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Markeviciute V, Puthia M, Arvidsson L, Liu Y, Törnquist E, Tengattini A, Huang J, Bai Y, Vater C, Petrolis R, Zwingenberger S, Krisciukaitis A, Smailys A, Lukosevicius S, Stravinskas M, Isaksson H, Tarasevicius S, Lidgren L, Tägil M, Raina DB. Systemically administered zoledronic acid activates locally implanted synthetic hydroxyapatite particles enhancing peri-implant bone formation: A regenerative medicine approach to improve fracture fixation. Acta Biomater 2024:S1742-7061(24)00124-7. [PMID: 38490481 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Fracture fixation in an ageing population is challenging and fixation failure increases mortality and societal costs. We report a novel fracture fixation treatment by applying a hydroxyapatite (HA) based biomaterial at the bone-implant interface and biologically activating the biomaterial by systemic administration of a bisphosphonate (zoledronic acid, ZA). We first used an animal model of implant integration and applied a calcium sulphate (CaS)/HA biomaterial around a metallic screw in the tibia of osteoporotic rats. Using systemic ZA administration at 2-weeks post-surgery, we demonstrated that the implant surrounded by HA particles showed significantly higher peri‑implant bone formation compared to the unaugmented implants at 6-weeks. We then evaluated the optimal timing (day 1, 3, 7 and 14) of ZA administration to achieve a robust effect on peri‑implant bone formation. Using fluorescent ZA, we demonstrated that the uptake of ZA in the CaS/HA material was the highest at 3- and 7-days post-implantation and the uptake kinetics had a profound effect on the eventual peri‑implant bone formation. We furthered our concept in a feasibility study on trochanteric fracture patients randomized to either CaS/HA augmentation or no augmentation followed by systemic ZA treatment. Radiographically, the CaS/HA group showed signs of increased peri‑implant bone formation compared with the controls. Finally, apart from HA, we demonstrated that the concept of biologically activating a ceramic material by ZA could also be applied to β-tricalcium phosphate. This novel approach for fracture treatment that enhances immediate and long-term fracture fixation in osteoporotic bone could potentially reduce reoperations, morbidity and mortality. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: • Fracture fixation in an ageing population is challenging. Biomaterial-based augmentation of fracture fixation devices has been attempted but lack of satisfactory biological response limits their widespread use. • We report the biological activation of locally implanted microparticulate hydroxyapatite (HA) particles placed around an implant by systemic administration of the bisphosphonate zoledronic acid (ZA). The biological activation of HA by ZA enhances peri‑implant bone formation. •Timing of ZA administration after HA implantation is critical for optimal ZA uptake and consequently determines the extent of peri‑implant bone formation. • We translate the developed concept from small animal models of implant integration to a proof-of-concept clinical study on osteoporotic trochanteric fracture patients. • ZA based biological activation can also be applied to other calcium phosphate biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vetra Markeviciute
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania; The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Manoj Puthia
- The Faculty of Medicine, Division of Dermatology and Venerology, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Linnea Arvidsson
- The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yang Liu
- The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (SAHZU), Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Elin Törnquist
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Jintian Huang
- The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yiguang Bai
- The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Cell, Tissue & Organ engineering laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Stem Cell Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Orthopaedics, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Institute of North Sichuan Medical College Nanchong, Sichuan, China
| | - Corina Vater
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at Technische Universität Dresden, University Center of Orthopedics, Trauma and Plastic Surgery, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Robertas Petrolis
- Department of Physics, Mathematics and Biophysics, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Stefan Zwingenberger
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at Technische Universität Dresden, University Center of Orthopedics, Trauma and Plastic Surgery, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Algimantas Krisciukaitis
- Department of Physics, Mathematics and Biophysics, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Alfredas Smailys
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Saulius Lukosevicius
- Department of Radiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Stravinskas
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Hanna Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sarunas Tarasevicius
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Lars Lidgren
- The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Magnus Tägil
- The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Deepak Bushan Raina
