile, an Au nanoparticles/graphene oxide (Au NPs/GO) composite layer was successfully prepared to modify Cu2S counter electrode for the co-sensitized solar cells. Reducing the carrier recombination process by GO and catalytic process of Au NPs leads to increased power conversion efficiency(PCE) from 4.01 to 4.60% and sustainable stability remains ∼85% of its original value after 60min light exposure. In this paper, introduction of the organic dyes as co-sensitizer and Au NPs/GO as counter electrode modified layer has been proved to be an effective route to improve the performance of QDSSCs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Propagation of polarised light in bent hi-bi spun fibres

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Przhiyalkovsky, Ya V; Morshnev, S K; Starostin, N I

The evolution of polarisation states (PS's) of broadband light propagating through a bent optical fibre with a helical structure of its refractive index anisotropy (hi-bi spun fibre) has been studied theoretically and experimentally. It has been shown that there exists a coordinate system of PS's in which the differential Jones matrix can be replaced by a diagonal matrix, which allows the polarisation parameters of the output broadband light to be readily calculated with sufficient accuracy. We have derived a formula for evaluating the magneto-optical sensitivity of a bent spun fibre. An approach has been proposed for restoring the degree ofmore » polarisation of light in a bent hi-bi spun fibre and, as a consequence, the visibility (contrast) of the interferometer in a current sensor with a sensing element based on the fibre under consideration. (optical fibres)« less

Direct stimulation of the retina by the method of virtual-quanta for heavy cosmic-ray nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcnulty, P. J.; Madey, R.

1972-01-01

The contribution to the frequency of visual sensations induced in the dark-adapted eye by the virtual photon field was calculated, this field is associated with the heavy nuclei that exist in space beyond the geomagnetic field. In order to determine the probability that the virtual photon field induces a light flash, only the portion of the virtual photon spectrum that corresponds to the known frequency dependence of the sensitivity of human rods to visible light was utilized. The results can be expressed as a curve of the mean frequency of light flashes induced by the absorption of at least R virtual photons versus the threshold number R. The contribution to the light flash frequency from the virtual photon field of heavy cosmic ray nuclei is smaller than that from Cerenkov photons. The flux and energy spectra of galactic cosmic ray nuclei helium to iron were used.

A review on laser and light-based therapies for alopecia areata.

PubMed

Mlacker, Stephanie; Aldahan, Adam Souhail; Simmons, Brian James; Shah, Vidhi; McNamara, Colin Andrew; Samarkandy, Sahal; Nouri, Keyvan

2017-04-01

Alopecia areata is a form of non-scarring alopecia that results from a hyperactive immune response of T cells against hair follicles. Many patients with visible hair loss experience psychological and emotional distress, as a result of their cosmetic disfigurement, and frequently seek treatment. However, existing treatment methods, such as corticosteroids, topical irritants, sensitizing agents, immunosuppressants, and psoralen plus ultraviolet light A, may result in various adverse effects and often lack efficacy. Laser and light treatments offer a safe and effective alternative. This review aims to provide clinicians with a comprehensive summary of laser and light-based modalities used for the treatment of alopecia areata. Currently, the excimer laser is the most widely studied device and has shown positive results thus far. However, the development of future randomized controlled clinical trials will help determine the appropriate treatment protocols necessary, in order to achieve superior clinical outcomes.

Light sensitive polymer obtained by dispersion of azo-functionalized POSS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miniewicz, A.; Tomkowicz, M.; Karpinski, P.; Sznitko, L.; Mossety-Leszczak, B.; Dutkiewicz, M.

2015-07-01

Hybrid inorganic-organic nanoparticles based on cubic siloxane cage (RSiO3/2)8, known as polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (POSS), have been functionalized by eight groups of azo-benzene mesogens and dispersed in poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA matrix. Presence of azo-benzene units adds an important light-driven functionality to the system due to their photoisomerization resulting in refractive index and/or absorption changes of the whole system. The polymer films containing various concentrations of azo-POSS nanoparticles show remarkable changes of surface morphology being either transparent (at low POSS concentration) or highly scattering (at high POSS concentration) for visible light. Surface structures were examined by optical microscopy as well as by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Results of photoinduced alignment are discussed in the framework of light-induced modification of the aliphatic chains containing azo-benzene photoisomerizing moieties and self-organization process.

Dual functions of YF3:Eu3+ for improving photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

PubMed Central

Wu, Jihuai; Wang, Jiangli; Lin, Jianming; Xiao, Yaoming; Yue, Gentian; Huang, Miaoliang; Lan, Zhang; Huang, Yunfang; Fan, Leqing; Yin, Shu; Sato, Tsugio

2013-01-01

In order to enhance the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), a novel design is demonstrated by introducing rare-earth compound europium ion doped yttrium fluoride (YF3:Eu3+) in TiO2 film in the DSSC. As a conversion luminescence medium, YF3:Eu3+ transfers ultraviolet light to visible light via down-conversion, and increases incident harvest and photocurrent of DSSC. As a p-type dopant, Eu3+ elevates the Fermi level of TiO2 film and thus heightens photovoltage of the DSSC. The conversion luminescence and p-type doping effect are demonstrated by photoluminescence spectra and Mott-Schottky plots. When the ratio of YF3:Eu3+/TiO2 in the doping layer is optimized as 5 wt.%, the light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency of the DSSC reaches 7.74%, which is increased by 32% compared to that of the DSSC without YF3:Eu3+ doping. Double functions of doped rare-earth compound provide a new route for enhancing the photovoltaic performance of solar cells. PMID:23792787

Image processing operations achievable with the Microchannel Spatial Light Modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warde, C.; Fisher, A. D.; Thackara, J. I.; Weiss, A. M.

1980-01-01

The Microchannel Spatial Light Modulator (MSLM) is a versatile, optically-addressed, highly-sensitive device that is well suited for low-light-level, real-time, optical information processing. It consists of a photocathode, a microchannel plate (MCP), a planar acceleration grid, and an electro-optic plate in proximity focus. A framing rate of 20 Hz with full modulation depth, and 100 Hz with 20% modulation depth has been achieved in a vacuum-demountable LiTaO3 device. A halfwave exposure sensitivity of 2.2 mJ/sq cm and an optical information storage time of more than 2 months have been achieved in a similar gridless LiTaO3 device employing a visible photocathode. Image processing operations such as analog and digital thresholding, real-time image hard clipping, contrast reversal, contrast enhancement, image addition and subtraction, and binary-level logic operations such as AND, OR, XOR, and NOR can be achieved with this device. This collection of achievable image processing characteristics makes the MSLM potentially useful for a number of smart sensor applications.

Visible light metasurfaces based on gallium nitride high contrast gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenhai; He, Shumin; Liu, Qifa; Wang, Wei

2016-05-01

We propose visible-light metasurfaces (VLMs) capable of serving as lens and beam deflecting element based on gallium nitride (GaN) high contrast gratings (HCGs). By precisely manipulating the wavefront of the transmitted light, we theoretically demonstrate an HCG focusing lens with transmissivity of 86.3%, and a VLM with beam deflection angle of 6.09° and transmissivity as high as 91.4%. The proposed all-dielectric metasurfaces are promising for GaN-based visible light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which would be robust and versatile for controlling the output light propagation and polarization, as well as enhancing the extraction efficiency of the LEDs.

Road safety enhancement: an investigation on the visibility of on-road image projections using DMD-based pixel light systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizvi, Sadiq; Ley, Peer-Phillip; Knöchelmann, Marvin; Lachmayer, Roland

2018-02-01

Research reveals that visual information forms the major portion of the received data for driving. At night -owing to the, sometimes scarcity, sometime inhomogeneity of light- the human physiology and psychology experiences a dramatic alteration. It is found that although the likelihood of accident occurrence is higher during the day due to heavier traffic, the most fatal accidents still occur during night time. How can road safety be improved in limited lighting conditions using DMD-based high resolution headlamps? DMD-based pixel light systems, utilizing HID and LED light sources, are able to address hundreds of thousands of pixels individually. Using camera information, this capability allows 'glare-free' light distributions that perfectly adapt to the needs of all road users. What really enables these systems to stand out however, is their on-road image projection capability. This projection functionality may be used in co-operation with other driver assistance systems as an assist feature for the projection of navigation data, warning signs, car status information etc. Since contrast sensitivity constitutes a decisive measure of the human visual function, here is then a core question: what distributions of luminance in the projection space produce highly visible on-road image projections? This work seeks to address this question. Responses on sets of differently illuminated projections are collected from a group of participants and later interpreted using statistical data obtained using a luminance camera. Some aspects regarding the correlation between contrast ratio, symbol form and attention capture are also discussed.

The Fowler-Nordheim behavior and mechanism of photo-sensitive field from SnS{sub 2} nanosheets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suryawanshi, Sachin R.; Chaudhari, Nilima S.; Warule, Sambhaji S.

2015-06-24

Here in, we report photo-sensitive field emission measurements of SnS{sub 2} nanosheets at base pressure of ∼1×10{sup −8} mbar are reported. The nonlinear Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) plot is elucidate according to a (F-N) model of calculation based on shift in a saturation of conduction band current density after light illumination and prevalence of valence band current density at high electric field values. The model of calculation suggests that the slope variation before and after visible light illumination of the F-N plot, in the high-field and low-field regions, does not depend on the magnitude of saturation but also depend on charge carriermore » (electron) concentration get increased in conduction band. The F-N model of calculation is important for the fundamental understanding of the photo-sensitive field emission mechanism of semiconducting SnS{sub 2}. The replicate F-N plots exhibit similar features to those observed experimentally. The model calculation suggests that the nonlinearity of the F-N plot is a characteristic of the photo-enhanced energy band structure of the photo-sensitive semiconductor material.« less

Fabrication of meso-porous BiOI sensitized zirconia nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vignesh, K.; Suganthi, A.; Min, Bong-Ki; Kang, Misook

2015-01-01

In this present work, BiOI sensitized zirconia (BiOI-ZrO2) nanoparticles were fabricated using a precipitation-deposition method. The physicochemical characteristics of BiOI/ZrO2 were studied through X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), BET-surface area, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis-DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy techniques. The absorption maximum of ZrO2 was shifted to the visible region after sensitization with BiOI. BET-surface area results inferred that the prepared hetero-junctions were meso-porous in nature. The photocatalytic activity of BiOI-ZrO2 for the degradation of methyl violet (MV) dye under simulated solar light irradiation was investigated in detail. 3% BiOI-ZrO2 exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance (98% of MV degradation) when compared with ZrO2 and BiOI. The enhancement in the photocatalytic activity of BiOI-ZrO2 is ascribed to the sensitization effect of BiOI, suppression of electron-hole recombination and the formation of p-n hetero-junction.

