Herein, Eu(III)-doped 3D mesoscopically ordered arrays of mesoporous and nanocrystalline titania are prepared and studied. The rare-earth-doped titania thin films-synthesized via evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA)-are characterized by using environmental ellipsoporosimetry, electronic microscopy (i.e. high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, HR-SEM, and transmission electron microscopy, HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction, and luminescence spectroscopy. Structural characterizations show that high europium-ion loadings can be incorporated into the titanium-dioxide walls without destroying the mesoporous arrangement. The luminescence properties of Eu(III) are investigated by using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy via excitation of the Eu(III) ions through the titania host. Using Eu(III) luminescence as a probe, the europium-ion sites can be addressed with at least two different environments within the mesoporous framework, namely, a nanocrystalline environment and a glasslike one. Emission fluctuations ((5)D(0)-->(7)F(2)) are observed upon continuous UV excitation in the host matrix. These fluctuations are attributed to charge trapping and appear to be strongly dependent on the amount of europium and the level of crystallinity.
CuO thin films were prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering using a copper target in a (Ar + O2) reactive mixture. Different sputtering parameters were varied including oxygen flow rate, total pressure, target-substrate distance, substrate temperature and target orientation. As expected, the thin film chemical composition is strongly dependent on the oxygen flow rate. CuO thin films having a good electronic conductivity (9.3 × 10(-1) S·cm(-1)) were obtained with an oxygen concentration of 12%. The texture and the columnar growth are amplified when the target is tilted. Preliminary electrochemical results highlight that CuO thin film performances in lithium systems are tightly related to their morphology and structure.
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