M-ERA

Resources available for project (human, equipments, others):
The senior researchers from the partners involved in the project, one research institute, one University and one SME, PhD in the domains of science and engineering of oxide materials, physics of condensed matter, general chemistry, electronics, optics, which will be undertaking the research and development work, have previous rich experience relevant to all the tasks attributed in the project, related to sol-gel and chemical processes, RFMS and PLD deposition, structural, microstructural, magnetic, optical and electrical characterization, and also to design and fabrication of optoelectronic devices. There are also involved in the project young researchers, PhD students, which will study and learn research procedures and will apply the knowledge in PhD thesis finalization.

Initial Dissemination

Published papers

1. C. Nico, R. Fernandes, M. P. F. Graça, M. Elisa, B. A. Sava, R. C. C. Monteiro, L. Rino, T. Monteiro, “Eu3+ luminescence în aluminophosphate glasses”, J. Lumin., 145, pp. 582- 587, 2014
2. R. S. Soares, R.C.C. Monteiro, M.R.A. Lima, B.A Sava, M. Elisa, “Phase transformation and microstructural evolution after heat treatment of a terbium-doped aluminium phosphate glass”, J. Mater. Sci., 49 (13), pp. 4601-4611, 2014

Project Summary, including: specific innovation objectives and results, needs addressed, impact and potential benefits (up to 1 page)

The purposes of the proposal are the i) design, ii) modeling, iii) development, iv)prototyping of a) nano-structured layers with functional surfaces, b) interdependence between nano-structure and chemical-physical properties and c) ancient and recent thermal history and d) rest of related process parameters for a total new class of boro-phosphate nano-structured materials (nano-structured functional doped boro-phosphate glass) via chemical route, comprising sol-gel, coprecipitation and coacervate obtaining techniques together with new physical techniques, meaning femtosecond laser pulse deposition and treatment and radiofrequency magnetron sputtering. The vitreous matrix will comprise as network formers phosphorus and boron oxide, as modifiers and chemical durability increasers CaO or MgO together with ZnO. For the opto-electronic and magnetic properties small components as dopants will be added, comprising Fe2O3, V2O5, Bi2O3, 1d, 3d, 5d elements or/and rare earth. This complex nano-matrix composition is all new and original. The project proposes as a main research direction, the achievement of a new class of vitreous advanced nano-functional layers and multilayers, with complex magnetic and optical properties, by non-conventional methods. The new chemical and physical methods comparatively to the classical melting of glass have decisive advantages as: rigorous stoichiometric control, high purity of raw materials and of final nano-materials, fine adjusting of the composition in solution and after heat treatment, gain of new well-defined properties controlled by the process parameters, decreasing by hundred degrees of the thermal treatment temperatures, lack of the noxes releasing and high work security.