Visible light water splitting using dye-sensitized oxide semiconductors.

PubMed

Youngblood, W Justin; Lee, Seung-Hyun Anna; Maeda, Kazuhiko; Mallouk, Thomas E

2009-12-21

Researchers are intensively investigating photochemical water splitting as a means of converting solar to chemical energy in the form of fuels. Hydrogen is a key solar fuel because it can be used directly in combustion engines or fuel cells, or combined catalytically with CO(2) to make carbon containing fuels. Different approaches to solar water splitting include semiconductor particles as photocatalysts and photoelectrodes, molecular donor-acceptor systems linked to catalysts for hydrogen and oxygen evolution, and photovoltaic cells coupled directly or indirectly to electrocatalysts. Despite several decades of research, solar hydrogen generation is efficient only in systems that use expensive photovoltaic cells to power water electrolysis. Direct photocatalytic water splitting is a challenging problem because the reaction is thermodynamically uphill. Light absorption results in the formation of energetic charge-separated states in both molecular donor-acceptor systems and semiconductor particles. Unfortunately, energetically favorable charge recombination reactions tend to be much faster than the slow multielectron processes of water oxidation and reduction. Consequently, visible light water splitting has only recently been achieved in semiconductor-based photocatalytic systems and remains an inefficient process. This Account describes our approach to two problems in solar water splitting: the organization of molecules into assemblies that promote long-lived charge separation, and catalysis of the electrolysis reactions, in particular the four-electron oxidation of water. The building blocks of our artificial photosynthetic systems are wide band gap semiconductor particles, photosensitizer and electron relay molecules, and nanoparticle catalysts. We intercalate layered metal oxide semiconductors with metal nanoparticles. These intercalation compounds, when sensitized with [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) derivatives, catalyze the photoproduction of hydrogen from sacrificial electron donors (EDTA(2-)) or non-sacrificial donors (I(-)). Through exfoliation of layered metal oxide semiconductors, we construct multilayer electron donor-acceptor thin films or sensitized colloids in which individual nanosheets mediate light-driven electron transfer reactions. When sensitizer molecules are "wired" to IrO(2).nH(2)O nanoparticles, a dye-sensitized TiO(2) electrode becomes the photoanode of a water-splitting photoelectrochemical cell. Although this system is an interesting proof-of-concept, the performance of these cells is still poor (approximately 1% quantum yield) and the dye photodegrades rapidly. We can understand the quantum efficiency and degradation in terms of competing kinetic pathways for water oxidation, back electron transfer, and decomposition of the oxidized dye molecules. Laser flash photolysis experiments allow us to measure these competing rates and, in principle, to improve the performance of the cell by changing the architecture of the electron transfer chain.

A design of Si-based nanoplasmonic structure as an antenna and reception amplifier for visible light communication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, J. H.; Lin, Z. Y.; Liu, P.

2014-10-21

Visible light communication has been widely investigated due to its larger bandwidth and higher bit rate, and it can combine with the indoor illumination system that makes it more convenient to carry out. Receiving and processing the visible light signal on chip request for nanophotonics devices performing well. However, conventional optical device cannot be used for light-on-chip integration at subwavelength dimensions due to the diffraction limit. Herein, we propose a design of Si-based nanoplasmonic structure as an antenna and reception amplifier for visible light communication based on the interaction between Si nanoparticle and Au nanorod. This device integrates the uniquemore » scattering property of high-refractive index dielectric Si nanoparticles, whose scattering spectrum is dependent on the particle size, with the localized surface plasmon resonance of Au nanorod. We calculated the spectra collected by plane detector and near field distribution of nanostructure, and theoretically demonstrate that the proposed device can act as good receiver, amplifier and superlens during the visible light signal receiving and processing. Besides, unlike some other designs of nanoantenna devices focused less on how to detect the signals, our hybrid nanoantenna can realize the transfer between the scattering source and the detector effectively by Au nanorod waveguides. These findings suggest that the designed nanoplasmonic structure is expected to be used in on-chip nanophotonics as antenna, spectral splitter and demultiplexer for visible light communication.« less

Mild Deoxygenation of Sulfoxides over Plasmonic Molybdenum Oxide Hybrid with Dramatic Activity Enhancement under Visible Light.

PubMed

Kuwahara, Yasutaka; Yoshimura, Yukihiro; Haematsu, Kohei; Yamashita, Hiromi

2018-06-17

Harvesting solar light to boost commercially important organic synthesis still remains a challenge. Coupling of conventional noble metal catalysts with plasmonic oxide materials which exhibit intense plasmon absorption in the visible light region is a promising option for efficient solar energy utilization in catalysis. Herein we for the first time demonstrate that plasmonic hydrogen molybdenum bronze coupled with Pt nanoparticles (Pt/H x MoO 3-y ) shows a high catalytic performance in the deoxygenation of sulfoxides with 1 atm H 2 at room temperature, with dramatic activity enhancement under visible light irradiation relative to dark condition. The plasmonic molybdenum oxide hybrids with strong plasmon resonance peaks pinning at around 556 nm are obtained via a facile H-spillover process. Pt/H x MoO 3-y hybrid provides excellent selectivity for the deoxygenation of various sulfoxides as well as pyridine N-oxides, in which drastically improved catalytic efficiencies are obtained under the irradiation of visible light. Comprehensive analyses reveal that oxygen vacancies massively introduced via a H-spillover process are the main active sites, and reversible redox property of Mo atoms and strong plasmonic absorption play key roles in this reaction. The catalytic system works under extremely mild conditions and can boost the reaction by the assist of visible light, offering an ultimately greener protocol to produce sulfides from sulfoxides. Our findings may open up a new strategy for designing plasmon-based catalytic systems that can harness visible light efficiently.

Mitochondrial damage and cytoskeleton reorganization in human dermal fibroblasts exposed to artificial visible light similar to screen-emitted light.

PubMed

Rascalou, Adeline; Lamartine, Jérôme; Poydenot, Pauline; Demarne, Frédéric; Bechetoille, Nicolas

2018-05-05

Artificial visible light is everywhere in modern life. Social communication confronts us with screens of all kinds, and their use is on the rise. We are therefore increasingly exposed to artificial visible light, the effects of which on skin are poorly known. The purpose of this study was to model the artificial visible light emitted by electronic devices and assess its effect on normal human fibroblasts. The spectral irradiance emitted by electronic devices was optically measured and equipment was developed to accurately reproduce such artificial visible light. Effects on normal human fibroblasts were analyzed on human genome microarray-based gene expression analysis. At cellular level, visualization and image analysis were performed on the mitochondrial network and F-actin cytoskeleton. Cell proliferation, ATP release and type I procollagen secretion were also measured. We developed a device consisting of 36 LEDs simultaneously emitting blue, green and red light at distinct wavelengths (450 nm, 525 nm and 625 nm) with narrow spectra and equivalent radiant power for the three colors. A dose of 99 J/cm 2 artificial visible light was selected so as not to induce cell mortality following exposure. Microarray analysis revealed 2984 light-modulated transcripts. Functional annotation of light-responsive genes revealed several enriched functions including, amongst others, the "mitochondria" and "integrin signaling" categories. Selected results were confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR, analyzing 24 genes representing these two categories. Analysis of micro-patterned culture plates showed marked fragmentation of the mitochondrial network and disorganization of the F-actin cytoskeleton following exposure. Functionally, there was considerable impairment of cell growth and spread, ATP release and type I procollagen secretion in exposed fibroblasts. Artificial visible light induces drastic molecular and cellular changes in normal human fibroblasts. This may impede normal cellular functions and contribute to premature skin aging. The present results extend our knowledge of the effects of the low-energy wavelengths that are increasingly used to treat skin disorders. Copyright © 2018 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From UV to Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Metal-Organic Framework Composites: Plasmon and Upconversion Enhanced Photocatalysis.

PubMed

Li, Dandan; Yu, Shu-Hong; Jiang, Hai-Long

2018-05-15

The exploitation of photocatalysts that harvest solar spectrum as broad as possible remains a high-priority target yet grand challenge. In this work, for the first time, metal-organic framework (MOF) composites are rationally fabricated to achieve broadband spectral response from UV to near-infrared (NIR) region. In the core-shell structured upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs)-Pt@MOF/Au composites, the MOF is responsive to UV and a bit visible light, the plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs) accept visible light, whereas the UCNPs absorb NIR light to emit UV and visible light that are harvested by the MOF and Au once again. Moreover, the MOF not only facilitates the generation of "bare and clean" Au NPs on its surface and realizes the spatial separation for the Au and Pt NPs, but also provides necessary access for catalytic substrates/products to Pt active sites. As a result, the optimized composite exhibits excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production activity (280 µmol g -1 h -1 ) under simulated solar light, and the involved mechanism of photocatalytic H 2 production under UV, visible, and NIR irradiation is elucidated. Reportedly, this is an extremely rare study on photocatalytic H 2 production by light harvesting in all UV, visible, and NIR regions. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Visible-light active conducting polymer nanostructures with superior photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Srabanti; Kouame, Natalie Amoin; Remita, Samy; Ramos, Laurence; Goubard, Fabrice; Aubert, Pierre-Henri; Dazzi, Alexandre; Deniset-Besseau, Ariane; Remita, Hynd

2015-12-01

The development of visible-light responsive photocatalysts would permit more efficient use of solar energy, and thus would bring sustainable solutions to many environmental issues. Conductive polymers appear as a new class of very active photocatalysts under visible light. Among them poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is one of the most promising conjugated polymer with a wide range of applications. PEDOT nanostructures synthesized in soft templates via chemical oxidative polymerization demonstrate unprecedented photocatalytic activities for water treatment without the assistance of sacrificial reagents or noble metal co-catalysts and turn out to be better than TiO2 as benchmark catalyst. The PEDOT nanostructures exhibit a narrow band gap (E = 1.69 eV) and are characterized by excellent ability to absorb light in visible and near infrared region. The novel PEDOT-based photocatalysts are very stable with cycling and can be reused without appreciable loss of activity. Interestingly, hollow micrometric vesicular structures of PEDOT are not effective photocatalysts as compared to nanometric spindles suggesting size and shape dependent photocatalytic properties. The visible-light active photocatalytic properties of the polymer nanostructures present promising applications in solar light harvesting and broader fields.

DAEδALUS and dark matter detection

DOE PAGES

Kahn, Yonatan; Krnjaic, Gordan; Thaler, Jesse; ...

