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| 2. |
- Bruhn, Benjamin, et al.
(författare)
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Blinking Statistics and Excitation-Dependent Luminescence Yield in Si and CdSe Nanocrystals
- 2014
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 118:4, s. 2202-2208
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ON-OFF intermittency or blinking is a phenomenon observed in single quantum emitters, which reduces their overall light emission. Even though it seems to be a fundamental property of quantum dots (QDs), substantial differences can be found in the blinking statistics of different nanocrystals. This work compares the blinking of numerous single, oxide-capped Si nanocrystals with that of CdSe/ZnS core-shell nanocrystals, measured under the same conditions in the same experimental system and over a broad range of excitation power densities. We find that ON- and OFF-times can be described by exponential statistics in Si QDs, as opposed to power-law statistics for the CdSe nanocrystals. The type of blinking (power-law or monoexponential) does not depend on excitation but seems to be an intrinsic property of the material system. Upon increasing excitation power, the duty cycle of Si quantum dots remains constant, whereas it decreases for CdSe nanocrystals, which is readily explained by blinking statistics. Both ON-OFF and OFF-ON transitions can be regarded as light-induced in Si/SiO2 QDs, while the OFF-ON transition in CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals is not stimulated by photons. The differences in blinking behavior in these systems will be discussed.
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| 3. |
- Bruhn, Benjamin, et al.
(författare)
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Transition from silicon nanowires to isolated quantum dots : Optical and structural evolution
- 2013
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Ingår i: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - : American Physical Society. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 87:4, s. 045404-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The evolution of the structural and optical properties of a silicon core in oxidized nanowalls is investigated as a function of oxidation time. The same individual nanostructures are characterized after every oxidation step in a scanning electron microscope and by low-temperature photoluminescence, while a representative sample is also imaged in a transmission electron microscope. Analysis of a large number of recorded single-dot spectra and micrographs allows to identify delocalized and localized exciton emission from a nanowire as well as confined exciton emission of a nanocrystal. It is shown how structural transitions from one-to zero-dimensional confinement affect single-nanostructure optical fingerprints.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Chen, H., et al.
(författare)
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Color-Switchable Nanosilicon Fluorescent Probes
- 2022
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Ingår i: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1936-0851 .- 1936-086X. ; 16:9, s. 15450-15459
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fluorescent probes are vital to cell imaging by allowing specific parts of cells to be visualized and quantified. Color-switchable probes (CSPs), with tunable emission wavelength upon contact with specific targets, are particularly powerful because they not only eliminate the need to wash away all unbound probe but also allow for internal controls of probe concentrations, thereby facilitating quantification. Several such CSPs exist and have proven very useful, but not for all key cellular targets. Here we report a pioneering CSP for in situ cell imaging using aldehyde-functionalized silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) that switch their intrinsic photoluminescence from red to blue quickly when interacting with amino acids in live cells. Though conventional probes often work better in cell-free extracts than in live cells, the SiNCs display the opposite behavior and function well and fast in universal cell lines at 37 °C while requiring much higher temperature in extracts. Furthermore, the SiNCs only disperse in cytoplasm not nucleus, and their fluorescence intensity correlated linearly with the concentration of fed amino acids. We believe these nanosilicon probes will be promising tools to visualize distribution of amino acids and potentially quantify amino acid related processes in live cells.
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| 6. |
- Chen, Hui
(författare)
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Light Scattering Effects in Transparent Wood Biocomposites
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Transparent wood (TW) shows interesting optical properties and offers a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymer glasses. The influence of the TW internal structure (e.g. fiber alignment, volume fraction of cellulose, lignin content, defects from preparation process) on the optical properties is poorly understood, which limits its use in various applications. It is also true for transparent cellulose biocomposites in general. In this thesis, eco-friendly TW biocomposites are investigated. The work focuses on experimental characterization, structure-optical property relationships and possibilities to quantify such relationships. TWs made of delignified wood substrates with longitudinal direction of the tree parallel to the specimen surface are prepared. Relationships between anisotropic scattering and fiber alignment are studied by scattering angle measurement. Anisotropic photons distributions are compared between two fiber directions and various sample thicknesses. Next, attenuation coefficients (related to the anisotropic diffusion coefficients and absorption coefficient) for TWs are obtained by combining the photon diffusion equation with total transmittance measurements. The results indicate strong influence from the air gaps between wood substrate phase and polymer in the lumen pores on the scattering. Beside the airgaps between wood substrate and polymer, refractive index mismatch between polymer and wood substrate strongly influences the scattering. Thus, immersion liquid method (based on the total transmittance measurement) combined with a light transmission model (based on Fresnel reflection theory) is applied to estimate the refractive index of the delignified wood substrate. This facilitates TW design (i.e. the proper polymer selection for various applications) and modelling of the optical properties of delignified wood based transparent materials. Finally, extinction coefficients, Rayleigh scattering and absorption coefficients of TW are extracted from photon budget measurements combined with a light diffusion model developed. With higher volume fraction of cellulose, all these parameters are increased, although polymer-cellulose refractive index mismatch is the dominating factor controlling transmittance. The strong forward scattering in TW is analysed, and Rayleigh scattering has a strong effect on haze. The influence of lignin content on the absorption coefficient is also discussed.