- The Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Orthopedics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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B Wrammerfors ET, Törnquist E, Pierantoni M, Sjögren A, Tengattini A, Kaestner A, Zandt RI', Englund M, Isaksson H. Exploratory neutron tomography of articular cartilage. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2024:S1063-4584(24)00934-8. [PMID: 38447631 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2024.02.889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility of using neutron tomography to gain new knowledge of human articular cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis (OA). Different sample preparation techniques were evaluated to identify maximum intra-tissue contrast. DESIGN Human articular cartilage samples from 14 deceased donors (18-75 years, 9 males, 5 females) and 4 patients undergoing total knee replacement due to known OA (all female, 61-75 years) were prepared using different techniques: control in saline, treated with heavy water saline, fixed and treated in heavy water saline, and fixed and dehydrated with ethanol. Neutron tomographic imaging (isotropic voxel sizes from 7.5 to 13.5 µm) was performed at two large scale facilities. The 3D images were evaluated for gradients in hydrogen attenuation as well as compared to images from absorption X-ray tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and histology. RESULTS Cartilage was distinguishable from background and other tissues in neutron tomographs. Intra-tissue contrast was highest in heavy water-treated samples, which showed a clear gradient from the cartilage surface to the bone interface. Increased neutron flux or exposure time improved image quality but did not affect the ability to detect gradients. Samples from older donors showed high variation in gradient profile, especially from donors with known OA. CONCLUSIONS Neutron tomography is a viable technique for specialized studies of cartilage, particularly for quantifying properties relating to the hydrogen density of the tissue matrix or water movement in the tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elin Törnquist
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University (LU), Sweden
| | - Maria Pierantoni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University (LU), Sweden
| | - Amanda Sjögren
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Orthopedics, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, LU, Sweden
| | | | - Anders Kaestner
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Switzerland
| | | | - Martin Englund
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Orthopedics, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, LU, Sweden
| | - Hanna Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University (LU), Sweden
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3
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Lewis H, Couples G, Tengattini A, Buckman J, Tudisco E, Etxegarai M, Viggiani G, Hall SA. Interactions Between Imbibition and Pressure-Driven Flow in a Microporous Deformed Limestone. Transp Porous Media 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-022-01873-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractNeutron imaging is used for direct observation of evolving water–air and deuterated water–normal water exchanges in flow experiments performed on a laboratory-deformed, microporous laminated limestone, an extremely fine-textured rock altered by arrays of superposed fractures generated in a rock mechanics apparatus. The neutron images document significant, evolving, water speed and flow direction variability at the deci-micron scale and spatially complex patterns of both increasing and decreasing water saturation. We infer that capillarity-driven and pressure-driven water movement occurs concurrently, in close proximity and in competition, and that as local and global water saturations evolve these two drivers can change their dominance in both matrix and deformed elements. Thin sections are used to obtain sub-micron resolution SEM images that provide multi-scale information on the textural features’ spatial arrangements. The textural characteristics are consistent with the inferences made from the coarser flow imaging. Alternating lamina types provide the primary lithological heterogeneity, while the experimentally created deformations lead to quasi-planar zones of highly comminuted matrix and fracture-like voids, each with lengths ranging from sub-mm to cm. Together deformation features delineate a partially connected array. The interplay between fluid movement through deformation features, and flow into (and out of) the laminae, implies near-equivalence of local driving pressure- and capillary-related energies, with subtle shifts in this balance as water saturation increases. The insights gained invite a re-examination of common rules-of-thumb for multi-phase fluid flow often adopted in fractured, low-permeability microporous rocks.
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Vego I, Tengattini A, Andò E, Lenoir N, Viggiani G. The effect of high relative humidity on a network of water-sensitive particles (couscous) as revealed by in situ X-ray tomography. Soft Matter 2022; 18:4747-4755. [PMID: 35703360 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00322h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Water significantly influences the mechanical behaviour of all granular materials but none as much as hygroscopic amorphous particles. With sufficiently high water content, particles can swell, agglomerate and their mechanical properties can be reduced, having direct effects on the macroscopic response of the material. In the food and pharmaceutical industry this can cause loss of product functionality. Despite their relevance, very little is known about the microscopic processes that induce these phenomena. Previous studies focused on single particle behaviour, the strength of agglomerated particles and the material flowability, leaving unexplored the link connecting the particle behaviour and the bulk response. This experimental study aims to investigate this aspect with quantitative measurements at both particle and macroscopic scales. A sample of fine couscous is exposed to a high relative humidity (RH) air flow, while being subjected to oedometric conditions, in order to reproduce the storage-silo conditions. In the meantime, X-ray tomographies are acquired continuously and the resulting images are analysed. The designed spatial resolution allows each particle of the sample to be identified and tracked, allowing volumetric evolution to be compared to the properties of the whole sample. The analysis reveals a dilation-compaction macroscopic behaviour, a result of the competition between the particle swelling and the higher deformability as the water content increases. The number, orientations and inter-particle contacts are computed. Their area is related to the applied boundary conditions, and is found to be consistent with the particle swelling and dependent on the applied stress direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilija Vego
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, 3SR, F-38000 Grenoble, France.
| | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, 3SR, F-38000 Grenoble, France.