2015-03-05

Among laboratory probes of dark matter, fixed-target neutrino experiments are particularly well suited to search for light weakly coupled dark sectors. Here in this paper, we show that the DAEδALUS source setup$-$an 800 MeV proton beam impinging on a target of graphite and copper$-$can improve the present LSND bound on dark photon models by an order of magnitude over much of the accessible parameter space for light dark matter when paired with a suitable neutrino detector such as LENA. Interestingly, both DAEδALUS and LSND are sensitive to dark matter produced from off-shell dark photons. We show for the first timemore » that LSND can be competitive with searches for visible dark photon decays and that fixed-target experiments have sensitivity to a much larger range of heavy dark photon masses than previously thought. We review the mechanism for dark matter production and detection through a dark photon mediator, discuss the beam-off and beam-on backgrounds, and present the sensitivity in dark photon kinetic mixing for both the DAEδALUS/LENA setup and LSND in both the on- and off-shell regimes.« less

NIR-induced highly sensitive detection of latent finger-marks by NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles in a dry powder state

PubMed Central

Wang, Meng; Li, Ming; Yang, Mingying; Zhang, Xiaomei; Yu, Aoyang; Zhu, Ye; Qiu, Penghe; Mao, Chuanbin

2016-01-01

The most commonly found fingermarks at crime scenes are latent and, thus, an efficient method for detecting latent fingermarks is very important. However, traditional developing techniques have drawbacks such as low detection sensitivity, high background interference, complicated operation, and high toxicity. To tackle this challenge, we employed fluorescent NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), which can fluoresce visible light when excited by 980 nm human-safe near-infrared light, to stain the latent fingermarks on various substrate surfaces. The UCNPs were successfully used as a novel fluorescent label for the detection of latent fingermarks with high sensitivity, low background, high efficiency, and low toxicity on various substrates including non-infiltrating materials (glass, marble, aluminum alloy sheets, stainless steel sheets, aluminum foils, and plastic cards), semi-infiltrating materials (floor leathers, ceramic tiles, wood floor, and painted wood), and infiltrating materials such as various types of papers. This work shows that UCNPs are a versatile fluorescent label for the facile detection of fingermarks on virtually any material, enabling their practical applications in forensic sciences. PMID:27818741

Role of Cerenkov radiation in the eye-flashes observed by Apollo astronauts.

PubMed

McNulty, P J; Pease, V P; Bond, V P

1976-01-01

Visual phenomena in the form of colorless flashes of light were observed by astronauts in deep space when their eyes were closed and adapted to darkness. We describe in this paper laboratory experiments and calculations which indicate that many of these flashes are the result of visible light generated within the astronauts' eyeball in the form of Cerenkov radiation when a relativistic HZE particle traverses it. The sensitivity to Cerenkov radiation measured for three subjects exposed to pulses of pions and muons and the visual phenomena observed were found to be consistent with the reports of flashes observed at rates as high as 2 per minute on Apollo missions 11 through 17.

Visible light driven mineralization of spiramycin over photostructured N-doped TiO2 on up conversion phosphors.

PubMed

Sacco, Olga; Vaiano, Vincenzo; Sannino, Diana; Ciambelli, Paolo

2017-04-01

A novel visible light-active photocatalyst formulation (NdT/OP) was obtained by supporting N-doped TiO 2 (NdT) particles on up-conversion luminescent organic phosphors (OP). The photocatalytic activity of such catalysts was evaluated for the mineralization process of spiramycin in aqueous solution. The effect of NdT loading in the range 15-60wt.% on bulk and surface characteristics of NdT/OP catalysts was investigated by several chemico-physical characterization techniques. The photocatalytic performance of NdT/OP catalysts in the removal of spyramicin from aqueous solution was assessed through photocatalytic tests under visible light irradiation. Total organic carbon (TOC) of aqueous solution, and CO and CO 2 gas concentrations evolved during the photodegradation were analyzed. A dramatic enhancement of photocatalytic activity of the photostructured visible active NdT/OP catalysts, compared to NdT catalyst, was observed. Only CO 2 was detected in gas-phase during visible light irradiation, proving that the photocatalytic process is effective in the mineralization of spiramycin, reaching very high values of TOC removal. The photocatalyst NdT/OP at 30wt.% of NdT loading showed the highest photocatalytic activity (58% of TOC removed after 180min irradiation against only 31% removal after 300min of irradiation of NdT). We attribute this enhanced activity to the high effectiveness in the utilization of visible light through improved light harvesting and exploiting. OP particles act as "photoactive support", able to be excited by the external visible light irradiation, and reissue luminescence of wavelength suitable to promote NdT photomineralization activity. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

UV-visible light-activated Ag-decorated, monodisperse TiO2 aggregates for treatment of the pharmaceutical oxytetracycline.

PubMed

Han, Changseok; Likodimos, Vlassis; Khan, Javed Ali; Nadagouda, Mallikarjuna N; Andersen, Joel; Falaras, Polycarpos; Rosales-Lombardi, Pablo; Dionysiou, Dionysios D

2014-10-01

Noble metal Ag-decorated, monodisperse TiO2 aggregates were successfully synthesized by an ionic strength-assisted, simple sol-gel method and were used for the photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) under both UV and visible light (UV-visible light) irradiation. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD); UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy; environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM); transmission electron microscopy (TEM); high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM); micro-Raman, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS); and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results showed that the uniformity of TiO2 aggregates was finely tuned by the sol-gel method, and Ag was well decorated on the monodisperse TiO2 aggregates. The absorption of the samples in the visible light region increased with increasing Ag loading that was proportional to the amount of Ag precursor added in the solution over the tested concentration range. The Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (The BET) surface area slightly decreased with increasing Ag loading on the TiO2 aggregates. Ag-decorated TiO2 samples demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of OTC under UV-visible light illumination compared to that of pure TiO2. The sample containing 1.9 wt% Ag showed the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of OTC under both UV-visible light and visible light illumination. During the experiments, the detected Ag leaching for the best TiO2-Ag photocatalyst was much lower than the National Secondary Drinking Water Regulation for Ag limit (0.1 mg L(-1)) issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Antibacterial effect of visible light reactive TiO2/Ag nanocomposite thin film on the orthodontic appliances.

PubMed

Yun, Kwidug; Oh, Gyejeong; Vang, Mongsook; Yang, Hongso; Lim, Hyunpil; Koh, Jeongtae; Jeong, Woonjo; Yoon, Dongjoo; Lee, Kyungku; Lee, Kwangmin; Park, Sangwon

2011-08-01

This study evaluated the antibacterial effect of a visible light reactive TiO2/Ag nanocomposite thin film on dental orthodontic wire (STS 304 wire). The growth of S. mutans and A. actinomycetemcomitans was suppressed on the specimens coated with TiO2/Ag compared to the uncoated specimens. The antibacterial effect of the TiO2/Ag nanocomposite thin film was improved under visible light irradiation.

An enhancing effect of visible light and UV radiation on phenolic compounds and various antioxidants in broad bean seedlings.

PubMed

Younis, Mahmoud El-Baz; Hasaneen, Mohammed Naguib Abdel-Ghany; Abdel-Aziz, Heba Mahmoud Mohammed

2010-10-01

Exposure of dark- or ambient visible light-grown broad bean seedlings to low (LL) and high (HL) visible light intensities, UV-A or UV-C, either alone or in combination, induced significant increases in total phenolic compounds as well as in anthocyanins content, throughout the germination period, as compared with the respective levels in control seedlings. In general, as compared with control levels, exposure of both dark- or light-grown broad bean seedlings to LL, HL, UV-A or UV-C, induced significant increases in the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants (total ascorbate; ASA-DASA and total glutathione; GSSG-GSH) and enzymatic antioxidant activities (superoxide dismutase; SOD, catalase; CAT, ascorbate peroxidase; APO and glutathione reductase; GR). The obtained results are discussed in relation to induced mechanisms of protection and repair from the inevitable exposure to damaging visible light and UV-radiation. © 2010 Landes Bioscience

An enhancing effect of visible light and UV radiation on phenolic compounds and various antioxidants in broad bean seedlings

PubMed Central

Hasaneen, Mohammed Naguib Abdel-Ghany; Abdel-Aziz, Heba Mahmoud Mohammed

2010-01-01

Exposure of dark- or ambient visible light-grown broad bean seedlings to low (LL) and high (HL) visible light intensities, UV-A or UV-C, either alone or in combination, induced significant increases in total phenolic compounds as well as in anthocyanins content, throughout the germination period, as compared with the respective levels in control seedlings. In general, as compared with control levels, exposure of both dark- or light-grown broad bean seedlings to LL, HL, UV-A or UV-C, induced significant increases in the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants (total ascorbate; ASA-DASA and total glutathione; GSSG-GSH) and enzymatic antioxidant activities (superoxide dismutase; SOD, catalase; CAT, ascorbate peroxidase; APO and glutathione reductase; GR). The obtained results are discussed in relation to induced mechanisms of protection and repair from the inevitable exposure to damaging visible light and UV radiation. PMID:20505357

A facile hydrothermal approach to synthesize rGO/BiVO4 photocatalysts for visible light induced degradation of RhB dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Shreyasi; Dutta, Shibsankar; De, Sukanta

2018-05-01

RGO/BiVO4 composites were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and surface analysis (BET). The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples was evaluated by studying the degradation of model dyes rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light. The prepared rGO/BiVO4 composites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB with a maximum removal rate of 86% under visible light irradiation under visible-light irradiation than pure BiVO4 nanoparticles (63%). This behavior could be associated to their higher specific surface area (BET), increased light absorption intensity and the degradation of electron-hole pair recombination in BiVO4 with the introduction of the rGO.

Visible light photocatalytic H2-production activity of wide band gap ZnS nanoparticles based on the photosensitization of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Faze; Zheng, Maojun; Zhu, Changqing; Zhang, Bin; Chen, Wen; Ma, Li; Shen, Wenzhong

2015-08-01

Visible light photocatalytic H2 production from water splitting is considered an attractive way to solve the increasing global energy crisis in modern life. In this study, a series of zinc sulfide nanoparticles and graphene (GR) sheet composites were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method, which used zinc chloride, sodium sulfide, and graphite oxide (GO) as the starting materials. The as-prepared ZnS-GR showed highly efficient visible light photocatalytic activity in hydrogen generation. The morphology and structure of the composites obtained by transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffraction exhibited a small crystallite size and a good interfacial contact between the ZnS nanoparticles and the two-dimensional (2D) GR sheet, which were beneficial for the photocatalysis. When the content of the GR in the catalyst was 0.1%, the ZG0.1 sample exhibited the highest H2-production rate of 7.42 μmol h-1 g-1, eight times more than the pure ZnS sample. This high visible-light photocatalytic H2 production activity is attributed to the photosensitization of GR. Irradiated by visible light, the electrons photogenerated from GR transfer to the conduction band of ZnS to participate in the photocatalytic process. This study presents the visible-light photocatalytic activity of wide bandgap ZnS and its application in H2 evolution.