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| 7. |
- Chen, Hui, et al.
(författare)
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Photon Walk in Transparent Wood: Scattering and Absorption in Hierarchically Structured Materials
- 2022
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Ingår i: Advanced Optical Materials. - : Wiley. - 2162-7568 .- 2195-1071.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The optical response of hierarchical materials is convoluted, which hinders their direct study and property control. Transparent wood (TW) is an emerging biocomposite in this category, which adds optical function to the structural properties of wood. Nano- and microscale inhomogeneities in composition, structure and at interfaces strongly affect light transmission and haze. While interface manipulation can tailor TW properties, the realization of optically clear wood requires detailed understanding of light-TW interaction mechanisms. Here we show how material scattering and absorption coefficients can be extracted from a combination of experimental spectroscopic measurements and a photon diffusion model. Contributions from different length scales can thus be deciphered and quantified. It is shown that forward scattering dominates haze in TW, primarily caused by refractive index mismatch between the wood substrate and the polymer phase. Rayleigh scattering from the wood cell wall and absorption from residual lignin have minor effects on transmittance, but the former affects haze. Results provide guidance for material design of transparent hierarchical composites towards desired optical functionality; we demonstrate experimentally how transmittance and haze of TW can be controlled over a broad range.
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| 8. |
- Chen, Hui, et al.
(författare)
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Refractive index of delignified wood for transparent biocomposites
- 2020
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - 2046-2069. ; 10, s. 40719-40724
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Refractive index (RI) determination for delignified wood templates is vital for transparent wood composite fabrication. Reported RIs in the literature are based on either single plant fibers or wood powder, measured by the immersion liquid method (ILM) combined with mathematical fitting. However, wood structure complexity and the physical background of the fitting were not considered. In this work, RIs of delignified wood templates were measured by the ILM combined with a light transmission model developed from the Fresnel reflection/refraction theory for composite materials. The RIs of delignified balsa wood are 1.536 ± 0.006 and 1.525 ± 0.008 at the wavelength of 589 nm for light propagating perpendicular and parallel to the wood fiber direction, respectively. For delignified birch wood, corresponding values are 1.537 ± 0.005 and 1.529 ± 0.006, respectively. The RI data for delignified wood scaffolds are important for tailoring optical properties of transparent wood biocomposites, and also vital in optical properties investigations by theoretical modelling of complex light propagation in transparent wood and related composites. The developed light transmission model in combination with the immersion liquid method can be used to determine the RI of complex porous or layered solid materials and composites.
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| 9. |
- Chen, Hui, et al.
(författare)
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Refractive index of delignified wood for transparent biocomposites
- 2020
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2046-2069. ; 10:67, s. 40719-40724
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Refractive index (RI) determination for delignified wood templates is vital for transparent wood composite fabrication. Reported RIs in the literature are based on either single plant fibers or wood powder, measured by the immersion liquid method (ILM) combined with mathematical fitting. However, wood structure complexity and the physical background of the fitting were not considered. In this work, RIs of delignified wood templates were measured by the ILM combined with a light transmission model developed from the Fresnel reflection/refraction theory for composite materials. The RIs of delignified balsa wood are 1.536 ± 0.006 and 1.525 ± 0.008 at the wavelength of 589 nm for light propagating perpendicular and parallel to the wood fiber direction, respectively. For delignified birch wood, corresponding values are 1.537 ± 0.005 and 1.529 ± 0.006, respectively. The RI data for delignified wood scaffolds are important for tailoring optical properties of transparent wood biocomposites, and also vital in optical properties investigations by theoretical modelling of complex light propagation in transparent wood and related composites. The developed light transmission model in combination with the immersion liquid method can be used to determine the RI of complex porous or layered solid materials and composites.
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| 10. |
- Chen, Hui, et al.
(författare)
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Thickness Dependence of Optical Transmittance of Transparent Wood : Chemical Modification Effects
- 2019
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 1944-8244 .- 1944-8252. ; 11:38, s. 35451-35457
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transparent wood (TW) is an emerging optical material combining high optical transmittance and haze for structural applications. Unlike nonscattering absorbing media, the thickness dependence of light transmittance for TW is complicated because optical losses are also related to increased photon path length from multiple scattering. In the present study, starting from photon diffusion equation, it is found that the angle-integrated total light transmittance of TW has an exponentially decaying dependence on sample thickness. The expression reveals an attenuation coefficient which depends not only on the absorption coefficient but also on the diffusion coefficient. The total transmittance and thickness were measured for a range of TW samples, from both acetylated and nonacetylated balsa wood templates, and were fitted according to the derived relationship. The fitting gives a lower attenuation coefficient for the acetylated TW compared to the nonacetylated one. The lower attenuation coefficient for the acetylated TW is attributed to its lower scattering coefficient or correspondingly lower haze. The attenuation constant resulted from our model hence can serve as a singular material parameter that facilitates cross-comparison of different sample types, at even different thicknesses, when total optical transmittance is concerned. The model was verified with two other TWs (ash and birch) and is in general applicable to other scattering media.
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