The term photonic crystals appears because of the analogy between electron waves in crystals and the light waves in artificial periodic dielectric structures. During the recent years the investigation of one-, two-and three-dimensional periodic structures has attracted a widespread attention of the world optics community because of great potentiality of such structures in advanced applied optical fields. The interest in periodic structures has been stimulated by the fast development of semiconductor technology that now allows the fabrication of artificial structures, whose period is comparable with the wavelength of light in the visible and infrared ranges.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/6354/16969/00781867.pdf

Photonic crystals

Solution combustion is an exciting phenomenon, which involves propagation of self-sustained exothermic reactions along an aqueous or sol–gel media. This process allows for the synthesis of a variety of nanoscale materials, including oxides, metals, alloys, and sulfides. This Review focuses on the analysis of new approaches and results in the field of solution combustion synthesis (SCS) obtained during recent years. Thermodynamics and kinetics of reactive solutions used in different chemical routes are considered, and the role of process parameters is discussed, emphasizing the chemical mechanisms that are responsible for rapid self-sustained combustion reactions. The basic principles for controlling the composition, structure, and nanostructure of SCS products, and routes to regulate the size and morphology of the nanoscale materials are also reviewed. Recently developed systems that lead to the formation of novel materials and unique structures (e.g., thin films and two-dimensional crystals) with unusual...

Solution Combustion Synthesis of Nanoscale Materials

Objective . This study determined the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of enamel (E), dentin (D) and dentin–enamel junction (DEJ) using the microtensile technique. It was hypothesized that the UTS of dental structures varies according to location and nature. Methods . Intact occlusal enamel surfaces from extracted human third molars were etched with 37% phosphoric acid and bonded with a one-bottle adhesive system. The bonded occlusal surfaces received a resin composite build-up and teeth were serially, vertically sectioned into several 0.7 mm thick slabs. Each slab was then trimmed to a dumbbell-shaped specimen with irrigated diamond burs to reduce the cross-sectional area to approximately 0.5 mm 2 at E, D or DEJ. E was tested according to its prismatic orientation (parallel, EP; and transversally, ET) and D as function of depth (superficial, DS; middle, DM and deep, DD). Specimens were tested in tension in an Instron testing machine at 0.5 mm/min. Results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Duncan's Multiple Range test. Results. UTS mean values ( N =20) were, MPa (SD): DEJ, 46.9 (13.7) b ; EP, 42.1 (11.9) b ; ET, 11.5 (4.7) d ; DS, 61.6 (16.2) a ; DM, 48.7 (16.6) b and DD, 33.9 (7.9) c . Enamel stressed transversally to its prismatic orientation was significantly weaker ( p p p >0.05). Significance . The UTS of dental structures varies according to its nature and location.

Ultimate tensile strength of tooth structures

Betalains are vacuolar pigments composed of a nitrogenous core structure, betalamic acid. Betalamic acid condenses with imino compounds (cyclo-DOPA/its glucosyl derivates) or amino acids/derivates to form violet betacyanins and yellow betaxanthins. These pigments have gained the curiosity of scientific researchers in recent decades. Their importance was increased not only by market orientation toward natural colorants and antioxidants but also by their safety and health promoting properties. To date, about 78 betalains have been identified from plants of about 17 families. In this review, all of the identified pigments are presented, followed by a comprehensive discussion of their structure–activity relationship.

Chemical and Antioxidant Properties of Betalains

A dramatic rise in research interest in laser-induced graphene oxide (GO) reduction and modification requires an overview of the most recent works on this subject. Typical methods for the recognition and confirmation of modified graphene and its derivatives, such as Raman, Fourier-transform infra-red (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron (XP), and ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) spectroscopies, are introduced briefly in this review. A major part of the survey is devoted to the main modification ways and the laser parameters used in the literature. A discussion of possible reduction and modification mechanisms is also presented. Recent applications, especially in the biomedical field such as cell therapy treatment, as well as significant results of GO modification, are discussed in detail. Finally, perspectives for the application of laser-induced GO modifications in passive THz photonics and biomedicine are briefly addressed.

https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/adom.201500469

Recent Advances in Laser Utilization in the Chemical Modification of Graphene Oxide and Its Applications

Structural properties and luminescence kinetics of white nanophosphor YAG:Dy

Characterization and luminescent properties of Eu3+ doped Gd2Zr2O7 nanopowders

In this work, we present an observation of laser induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on graphene. LIPSS on other materials have been observed for nearly 50 years, but until now, not on graphene. Our findings for LIPSS on multi-layer graphene were consistent with previous reports of LIPSS on other materials, thus classifying them as high spatial frequency LIPSS. LIPSS on multi-layer graphene were generated in an air environment by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser with excitation wavelength λ of 840 nm, pulse duration τ of ∼150 fs, and a fluence F of ∼4.3–4.4 mJ/cm2. The observed LIPSS were perpendicular to the laser polarization and had dimensions of width w of ∼30–40 nm and length l of ∼0.5–1.5 μm, and spatial periods Λ of ∼70–100 nm (∼λ/8–λ/12), amongst the smallest of spatial periods reported for LIPSS on other materials. The spatial period and width of the LIPSS were shown to decrease for an increased number of laser shots. The experimental results support the leading theory behind high s...

Femtosecond laser induced periodic surface structures on multi-layer graphene

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6463/ab499f/pdf

Svetlana Savić-Šević

Papers

Structural properties and luminescence kinetics of white nanophosphor YAG:Dy

Characterization and luminescent properties of Eu3+ doped Gd2Zr2O7 nanopowders

Femtosecond laser induced periodic surface structures on multi-layer graphene

YVO4:Eu3+ nanopowders: multi-mode temperature sensing technique

Effects of temperature and pressure on luminescent properties of Sr2CeO4:Eu3+ nanophosphor