Antibacterial property of Ag nanoparticle-impregnated N-doped titania films under visible light

PubMed Central

Wong, Ming-Show; Chen, Chun-Wei; Hsieh, Chia-Chun; Hung, Shih-Che; Sun, Der-Shan; Chang, Hsin-Hou

2015-01-01

Photocatalysts produce free radicals upon receiving light energy; thus, they possess antibacterial properties. Silver (Ag) is an antibacterial material that disrupts bacterial physiology. Our previous study reported that the high antibacterial property of silver nanoparticles on the surfaces of visible light-responsive nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalysts [TiO2(N)] could be further enhanced by visible light illumination. However, the major limitation of this Ag-TiO2 composite material is its durability; the antibacterial property decreased markedly after repeated use. To overcome this limitation, we developed TiO2(N)/Ag/TiO2(N) sandwich films in which the silver is embedded between two TiO2(N) layers. Various characteristics, including silver and nitrogen amounts, were examined in the composite materials. Various analyses, including electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum and methylene blue degradation rate analyses, were performed. The antibacterial properties of the composite materials were investigated. Here we revealed that the antibacterial durability of these thin films is substantially improved in both the dark and visible light, by which bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii, could be efficiently eliminated. This study demonstrated a feasible approach to improve the visible-light responsiveness and durability of antibacterial materials that contain silver nanoparticles impregnated in TiO2(N) films. PMID:26156001

Visible light photocatalytic H2-production activity of wide band gap ZnS nanoparticles based on the photosensitization of grapheme.

PubMed

Wang, Faze; Zheng, Maojun; Zhu, Changqing; Zhang, Bin; Chen, Wen; Ma, Li; Shen, Wenzhong

2015-08-28

Visible light photocatalytic H(2) production from water splitting is considered an attractive way to solve the increasing global energy crisis in modern life. In this study, a series of zinc sulfide nanoparticles and graphene (GR) sheet composites were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method, which used zinc chloride, sodium sulfide, and graphite oxide (GO) as the starting materials. The as-prepared ZnS-GR showed highly efficient visible light photocatalytic activity in hydrogen generation. The morphology and structure of the composites obtained by transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffraction exhibited a small crystallite size and a good interfacial contact between the ZnS nanoparticles and the two-dimensional (2D) GR sheet,which were beneficial for the photocatalysis. When the content of the GR in the catalyst was 0.1%, the ZG0.1 sample exhibited the highest H(2)-production rate of 7.42 μmol h(−1) g(−1), eight times more than the pure ZnS sample. This high visible-light photocatalytic H(2) production activity is attributed to the photosensitization of GR. Irradiated by visible light, the electrons photogenerated from GR transfer to the conduction band of ZnS to participate in the photocatalytic process. This study presents the visible-light photocatalytic activity of wide bandgap ZnS and its application in H(2) evolution.

Cationic (V, Y)-codoped TiO2 with enhanced visible light induced photocatalytic activity: A combined experimental and theoretical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Matiullah; Cao, Wenbin

2013-11-01

To employ TiO2 as an efficient photocatalyst, high reactivity under visible light and improved separation of photoexcited carriers are required. An effective co-doping approach is applied to modify the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 by doping vanadium (transition metal) and yttrium (rare earth element). V and/or Y codoped TiO2 was prepared using hydrothermal method without any post calcination for crystallization. Based on density functional theory, compensated and noncompensated V, Y codoped TiO2 models were constructed and their structural, electronic, and optical properties were calculated. Through combined experimental characterization and theoretical modeling, V, Y codoped TiO2 exhibited high absorption coefficient with enhanced visible light absorption. All the prepared samples showed pure anatase phase and spherical morphology with uniform particle distribution. Electronic band structure demonstrates that V, Y codoping drastically reduced the band gap of TiO2. It is found that both the doped V and Y exist in the form of substitutional point defects replacing Ti atom in the lattice. The photocatalytic activity, evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange, displays that the codoped TiO2 sample exhibits enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity. The synergistic effects of V and Y drastically improved the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area, visible light absorption, and electron-hole pair's separation leading to the enhanced visible light catalytic activity.

Antibacterial property of Ag nanoparticle-impregnated N-doped titania films under visible light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Ming-Show; Chen, Chun-Wei; Hsieh, Chia-Chun; Hung, Shih-Che; Sun, Der-Shan; Chang, Hsin-Hou

2015-07-01

Photocatalysts produce free radicals upon receiving light energy; thus, they possess antibacterial properties. Silver (Ag) is an antibacterial material that disrupts bacterial physiology. Our previous study reported that the high antibacterial property of silver nanoparticles on the surfaces of visible light-responsive nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalysts [TiO2(N)] could be further enhanced by visible light illumination. However, the major limitation of this Ag-TiO2 composite material is its durability; the antibacterial property decreased markedly after repeated use. To overcome this limitation, we developed TiO2(N)/Ag/TiO2(N) sandwich films in which the silver is embedded between two TiO2(N) layers. Various characteristics, including silver and nitrogen amounts, were examined in the composite materials. Various analyses, including electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum and methylene blue degradation rate analyses, were performed. The antibacterial properties of the composite materials were investigated. Here we revealed that the antibacterial durability of these thin films is substantially improved in both the dark and visible light, by which bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii, could be efficiently eliminated. This study demonstrated a feasible approach to improve the visible-light responsiveness and durability of antibacterial materials that contain silver nanoparticles impregnated in TiO2(N) films.

Violent flickering in Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2008-10-01

Unique observations of the flickering light from the surroundings of two black holes provide new insights into the colossal energy that flows at their hearts. By mapping out how well the variations in visible light match those in X-rays on very short timescales, astronomers have shown that magnetic fields must play a crucial role in the way black holes swallow matter. Flickering black hole ESO PR Photo 36/08 Flickering black hole Like the flame from a candle, light coming from the surroundings of a black hole is not constant -- it flares, sputters and sparkles. "The rapid flickering of light from a black hole is most commonly observed at X-ray wavelengths," says Poshak Gandhi, who led the international team that reports these results. "This new study is one of only a handful to date that also explore the fast variations in visible light, and, most importantly how these fluctuations relate to those in X-rays." The observations tracked the shimmering of the black holes simultaneously using two different instruments, one on the ground and one in space. The X-ray data were taken using NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer satellite. The visible light was collected with the high speed camera ULTRACAM, a visiting instrument at ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), recording up to 20 images a second. ULTRACAM was developed by team members Vik Dhillon and Tom Marsh. "These are among the fastest observations of a black hole ever obtained with a large optical telescope," says Dhillon. To their surprise, astronomers discovered that the brightness fluctuations in the visible light were even more rapid than those seen in X-rays. In addition, the visible-light and X-ray variations were found not to be simultaneous, but to follow a repeated and remarkable pattern: just before an X-ray flare the visible light dims, and then surges to a bright flash for a tiny fraction of a second before rapidly decreasing again. None of this radiation emerges directly from the black hole, but from the intense energy flows of electrically charged matter in its vicinity. The environment of a black hole is constantly being reshaped by a riotous mêlée of strong and competing forces such as gravity, magnetism and explosive pressure. As a result, light emitted by the hot flows of matter varies in brightness in a muddled and haphazard way. "But the pattern found in this new study possesses a stable structure that stands out amidst an otherwise chaotic variability, and so, it can yield vital clues about the dominant underlying physical processes in action," says team member Andy Fabian. The visible-light emission from the neighbourhoods of black holes was widely thought to be a secondary effect, with a primary X-ray outburst illuminating the surrounding gas that subsequently shone in the visible range. But if this were so, any visible-light variations would lag behind the X-ray variability, and would be much slower to peak and fade away. "The rapid visible-light flickering now discovered immediately rules out this scenario for both systems studied," asserts Gandhi. "Instead the variations in the X-ray and visible light output must have some common origin, and one very close to the black hole itself." Strong magnetic fields represent the best candidate for the dominant physical process. Acting as a reservoir, they can soak up the energy released close to the black hole, storing it until it can be discharged either as hot (multi-million degree) X-ray emitting plasma, or as streams of charged particles travelling at close to the speed of light. The division of energy into these two components can result in the characteristic pattern of X-ray and visible-light variability.

75 FR 22696 - Certifications and Exemptions Under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

...(a)(i), pertaining to the height placement of the masthead light above the hull; Annex I, paragraph 2...) visibility; rule 21(b) visibility; ship's sides stern in above hull in light to forward light rule 21(c) in...

Medical imaging systems

DOEpatents

Frangioni, John V [Wayland, MA

2012-07-24

A medical imaging system provides simultaneous rendering of visible light and fluorescent images. The system may employ dyes in a small-molecule form that remains in a subject's blood stream for several minutes, allowing real-time imaging of the subject's circulatory system superimposed upon a conventional, visible light image of the subject. The system may also employ dyes or other fluorescent substances associated with antibodies, antibody fragments, or ligands that accumulate within a region of diagnostic significance. In one embodiment, the system provides an excitation light source to excite the fluorescent substance and a visible light source for general illumination within the same optical guide that is used to capture images. In another embodiment, the system is configured for use in open surgical procedures by providing an operating area that is closed to ambient light. More broadly, the systems described herein may be used in imaging applications where a visible light image may be usefully supplemented by an image formed from fluorescent emissions from a fluorescent substance that marks areas of functional interest.

Initiator and Photocatalyst-Free Visible Light Induced One-Pot Reaction: Concurrent RAFT Polymerization and CuAAC Click Reaction.

PubMed

Wang, Jie; Wang, Xinbo; Xue, Wentao; Chen, Gaojian; Zhang, Weidong; Zhu, Xiulin

2016-05-01

A new, visible light-catalyzed, one-pot and one-step reaction is successfully employed to design well-controlled side-chain functionalized polymers, by the combination of ambient temperature revisible addtion-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and click chemistry. Polymerizations are well controlled in a living way under the irradiation of visible light-emitting diode (LED) light without photocatalyst and initiator, using the trithiocarbonate agent as iniferter (initiator-transfer agent-terminator) agent at ambient temperature. Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), NMR, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) data confirm the successful one-pot reaction. Compared to the reported zero-valent metal-catalyzed one-pot reaction, the polymerization rate is much faster than that of the click reaction, and the visible light-catalyzed one-pot reaction can be freely and easily regulated by turning on and off the light. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The use of near-infrared photography to image fired bullets and cartridge cases.

