Rossana Dell’aNna

The optimization of BiVO₄-based structures significantly contributes to the development of a global system towards clean, renewable, and sustainable energies. Enhanced photocatalytic performance has been reported for numerous doped BiVO₄ materials. Bi³⁺-based compounds can be easily doped with rare earth (RE³⁺) ions due to their equal valence and similar ionic radius. This means that RE³⁺ ions could be regarded as active co-catalysts and dopants to enhance the photocatalytic activity of BiVO₄. In this study, a simple microwave-assisted approach was used for preparing nanostructured Bi_1−xEu_xVO₄ (x = 0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, and 0.12) samples. Microwave heating at 170 °C yields a bright yellow powder after 10 min of radiation. The materials are characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis-NIR DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), and micro-Raman techniques. The effects of the different Eu³⁺ ion concentrations incorporated into the BiVO₄ matrix on the formation of the monoclinic scheelite (ms-) or tetragonal zircon-type (tz-) BiVO₄ structure, on the photoluminescent intensity, on the decay dynamics of europium emission, and on photocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) were studied in detail. Additionally, microwave chemistry proved to be beneficial in the synthesis of the tz-BiVO₄ nanostructure and Eu³⁺ ion doping, leading to an enhanced luminescent and photocatalytic performance.

The optimization of BiVO₄-based structures significantly contributes to the development of a global system towards clean, renewable, and sustainable energies. Enhanced photocatalytic performance has been reported for numerous doped BiVO₄ materials. Bi³⁺-based compounds can be easily doped with rare earth (RE³⁺) ions due to their equal valence and similar ionic radius. This means that RE³⁺ ions could be regarded as active co-catalysts and dopants to enhance the photocatalytic activity of BiVO₄. In this study, a simple microwave-assisted approach was used for preparing nanostructured Bi_1-xEu_xVO₄ (x = 0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, and 0.12) samples. The materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible-near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis-NIR DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), and micro-Raman techniques. Effects of the different Eu³⁺ ion concentrations incorporated into the BiVO₄ matrix on the formation of the monoclinic scheelite or tetragonal zircon-type BiVO₄ structure, on the photoluminescent intensity, on the decay dynamics of europium emission, and photocatalytic efficiency in degradation of Rhodamine B, were studied in detail.

Group-IV-related color centers in diamond are promising systems in the framework of solid-state quantum technologies. A key enabler for the integration of these emitters in real-world devices consists of their reliable fabrication by means of controlled engineering processes such as deterministic ion implantation. In this work, the formation yield of the negatively charged germanium-vacancy (GeV−) center in diamond upon keV ion implantation and subsequent thermal annealing was investigated. A systematic fabrication approach was adopted, exploiting focused ion beam technology to take advantage of nanometric spatial accuracy and a controllable implantation fluence. The photoluminescence analysis of the implanted spots, including single emitter characterization, enables the direct quantification of the GeV− center formation yield under the implemented fabrication approach.

Recent advancements in quantum technologies are fueled by the ability to engineer materials with specific quantum properties, enabling various applications. The nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) center in diamond is a key system for nanoscale sensors, capable of detecting weak magnetic fields with nanotesla‐range sensitivity. To achieve high spatial resolution and sensitivity, NV centers must be placed near the diamond surface. This study investigates the creation of NV defects in a pure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond single crystal via broad‐beam ion implantation. The implantations are performed through thin (100 nm) SiO ₂ layers deposited by plasma‐enhanced CVD (PECVD). Both normal and oblique ion beam incidences are used, with the oblique incidence chosen to reduce the nitrogen ion penetration depth. Simulations show a subsurface NV center distribution, with the highest concentration near the surface; the expected trends are confirmed by angle‐resolved X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS) and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS). This distribution extends to a depth of 30 nm. By adjusting the ion beam incidence angle, NV center density can be modulated. This work contributes to optimizing the fabrication process for shallow color centers through ion implantation using a screening layer.

The nanoscale fabrication of μm-spaced single-photon emitter arrays is crucial for the development of integrated photonic chips. We report on the fabrication and systematic characterization of germanium-vacancy (GeV) color centers arrays in diamond obtained upon ion implantation at the nanoscale. Ge²⁺ ion implantations at 35 keV and 70 keV energies were carried out using a focused ion beam (FIB) equipped with a liquid metal alloy ion source. The arrays of emitters are subsequently aligned to ø300 nm nanopillar waveguiding structures, fabricated using a combination of electron-beam lithography and plasma etching. The photon collection efficiency and photoluminescence (PL) signal-to-background ratio increased by a factor 8 with respect to the unstructured sample. The photophysical properties of the GeV emitters fabricated by this approach were unaltered with respect to those found in unprocessed diamond. The efficiency of the overall manufacturing process to fabricate individual GeV centers was assessed. Up to 33% of the fabricated nanopillars, depending on ion implantation parameters, were found to contain single emitters.

In this study, we present an all-solid-state electrochromic device (ECD) that eliminates the need for hard-to-obtain materials and conventional liquid/gel electrolytes. Using a cost-effective and industrially scalable spray coating technique, we developed an ECD containing a layer of zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO_nano) synthesized via a simple solochemical route. The device configuration includes a preformed Al-coated glass substrate, acting as a counter electrode, within a glass/Al/ZnO_nano/PEDOT:PSS architecture. The device exhibits reversible switching between light blue and dark blue states upon application of -1.2 V and +2.8 V, respectively, with a significant difference in transmittance between bleached and colored states in the visible-NIR spectrum, featuring a high coloration efficiency of 275.62 cm²/C at 600 nm. The response times required for both coloring and bleaching states were 9.92 s and 7.51 s, respectively, for a sample with an active area of 5.5 × 2.5 cm². Regarding the electrochemical stability of the ZnO-based ECD, the transmittance modulation reached around 8.01% at 600 nm after 12,800 s, following initial variations observed during the first 10 cycles. These results represent significant progress in electrochromic technology, offering a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional ECDs. The use of economical fabrication techniques and the exclusion of critical materials highlight the potential for widespread industrial adoption of this novel ECD design.

An experimental platform for laser-driven ion (sub-MeV) acceleration and potential applications was commissioned at the HiLASE laser facility. The auxiliary beam of the Bivoj laser system operating at a GW level peak power (~10 J in 5–10 ns) and 1–10 Hz repetition rate enabled a stable production of high-current ion beams of multiple species (Al, Ti, Fe, Si, Cu, and Sn). The produced laser–plasma ion sources were fully characterized against the laser intensity on the target (10¹³–10¹⁵ W/cm²) by varying the laser energy, focal spot size, and pulse duration. The versatility and tuneability of such high-repetition-rate laser–plasma ion sources are of potential interest for user applications. Such a statistically accurate study was facilitated by the large amount of data acquired at the high repetition rate (1–10 Hz) provided by the Bivoj laser system.