PubMed

Stein, Darrell; Yu, Jorn Chi Chung

2013-09-01

An imaging technique that is capable of reducing glare, reflection, and shadows can greatly assist the process of toolmarks comparison. In this work, a camera with near-infrared (near-IR) photographic capabilities was fitted with an IR filter, mounted to a stereomicroscope, and used to capture images of toolmarks on fired bullets and cartridge cases. Fluorescent, white light-emitting diode (LED), and halogen light sources were compared for use with the camera. Test-fired bullets and cartridge cases from different makes and models of firearms were photographed under either near-IR or visible light. With visual comparisons, near-IR images and visible light images were comparable. The use of near-IR photography did not reveal more details and could not effectively eliminate reflections and glare associated with visible light photography. Near-IR photography showed little advantages in manual examination of fired evidence when it was compared with visible light (regular) photography. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

SILAR BiOI-Sensitized TiO2 Films for Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B and 4-Chlorophenol.

PubMed

Odling, Gylen; Robertson, Neil

2017-04-05

BiOI nanoplates were deposited upon a film of TiO 2 nanoparticles derived from a commercial source using a simple room temperature sequential ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron microscopies have been used to confirm the crystal phase, chemical states of key elements and morphology of the BiOI nanoplate-TiO 2 composites. Using both valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV/Vis diffuse reflectance measurements the band structure of the composites is determined to be that of a type II heterojunction. Through initial screening of the photocatalytic activity of the SILAR-modified films it was determined that five SILAR cycles are optimal in the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B. The visible-light sensitisation effect of BiOI was then proven by examination of the photocatalytic degradation of the colourless organic pollutant 4-chlorophenol, showing a large enhancement over an equivalent TiO 2 film. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Visual gas sensors based on dye thin films and resonant waveguide gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davoine, L.; Schnieper, M.; Barranco, A.; Aparicio, F. J.

2011-05-01

A colorimetric sensor that provides a direct visual indication of chemical contamination was developed. The detection is based on the color change of the reflected light after exposure to a gas or a liquid. The sensor is a combination of a chemically sensitive dye layer and a subwavelength grating structure. To enhance the perception of color change, a reference area sealed under a non-contaminated atmosphere is used and placed next to the sensor. The color change is clearly visible by human eyes. The device is based on photonic resonant effects; the visible color is a direct reflection of some incoming light, therefore no additional supplies are needed. This makes it usable as a standalone disposable sensor. The dye thin film is deposited by Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) on top of the subwavelength structure. The latter is made by combining a replication process of a Sol-Gel material and a thin film deposition. Lowcost fabrication and compatibility with environments where electricity cannot be used make this device very attractive for applications in hospitals, industries, with explosives and in traffic.

Electrodeposition synthesis of MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays nanocomposites and their visible light photocatalytic activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Xuyao; Zhou, Xiaosong, E-mail: zxs801213@163.com; Li, Xiaoyu, E-mail: lixiaoyu@iga.ac.cn

2014-11-15

Highlights: • MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays nanocomposites are prepared by electrodeposition. • MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} exhibits high visible light photocatalytic activity. • The results of XRD show the depositions are attributed to α-MnO{sub 2}. • A photocatalytic mechanism is discussed under visible light irradiation. - Abstract: MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays nanocomposite photocatalysts have been synthesized through an electrodeposition method. X-ray powder diffraction analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements reveal that the products of electrodeposition method are MnO{sub 2}. Scanning electron microscopy measurements suggest that the depositions are deposited on the surface or internal of the nanotube. UV–vis lightmore » absorbance spectra demonstrate the excellent adsorption properties of MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} over the whole region of visible light, which enables this novel photocatalytic material to possess remarkable activity in the photocatalytic degradation of acid Orange II under visible light radiation. Moreover, a possible photocatalytic mechanism is discussed.« less

Effects of ultraviolet radiation, visible light, and infrared radiation on erythema and pigmentation: a review.

PubMed

Sklar, Lindsay R; Almutawa, Fahad; Lim, Henry W; Hamzavi, Iltefat

2013-01-01

The effects of ultraviolet radiation, visible light, and infrared radiation on cutaneous erythema, immediate pigment darkening, persistent pigment darkening, and delayed tanning are affected by a variety of factors. Some of these factors include the depth of cutaneous penetration of the specific wavelength, the individual skin type, and the absorption spectra of the different chromophores in the skin. UVB is an effective spectrum to induce erythema, which is followed by delayed tanning. UVA induces immediate pigment darkening, persistent pigment darkening, and delayed tanning. At high doses, UVA (primarily UVA2) can also induce erythema in individuals with skin types I-II. Visible light has been shown to induce erythema and a tanning response in dark skin, but not in fair skinned individuals. Infrared radiation produces erythema, which is probably a thermal effect. In this article we reviewed the available literature on the effects of ultraviolet radiation, visible light, and infrared radiation on the skin in regards to erythema and pigmentation. Much remains to be learned on the cutaneous effects of visible light and infrared radiation.

Effective visible light-active boron and europium co-doped BiVO4 synthesized by sol-gel method for photodegradion of methyl orange.

PubMed

Wang, Min; Che, Yinsheng; Niu, Chao; Dang, Mingyan; Dong, Duo

2013-11-15

Eu-B co-doped BiVO4 visible-light-driven photocatalysts have been synthesized using the sol-gel method. The resulting materials were characterized by a series of joint techniques, including XPS, XRD, SEM, BET, and UV-vis DRS analyses. Compared with BiVO4 and B-BiVO4 photocatalysts, the Eu-B-BiVO4 photocatalysts exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity for methyl orange (MO) degradation under visible light irradiation. The optimal Eu doping content is 0.8 mol%. It was revealed that boron and europium were doped into the lattice of BiVO4 and this led to more surface oxygen vacancies, high specific surface areas, small crystallite size, a narrower band gap and intense light absorbance in the visible region. The doped Eu(III) cations can help in the separation of photogenerated electrons. The synergistic effects of boron and europium in doped BiVO4 were the main reason for improving visible light photocatalytic activity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Viewer Makes Radioactivity "Visible"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yin, L. I.

1983-01-01

Battery operated viewer demonstrates feasibility of generating threedimensional visible light simulations of objects that emit X-ray or gamma rays. Ray paths are traced for two pinhold positions to show location of reconstructed image. Images formed by pinholes are converted to intensified visible-light images. Applications range from radioactivity contamination surveys to monitoring radioisotope absorption in tumors.

Characterization of a thinned back illuminated MIMOSA V sensor as a visible light camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgheroni, Antonio; Bianda, Michele; Caccia, Massimo; Cappellini, Chiara; Mozzanica, Aldo; Ramelli, Renzo; Risigo, Fabio

2006-09-01

This paper reports the measurements that have been performed both in the Silicon Detector Laboratory at the University of Insubria (Como, Italy) and at the Instituto Ricerche SOlari Locarno (IRSOL) to characterize a CMOS pixel particle detector as a visible light camera. The CMOS sensor has been studied in terms of Quantum Efficiency in the visible spectrum, image blooming and reset inefficiency in saturation condition. The main goal of these measurements is to prove that this kind of particle detector can also be used as an ultra fast, 100% fill factor visible light camera in solar physics experiments.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qiao, Li-Na; Wang, H.C.; Shen, Y.

Nanostructured lead chalcogenides (PbX, X = Te, Se, S) were prepared via a simple hydrothermal method. The powder samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, SAED and DRS. Phase composition and microstructure analysis indicate that these samples are pure lead chalcogenides phases and have similar morphologies. These lead chalcogenides display efficient absorption in the UV-visible light range. The photocatalytic properties of lead chalcogenides nanoparticles were evaluated by the photodegradation of Congo red under UV-visible light irradiation in air atmosphere. The Congo red solution can be efficiently degraded under visible light in the presence of lead chalcogenides nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activities ofmore » lead chalcogenides generally increase with increasing their band gaps and shows no appreciable loss after repeated cycles. Our results may be useful for developing new photocatalyst systems responsive to visible light among narrow band gap semiconductors.« less

Differences in visible and near-infrared light reflectance between orange fruit and leaves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gausman, H. W.; Escobar, D. E.; Berumen, A.

1975-01-01

The objective was to find the best time during the season (April 26, 1972 to January 8, 1973) to distinguish orange fruit from leaves by spectrophotometrically determining at 10-day intervals when the difference in visible (550- and 650-nm wavelengths) and near-infrared (850-nm wavelength) light reflectance between fruit and nearby leaves was largest. December 5 to January 8 was the best time to distinguish fruit from leaves. During this period the fruit's color was rapidly changing from green to yellow, and the difference in visible light reflectance between fruit and leaves was largest. The difference in near-infrared reflectance between leaves and fruit remained essentially constant during ripening when the difference in visible light reflectance between leaves and fruit was largest.

Visible-Infrared Hyperspectral Image Projector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolcar, Matthew

2013-01-01

The VisIR HIP generates spatially-spectrally complex scenes. The generated scenes simulate real-world targets viewed by various remote sensing instruments. The VisIR HIP consists of two subsystems: a spectral engine and a spatial engine. The spectral engine generates spectrally complex uniform illumination that spans the wavelength range between 380 nm and 1,600 nm. The spatial engine generates two-dimensional gray-scale scenes. When combined, the two engines are capable of producing two-dimensional scenes with a unique spectrum at each pixel. The VisIR HIP can be used to calibrate any spectrally sensitive remote-sensing instrument. Tests were conducted on the Wide-field Imaging Interferometer Testbed at NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center. The device is a variation of the calibrated hyperspectral image projector developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD. It uses Gooch & Housego Visible and Infrared OL490 Agile Light Sources to generate arbitrary spectra. The two light sources are coupled to a digital light processing (DLP(TradeMark)) digital mirror device (DMD) that serves as the spatial engine. Scenes are displayed on the DMD synchronously with desired spectrum. Scene/spectrum combinations are displayed in rapid succession, over time intervals that are short compared to the integration time of the system under test.

Supercritical-assistant liquid crystal template approach to synthesize mesoporous titania/multiwalled carbon nanotube composites with high visible-light driven photocatalytic performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Chen; Li, Youji, E-mail: bcclyj@163.com; Xu, Peng

2014-12-15

Graphical abstract: We investigate the influence of mesoporous titania content upon the visible-light driven photocatalytic performance of MPT/MWCNTs in phenol degradation. - Highlights: • MPT/MWCNTs were fabricated by liquid-crystal template in supercritical CO{sub 2}. • MPT/MWCNTs show high visible-light driven photoactivity for phenol degradation. • MPT/MWCNTs also show high reusable photoactivity under visible irradiation. • MPT content can control visible-light driven photoactivity of MPT/MWCNTs. • MPT is not easily broken away from from MPT/MWCNT composites. - Abstract: Mesoporous titania (MPT) was deposited onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by deposition of titanium sol containing liquid-crystal template with assistant of supercritical CO{submore » 2}. The products were characterized with various analytical techniques to determine their structural, morphological, optical absorption and photocatalytic properties. The results indicate that in photocatalytic degradation of phenol under visible light, the mixtures or composites of MPT and MWCNT show the high efficiency because of synergies between absorbing visible light, releasing electrons and facilitating transfer of charge carriers of MWCNTs and providing activated centers of MPT. Because of the mutual constraint between MPT and MWCNTs on the photocatalytic efficiency, the optimal loading of MPT in MPT/MWCNT-3 for phenol degradation is 48%. Because the intimate contact between MWCNTs and MPT is more beneficial to electron transformation, photoactivity of mixture is lower than that of composites with high reusable performance. The optimum conditions of phenol degradation were obtained.« less

Hybrid sunlight/LED illumination and renewable solar energy saving concepts for indoor lighting.

PubMed

Tsuei, Chih-Hsuan; Sun, Wen-Shing; Kuo, Chien-Cheng

2010-11-08

A hybrid method for using sunlight and light-emitting diode (LED) illumination powered by renewable solar energy for indoor lighting is simulated and presented in this study. We can illuminate an indoor space and collect the solar energy using an optical switching system. When the system is turned off, the full spectrum of the sunlight is concentrated by a concentrator, to be absorbed by solar photovoltaic devices that provide the electricity to power the LEDs. When the system is turned on, the sunlight collected by the concentrator is split into visible and non-visible rays by a beam splitter. The visible rays pass through the light guide into a light box where it is mixed with LED light to ultimately provide uniform illumination by a diffuser. The non-visible rays are absorbed by the solar photovoltaic devices to provide electrical power for the LEDs. Simulation results show that the efficiency of the hybrid sunlight/LED illumination with the renewable solar energy saving design is better than that of LED and traditional lighting systems.

Highly efficient temperature-induced visible light photocatalytic hydrogen production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Bing

Photocatalysis is the acceleration of photoreaction in presence of a photocatalyst. Semiconductor photocatalysis has obtained much attention as a potential solution to the worldwide energy storage due to its promising ability to directly convert solar energy into chemical fuels. This dissertation research mainly employ three approaches to enhance photocatalytic activities, which includes (I) Modifying semiconductor nanomaterials for visible and near-IR light absorption; (II) Synthesis of light-diffuse-reflection-surface of SiO2 substrate to utilize scattered light; and (III) design of a hybrid system that combines light and heat to enhance visible light photocatalytic activity. Those approaches were applied to two systems: (1) hydrogen production from water; (2) carbon dioxide reforming of methane. The activity of noble metals such as platinum were investigated as co-catalysts and cheap earth abundant catalysts as alternatives to reduce cost were also developed. Stability, selectivity, mechanism were investigated. Great enhancement of visible light activity over a series of semiconductors/heterostructures were observed. Such extraordinary performance of artificial photosynthetic hydrogen production system would provide a novel approach for the utilization of solar energy for chemical fuel production.

Visible-Light-Induced Bactericidal Activity of a Nitrogen-Doped Titanium Photocatalyst against Human Pathogens

PubMed Central

Wong, Ming-Show; Chu, Wen-Chen; Sun, Der-Shan; Huang, Hsuan-Shun; Chen, Jiann-Hwa; Tsai, Pei-Jane; Lin, Nien-Tsung; Yu, Mei-Shiuan; Hsu, Shang-Feng; Wang, Shih-Lien; Chang, Hsin-Hou

2006-01-01

The antibacterial activity of photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO2) substrates is induced primarily by UV light irradiation. Recently, nitrogen- and carbon-doped TiO2 substrates were shown to exhibit photocatalytic activities under visible-light illumination. Their antibacterial activity, however, remains to be quantified. In this study, we demonstrated that nitrogen-doped TiO2 substrates have superior visible-light-induced bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli compared to pure TiO2 and carbon-doped TiO2 substrates. We also found that protein- and light-absorbing contaminants partially reduce the bactericidal activity of nitrogen-doped TiO2 substrates due to their light-shielding effects. In the pathogen-killing experiment, a significantly higher proportion of all tested pathogens, including Shigella flexneri, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Acinetobacter baumannii, were killed by visible-light-illuminated nitrogen-doped TiO2 substrates than by pure TiO2 substrates. These findings suggest that nitrogen-doped TiO2 has potential application in the development of alternative disinfectants for environmental and medical usages. PMID:16957236

Baby Picture of our Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on image for Poster VersionClick on image for Visible Light ImageClick on image for Animation

A rare, infrared view of a developing star and its flaring jets taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows us what our own solar system might have looked like billions of years ago. In visible light, this star and its surrounding regions are completely hidden in darkness.

Stars form out of spinning clouds, or envelopes, of gas and dust. As the envelopes flatten and collapse, jets of gas stream outward and a swirling disk of planet-forming material takes shape around the forming star. Eventually, the envelope and jets disappear, leaving a newborn star with a suite of planets. This process takes millions of years.

The Spitzer image shows a developing sun-like star, called L1157, that is only thousands of years old (for comparison, our solar system is around 4.5 billion years old). Why is the young system only visible in infrared light? The answer has to do with the fact that stars are born in the darkest and dustiest corners of space, where little visible light can escape. But the heat, or infrared light, of an object can be detected through the dust.

In Spitzer's infrared view of L1157, the star itself is hidden but its envelope is visible in silhouette as a thick black bar. While Spitzer can peer through this region's dust, it cannot penetrate the envelope itself. Hence, the envelope appears black. The thickest part of the envelope can be seen as the black line crossing the giant jets. This L1157 portrait provides the first clear look at stellar envelope that has begun to flatten.

The color white shows the hottest parts of the jets, with temperatures around 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit). Most of the material in the jets, seen in orange, is roughly zero degrees on the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales.

The reddish haze all around the picture is dust. The white dots are other stars, mostly in the background.

L1157 is located 800 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus.

This image was taken by Spitzer's infrared array camera. Infrared light of 8 microns is colored red; 4.5-micron infrared light is green; and 3.6-micron infrared light is blue.

The visible-light picture is from the Palomar Observatory-Space Telescope Science Institute Digitized Sky Survey. Blue visible light is blue; red visible light is green, and near-infrared light is red.

The artist's animation begins by showing a dark and dusty corner of space where little visible light can escape. The animation then transitions to the infrared view taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, revealing the embryonic star and its dramatic jets.

Defect induced visible-light-activated near-infrared emissions in Gd3-x-y-zYbxBiyErzGa5O12

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Liping; Saito, Katsuhiko; Guo, Qixin; Zhou, Han; Fan, Tongxiang; Zhang, Di

2017-11-01

Visible-light-activated near-infrared luminescent materials are promising photoluminescent materials due to their convenience and low cost. Crystal defects can seriously affect the performance of luminescent materials, and better understanding of the complexity of the structural disorder and electronic structures of such materials opens up new possibilities in luminescent material development. In this work, we successfully design a novel, effective, visible-light-activated near-infrared luminescent Gd3Ga5O12: 4.2%Yb3+, 8.4%Er3+, and 4.2%Bi3+ system based on first principles. This exhibits strong emission intensity and high luminous efficiency (0.993) and also has a lifetime (7.002 ms) that is at least twice as long as the longest lifetime reported in published papers. We utilize density functional theory with an effective LSDA + U method to study the structural properties of Gd3-x-y-zGa5O12: xYb3+, yBi3+, zEr3+ (GGG: Yb3+, Bi3+, Er3+). The d and f electron orbits of rare-earth ions are considered for an effective Hund exchange. Detailed analysis reveals that GGG: 4.2%Yb3+, 8.4%Er3+, 4.2%Bi3+ has the smallest cell volume because of the strong covalent bonds of Bi-O, Er-O, and Yb-O. Bi 3d is a hybridized state that acts as sensitizing ions during the process of luminescence in GGG: Yb3+, Bi3+, Er3+. Together with experimental and theoretical results, we analyze the influence of defects on emission intensity. The locations of Yb3+, Er3+, and Bi3+ are determined by X-ray absorption fine structure measurements, which are in agreement with the model constructed using first principles. This work may provide innovative guidance for the design of high-performance visible-light-activated near-infrared luminophores based on calculations and a new methodology for application of coherent laser radar and optical communication.

Study of dark matter and QCD-charged mediators in the quasidegenerate regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Andrew; Kelso, Chris; Kumar, Jason; Sandick, Pearl; Stengel, Patrick

2017-12-01

We study a scenario in which the only light new particles are a Majorana fermion dark matter candidate and one or more QCD-charged scalars, which couple to light quarks. This scenario has several interesting phenomenological features if the new particles are nearly degenerate in mass. In particular, LHC searches for the light scalars have reduced sensitivity, since the visible and invisible products tend to be softer. Moreover, dark matter-scalar coannihilation can allow even relatively heavy dark matter candidates to be consistent thermal relics. Finally, the dark matter nucleon scattering cross section is enhanced in the quasidegenerate limit, allowing direct detection experiments to use both spin-independent and spin-dependent scattering to probe regions of parameter space beyond those probed by the LHC. Although this scenario has a broad application, we phrase this study in terms of the minimal supersymmetric standard model, in the limit where the only light sparticles are a binolike dark matter candidate and light-flavored squarks.

Visible light-induced magnetization change of the cyano-bridged 3 d-4 f heterobimetallic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guangming; Sato, Osamu; Akitsu, Takashiro; Einaga, Yasuaki

2004-10-01

A visible light-induced magnetization change of the 3d-4f heterometallic, [Nd(DMF)4(H2O)3(μ-NC)Co(CN)5]·H2O (DMF=N,N-dimethylformamide), is observed and described. The plots of χMT versus T of the complex showed that the χMT values, after visible light illumination, were enhanced by about 25% as compared to before irradiation in the temperature range of 5-40 K.

Experimental visualization of covalent bonds and structural disorder in a gallium zinc oxynitride photocatalyst (Ga(1-x)Znx)(N(1-x)Ox): origin of visible light absorption.

PubMed

Yashima, Masatomo; Yamada, Hiroki; Maeda, Kazuhiko; Domen, Kazunari

2010-04-14

We present the experimental visualization of covalent bonding, positional disorders and split anion sites in visible-light responsive photocatalyst (Ga(0.885)Zn(0.115))(N(0.885)O(0.115)). ZnO alloying into GaN reduces the band gap, leading to the visible-light response. DFT calculations indicated no significant difference in band gap between structural models with and without split sites.

Self-doped Ti(3+)-TiO2 as a photocatalyst for the reduction of CO2 into a hydrocarbon fuel under visible light irradiation.

PubMed

Sasan, Koroush; Zuo, Fan; Wang, Yuan; Feng, Pingyun

2015-08-28

Self-doped TiO2 shows visible light photocatalytic activity, while commercial TiO2 (P25) is only UV responsive. The incorporation of Ti(3+) into TiO2 structures narrows the band gap (2.90 eV), leading to significantly increased photocatalytic activity for the reduction of CO2 into a renewable hydrocarbon fuel (CH4) in the presence of water vapour under visible light irradiation.

Correspondence between AXAF TMA X-ray performance and models based upon mechanical and visible light measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Speybroeck, L.; Mckinnon, P. J.; Murray, S. S.; Primini, F. A.; Schwartz, D. A.; Zombeck, M. V.; Dailey, C. C.; Reily, J. C.; Weisskopf, M. C.; Wyman, C. L.

1986-01-01

The AXAF Technology Mirror Assembly (TMA) was characterized prior to X-ray testing by properties measured mechanically or with visible light; these include alignment offsets, roundness and global-axial-slope errors, axial-figure errors with characteristic lengths greater than about five mm, and surface roughness with scale lengths between about 0.005 and 0.5 mm. The X-ray data of Schwartz et al. (1985) are compared with predictions based upon the mechanical and visible light measurements.

Aerobic oxidation of alcohols in visible light on Pd-grafted Ti cluster

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The titanium cluster with the reduced band gap has been synthesized having the palladium nanoparticles over the surface, which not only binds to the atmospheric oxygen but also catalyzes the oxidation of alcohols under visible light.This dataset is associated with the following publication:Varma, R., M. Nadagouda, S. Verma, and R.B.N. Baig. Aerobic oxidation of alcohols in visible light on Pd-grafted Ti cluster. TETRAHEDRON. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, (2016).

Vanadium substitution: A simple and economic way to improve UV sensing in ZnO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Tulika; Bajpai, Gaurav; Rathore, Gyanendra; Liu, Shun Wei; Biring, Sajal; Sen, Somaditya

2018-04-01

The UV sensing in pure ZnO is due to oxygen adsorption/desorption process from the ZnO surface. Vanadium doping improves the UV sensitivity of ZnO. The enhancement in UV sensitivity in vanadium-substituted ZnO is attributed to trapping and de-trapping of electrons at V4+ and V5+-related defect states. The V4+ state has an extra electron than the V5+ state. A V4+ to V5+ transformation happens with excitation of this electron to the conduction band, while a reverse trapping process liberates a visible light. An analytic study of response phenomenon reveals this trapping and de-trapping process.

Arbitrary Multicolor Photodetection by Hetero-integrated Semiconductor Nanostructures

PubMed Central

Sang, Liwen; Hu, Junqing; Zou, Rujia; Koide, Yasuo; Liao, Meiyong

2013-01-01

The typical photodetectors can only detect one specific optical spectral band, such as InGaAs and graphene-PbS quantum dots for near-infrared (NIR) light detection, CdS and Si for visible light detection, and ZnO and III-nitrides for UV light detection. So far, none of the developed photodetector can achieve the multicolor detection with arbitrary spectral selectivity, high sensitivity, high speed, high signal-to-noise ratio, high stability, and simplicity (called 6S requirements). Here, we propose a universal strategy to develop multicolor photodetectors with arbitrary spectral selectivity by integrating various semiconductor nanostructures on a wide-bandgap semiconductor or an insulator substrate. Because the photoresponse of each spectral band is determined by each semiconductor nanostructure or the semiconductor substrate, multicolor detection satisfying 6S requirements can be readily satisfied by selecting the right semiconductors. PMID:23917790

Energy efficiency for the removal of non-polar pollutants during ultraviolet irradiation, visible light photocatalysis and ozonation of a wastewater effluent.

PubMed

Santiago-Morales, Javier; Gómez, María José; Herrera-López, Sonia; Fernández-Alba, Amadeo R; García-Calvo, Eloy; Rosal, Roberto

2013-10-01

This study aims to assess the removal of a set of non-polar pollutants in biologically treated wastewater using ozonation, ultraviolet (UV 254 nm low pressure mercury lamp) and visible light (Xe-arc lamp) irradiation as well as visible light photocatalysis using Ce-doped TiO2. The compounds tracked include UV filters, synthetic musks, herbicides, insecticides, antiseptics and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Raw wastewater and treated samples were analyzed using stir-bar sorptive extraction coupled with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (SBSE-CG × GC-TOF-MS). Ozone treatment could remove most pollutants with a global efficiency of over 95% for 209 μM ozone dosage. UV irradiation reduced the total concentration of the sixteen pollutants tested by an average of 63% with high removal of the sunscreen 2-ethylhexyl trans-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC), the synthetic musk 7-acetyl-1,1,3,4,4,6-hexamethyltetrahydronaphthalene (tonalide, AHTN) and several herbicides. Visible light Ce-TiO2 photocatalysis reached ~70% overall removal with particularly high efficiency for synthetic musks. In terms of power usage efficiency expressed as nmol kJ(-1), the results showed that ozonation was by far the most efficient process, ten-fold over Xe/Ce-TiO2 visible light photocatalysis, the latter being in turn considerably more efficient than UV irradiation. In all cases the efficiency decreased along the treatments due to the lower reaction rate at lower pollutant concentration. The use of photocatalysis greatly improved the efficiency of visible light irradiation. The collector area per order decreased from 9.14 ± 5.11 m(2) m(-3) order(-1) for visible light irradiation to 0.16 ± 0.03 m(2) m(-3) order(-1) for Ce-TiO2 photocatalysis. The toxicity of treated wastewater was assessed using the green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Ozonation reduced the toxicity of treated wastewater, while UV irradiation and visible light photocatalysis limited by 20-25% the algal growth due to the accumulation of reaction by-products. Three transformation products were identified and tracked along the treatments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cycles of circadian illuminance are sufficient to entrain and maintain circadian locomotor rhythms in Drosophila

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Eunjoo; Oh, Ji Hye; Lee, Euna; Do, Young Rag; Kim, Eun Young

2016-11-01

Light at night disrupts the circadian clock and causes serious health problems in the modern world. Here, we show that newly developed four-package light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can provide harmless lighting at night. To quantify the effects of light on the circadian clock, we employed the concept of circadian illuminance (CIL). CIL represents the amount of light weighted toward the wavelengths to which the circadian clock is most sensitive, whereas visual illuminance (VIL) represents the total amount of visible light. Exposure to 12 h:12 h cycles of white LED light with high and low CIL values but a constant VIL value (conditions hereafter referred to as CH/CL) can entrain behavioral and molecular circadian rhythms in flies. Moreover, flies re-entrain to phase shift in the CH/CL cycle. Core-clock proteins are required for the rhythmic behaviors seen with this LED lighting scheme. Taken together, this study provides a guide for designing healthful white LED lights for use at night, and proposes the use of the CIL value for estimating the harmful effects of any light source on organismal health.

Postmodification of MOF-5 using secondary complex formation using 8- hydroxyquinoline (HOQ) for the development of visible light active photocatalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakare, Sanjay R.; Ramteke, Shruti M.

2018-05-01

A novel HOQ@MOF-5 compound photocatalyst was successfully constructed by interacting 8- Hydroxyquinoline with MOF-5 synthesized through a room temperature method. The secondary complex formation between the Zn cluster with 8-Hydroxyquinoline harnessed visible light and acted as a mediator to transfer photoinduced electrons to MOF-5 for enhancing the photocatalytic reaction rate with visible light. HOQ@MOF-5 was characterized by various spectroscopic techniques, such as XRD showing the crystalline nature of compound, UV-Visible spectroscopy showing the 2.54 eV band gap of HOQ@MOF-5 and morphological analysis tools, such as the nanoparticle nature of the compound with 9.561 nm particle size. The photocatalytic effect was estimated using the photocatalytic degradation of phenol as a representative organic pollutant under visible light irradiation. This work provides a new compound acting as source of electrons transfer for the development of efficient photocatalysts for remediation of environmental pollution.

SHEDDING LIGHT ON CORALS HEALTH: INTERACTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOLAR RADIATION WITH BLEACHING

EPA Science Inventory

Coral bleaching and declines in coral reef health in recent years have been attributed in part to processes driven by UV and/or visible light. For coral assemblages, exposure to UV light is often an unavoidable consequence of having access to visible (photosynthetically active) ...

Retrieval of profile information from airborne multiaxis UV-visible skylight absorption measurements.

PubMed

Bruns, Marco; Buehler, Stefan A; Burrows, John P; Heue, Klaus-Peter; Platt, Ulrich; Pundt, Irene; Richter, Andreas; Rozanov, Alexej; Wagner, Thomas; Wang, Ping

2004-08-01

A recent development in ground-based remote sensing of atmospheric constituents by UV-visible absorption measurements of scattered light is the simultaneous use of several horizon viewing directions in addition to the traditional zenith-sky pointing. The different light paths through the atmosphere enable the vertical distribution of some atmospheric absorbers, such as NO2, BrO, or O3, to be retrieved. This approach has recently been implemented on an airborne platform. This novel instrument, the airborne multiaxis differential optical absorption spectrometer (AMAXDOAS), has been flown for the first time. In this study, the amount of profile information that can be retrieved from such measurements is investigated for the trace gas NO2. Sensitivity studies on synthetic data are performed for a variety of representative measurement conditions including two wavelengths, one in the UV and one in the visible, two different surface spectral reflectances, various lines of sight (LOSs), and for two different flight altitudes. The results demonstrate that the AMAXDOAS measurements contain useful profile information, mainly at flight altitude and below the aircraft. Depending on wavelength and LOS used, the vertical resolution of the retrieved profiles is as good as 2 km near flight altitude. Above 14 km the profile information content of AMAXDOAS measurements is sparse. Airborne multiaxis measurements are thus a promising tool for atmospheric studies in the troposphere and the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere region.

Remote Spectroscopy in the Visible Using Fibers on the Optical Internet Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribeiro, Rafael A. S.; de Oliveira, Anderson R.; Zilio, Sergio C.

2010-01-01

The work presented here demonstrates the feasibility of using the single-mode fibers of an optical Internet network to deliver visible light between separate laboratories as a way to perform remote spectroscopy in the visible for teaching purposes. The coupling of a broadband light source into the single-mode fiber (SMF) and the characterization…

Photocatalytic degradation of polystyrene plastic under fluorescent light.

PubMed

Shang, Jing; Chai, Ming; Zhu, Yongfa

2003-10-01

Plastic is used widely all over the world, due to the fact that it is low cost, is easily processable, and has lightweight properties. However, the hazard of discarding waste plastic, so-called "white pollution", is becoming more and more severe. In this paper, solid-phase photocatalytic degradation of polystyrene (PS) plastic, one of the most common commercial plastics, over copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) sensitized TiO2 photocatalyst (TiO2/CuPc) has been investigated under fluorescent light irradiation in the air. UV-vis spectra show that TiO2/CuPc extends its photoresponse range to visible light, contrasting to only UV light absorption of pure TiO2. The PS photodegradation experiments exhibit that higher PS weight loss rate, lower PS average molecular weight, less amount of volatile organic compounds, and more CO2 can be obtained in the system of PS-(TiO2/CuPc), in comparison with the PS-TiO2 system. Therefore, PS photodegradation over TiO2 CuPc composite is more complete and efficient than over pure TiO2, suggesting the potential application of dye-sensitized TiO2 catalyst in the thorough photodegradation of PS plastic under fluorescent light. During the photodegradation of PS plastic, the reactive oxygen species generated on TiO2 or TiO2/CuPc particle surfaces play important roles in chain scission. The present study demonstrates that the combination of polymer plastic with dye-sensitized TiO2 catalyst in the form of thin film is a practical and useful way to photodegrade plastic contaminants in the sunlight.

Plasmon-assisted degradation of methylene blue with Ag/AgCl/montmorillonite nanocomposite under visible light.

PubMed

Sohrabnezhad, Sh; Zanjanchi, M A; Razavi, M

2014-09-15

Metal-semiconductor compounds, such as Ag/AgX (X=Cl, Br, I), enable visible light absorption and separation of photogenerated electron-hole through surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. However, the electron-hole generated and separated by light are vulnerable in Ag/AgX phase because of the occurrence of secondary recombined. In order to more effectively utilize the SPR photocatalytic effect, nanoparticles are located in a matrix. In this article, Ag/AgCl nanoparticles were synthesized in montmorillonite (MMT) matrix using dispersion method and light irradiation. The structure, composition and optical properties of such material were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR. Powder X-ray diffraction showed intercalation of Ag/AgCl nanoparticles into the clay layers. The as-prepared plasmonic photocatalyst exhibited an enhanced and stable photoactivity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light. The high activity was attributed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) exhibited by Ag nanoparticles on the surface of AgCl. The detection of reactive species by radical scavengers displays that O2- and OH- are the main reactive species for the degradation of MB under visible light irradiation. The studies showed that 20 min illumination under visible light can complete degradation of methylene blue (MB), and indicate a high stability of photocatalytic degradation. The mechanism of separation of the photo-generated electrons and holes at the Ag/AgCl-MMT nanocomposite was discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Visible light-induced photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Blue-19 over highly efficient polyaniline-TiO2 nanocomposite: a comparative study with solar and UV photocatalysis.

PubMed

Kalikeri, Shankramma; Kamath, Nidhi; Gadgil, Dhanashri Jayant; Shetty Kodialbail, Vidya

2018-02-01

Polyaniline-TiO 2 (PANI-TiO 2 ) nanocomposite was prepared by in situ polymerisation method. X-ray diffractogram (XRD) showed the formation of PANI-TiO 2 nanocomposite with the average crystallite size of 46 nm containing anatase TiO 2 . The PANI-TiO 2 nanocomposite consisted of short-chained fibrous structure of PANI with spherical TiO 2 nanoparticles dispersed at the tips and edge of the fibres. The average hydrodynamic diameter of the nanocomposite was 99.5 nm. The band gap energy was 2.1 eV which showed its ability to absorb light in the visible range. The nanocomposite exhibited better visible light-mediated photocatalytic activity than TiO 2 (Degussa P25) in terms of degradation of Reactive Blue (RB-19) dye. The photocatalysis was favoured under initial acidic pH, and complete degradation of 50 mg/L dye could be achieved at optimum catalyst loading of 1 g/L. The kinetics of degradation followed the Langmuir-Hinshelhood model. PANI-TiO 2 nanocomposite showed almost similar photocatalytic activity under UV and visible light as well as in the solar light which comprises of radiation in both UV and visible light range. Chemical oxygen demand removal of 86% could also be achieved under visible light, confirming that simultaneous mineralization of the dye occurred during photocatalysis. PANI-TiO 2 nanocomposites are promising photocatalysts for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing RB-19 dye.

Highly polarization sensitive photodetectors based on quasi-1D titanium trisulfide (TiS3)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Sijie; Xiao, Wenbo; Zhong, Mianzeng; Pan, Longfei; Wang, Xiaoting; Deng, Hui-Xiong; Liu, Jian; Li, Jingbo; Wei, Zhongming

2018-05-01

Photodetectors with high polarization sensitivity are in great demand in advanced optical communication. Here, we demonstrate that photodetectors based on titanium trisulfide (TiS3) are extremely sensitive to polarized light (from visible to the infrared), due to its reduced in-plane structural symmetry. By density functional theory calculation, TiS3 has a direct bandgap of 1.13 eV. The highest photoresponsivity reaches 2500 A W-1. What is more, in-plane optical selection caused by strong anisotropy leads to the photoresponsivity ratio for different directions of polarization that can reach 4:1. The angle-dependent photocurrents of TiS3 clearly display strong linear dichroism. Moreover, the Raman peak at 370 cm-1 is also very sensitive to the polarization direction. The theoretical optical absorption of TiS3 is calculated by using the HSE06 hybrid functional method, in qualitative agreement with the observed experimental photoresponsivity.

Highly polarization sensitive photodetectors based on quasi-1D titanium trisulfide (TiS3).

PubMed

Liu, Sijie; Xiao, Wenbo; Zhong, Mianzeng; Pan, Longfei; Wang, Xiaoting; Deng, Hui-Xiong; Liu, Jian; Li, Jingbo; Wei, Zhongming

2018-05-04

Photodetectors with high polarization sensitivity are in great demand in advanced optical communication. Here, we demonstrate that photodetectors based on titanium trisulfide (TiS 3 ) are extremely sensitive to polarized light (from visible to the infrared), due to its reduced in-plane structural symmetry. By density functional theory calculation, TiS 3 has a direct bandgap of 1.13 eV. The highest photoresponsivity reaches 2500 A W -1 . What is more, in-plane optical selection caused by strong anisotropy leads to the photoresponsivity ratio for different directions of polarization that can reach 4:1. The angle-dependent photocurrents of TiS 3 clearly display strong linear dichroism. Moreover, the Raman peak at 370 cm -1 is also very sensitive to the polarization direction. The theoretical optical absorption of TiS 3 is calculated by using the HSE06 hybrid functional method, in qualitative agreement with the observed experimental photoresponsivity.

Solution-processed nanocrystalline PbS on paper substrate with pencil traced electrodes as visible photodetector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vankhade, Dhaval; Chaudhuri, Tapas K.

2018-04-01

Paper-based PbS photodetector sensitive in the visible spectrum is reported. Nanocrystalline PbS-on-paper devices are fabricated by a spin coating method on white paper (300 GSM) from a methanolic precursor solution. Photodetector cells of gap 0.2 cm and length 0.5 cm are prepared by drawing contacts by monolithic cretacolor 8B pencil. X-ray diffractometer confirmed the deposition of nanocrystalline PbS films with 14 nm crystallites. The SEM illustrated the uniform coating of nanocrystalline PbS thin films on cellulose fibres of papers having an average thickness of fibres are 10 µm. The linear J-V characteristics in dark and under illumination of light using graphite trace on nanocrystalline PbS-on-paper shows good ohmic contact. The resistivity of pencil trace is 30 Ω.cm. Spectral response measurements of photodetector reveal the excellent sensitivity from 400 to 700 nm with a peak at 550 nm. The best responsivity anddetectivity are 0.7 A/W and 1.4 × 1012 Jones respectively. These paper-based low-cost photodetectors devices have fast photoresponse and recovery without baseline deviation.

Near infrared and visible face recognition based on decision fusion of LBP and DCT features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Zhihua; Zhang, Shuai; Liu, Guodong; Xiong, Jinquan

2018-03-01

Visible face recognition systems, being vulnerable to illumination, expression, and pose, can not achieve robust performance in unconstrained situations. Meanwhile, near infrared face images, being light- independent, can avoid or limit the drawbacks of face recognition in visible light, but its main challenges are low resolution and signal noise ratio (SNR). Therefore, near infrared and visible fusion face recognition has become an important direction in the field of unconstrained face recognition research. In order to extract the discriminative complementary features between near infrared and visible images, in this paper, we proposed a novel near infrared and visible face fusion recognition algorithm based on DCT and LBP features. Firstly, the effective features in near-infrared face image are extracted by the low frequency part of DCT coefficients and the partition histograms of LBP operator. Secondly, the LBP features of visible-light face image are extracted to compensate for the lacking detail features of the near-infrared face image. Then, the LBP features of visible-light face image, the DCT and LBP features of near-infrared face image are sent to each classifier for labeling. Finally, decision level fusion strategy is used to obtain the final recognition result. The visible and near infrared face recognition is tested on HITSZ Lab2 visible and near infrared face database. The experiment results show that the proposed method extracts the complementary features of near-infrared and visible face images and improves the robustness of unconstrained face recognition. Especially for the circumstance of small training samples, the recognition rate of proposed method can reach 96.13%, which has improved significantly than 92.75 % of the method based on statistical feature fusion.

VIIRS/J1 polarization narrative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waluschka, Eugene; McCorkel, Joel; McIntire, Jeff; Moyer, David; McAndrew, Brendan; Brown, Steven W.; Lykke, Keith R.; Young, James B.; Fest, Eric; Butler, James; Wang, Tung R.; Monroy, Eslim O.; Turpie, Kevin; Meister, Gerhard; Thome, Kurtis J.

2015-09-01

The polarization sensitivity of the Visible/NearIR (VISNIR) bands in the Joint Polar Satellite Sensor 1 (J1) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument was measured using a broadband source. While polarization sensitivity for bands M5-M7, I1, and I2 was less than 2.5 %, the maximum polarization sensitivity for bands M1, M2, M3, and M4 was measured to be 6.4 %, 4.4 %, 3.1 %, and 4.3 %, respectively with a polarization characterization uncertainty of less than 0.38%. A detailed polarization model indicated that the large polarization sensitivity observed in the M1 to M4 bands is mainly due to the large polarization sensitivity introduced at the leading and trailing edges of the newly manufactured VISNIR bandpass focal plane filters installed in front of the VISNIR detectors. This was confirmed by polarization measurements of bands M1 and M4 bands using monochromatic light. Discussed are the activities leading up to and including the two polarization tests, some discussion of the polarization model and the model results, the role of the focal plane filters, the polarization testing of the Aft-Optics-Assembly, the testing of the polarizers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Goddard center and at the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) facility and the use of NIST's Traveling Spectral Irradiance and Radiance responsivity Calibrations using Uniform Sources (T-SIRCUS) for polarization testing and associated analyses and results.