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Edward Andò
- EPFL Center for Imaging, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Lenoir
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, 3SR, F-38000 Grenoble, France.
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Törnquist E, Le Cann S, Tengattini A, Helfen L, Kok J, Hall SA, Isaksson H. The Hydration State of Bone Tissue Affects Contrast in Neutron Tomographic Images. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:911866. [PMID: 35782510 PMCID: PMC9247154 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.911866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neutron tomography has emerged as a promising imaging technique for specific applications in bone research. Neutrons have a strong interaction with hydrogen, which is abundant in biological tissues, and they can penetrate through dense materials such as metallic implants. However, in addition to long imaging times, two factors have led to challenges in running in situ mechanical characterization experiments on bone tissue using neutron tomography: 1) the high water content in specimens reduces the visibility of internal trabecular structures; 2) the mechanical properties of bone are dependent on the hydration state of the tissue, with drying being reported to cause increased stiffness and brittleness. This study investigates the possibility of improving image quality in terms of neutron transmission and contrast between material phases by drying and rehydrating in heavy water. Rat tibiae and trabecular bovine bone plugs were imaged with neutron tomography at different hydration states and mechanical testing of the bone plugs was carried out to assess effects of drying and rehydration on the mechanical properties of bone. From analysis of image histograms, it was found that drying reduced the contrast between bone and soft tissue, but the contrast was restored with rehydration. Contrast-to-noise ratios and line profiles revealed that the contrast between bone tissue and background was reduced with increasing rehydration duration but remained sufficient for identifying internal structures as long as no free liquid was present inside the specimen. The mechanical analysis indicated that the proposed fluid exchange protocol had no adverse effects on the mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Törnquist
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sophie Le Cann
- CNRS, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université Gustave Eiffel, UMR 8208, MSME, F-94010, Créteil, France
| | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP 3SR, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Joeri Kok
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Hanna Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Hanna Isaksson,
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Martell J, Alwmark C, Daly L, Hall S, Alwmark S, Woracek R, Hektor J, Helfen L, Tengattini A, Lee M. The scale of a martian hydrothermal system explored using combined neutron and x-ray tomography. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabn3044. [PMID: 35544576 PMCID: PMC9094668 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn3044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nakhlite meteorites are igneous rocks from Mars that were aqueously altered ~630 million years ago. Hydrothermal systems on Earth are known to provide microhabitats; knowledge of the extent and duration of these systems is crucial to establish whether they could sustain life elsewhere in the Solar System. Here, we explore the three-dimensional distribution of hydrous phases within the Miller Range 03346 nakhlite meteorite using nondestructive neutron and x-ray tomography to determine whether alteration is interconnected and pervasive. The results reveal discrete clusters of hydrous phases within and surrounding olivine grains, with limited interconnectivity between clusters. This implies that the fluid was localized and originated from the melting of local subsurface ice following an impact event. Consequently, the duration of the hydrous alteration was likely short, meaning that the martian crust sampled by the nakhlites could not have provided habitable environments that could harbor any life on Mars during the Amazonian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Martell
- Department of Geology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Carl Alwmark
- Department of Geology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Luke Daly
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, NSW, Australia
- Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PH, UK
| | - Stephen Hall
- Division of Solid Mechanics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Lund Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science (LINXS), Lund, Sweden
| | - Sanna Alwmark
- Department of Geology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Natural History Museum Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Johan Hektor
- LUNARC, Centre for Scientific and Technical Computing, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Materials Science and Applied Mathematics, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France
- Universite Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3SR, Grenoble, France
| | - Martin Lee
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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Tengattini A, Kardjilov N, Helfen L, Douissard PA, Lenoir N, Markötter H, Hilger A, Arlt T, Paulisch M, Turek T, Manke I. Compact and versatile neutron imaging detector with sub-4μm spatial resolution based on a single-crystal thin-film scintillator. Opt Express 2022; 30:14461-14477. [PMID: 35473188 DOI: 10.1364/oe.448932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A large and increasing number of scientific domains pushes for high neutron imaging resolution achieved in reasonable times. Here we present the principle, design and performance of a detector based on infinity corrected optics combined with a crystalline Gd3Ga5O12 : Eu scintillator, which provides an isotropic sub-4 µm true resolution. The exposure times are only of a few minutes per image. This is made possible also by the uniquely intense cold neutron flux available at the imaging beamline NeXT-Grenoble. These comparatively rapid acquisitions are compatible with multiple high quality tomographic acquisitions, opening new venues for in-operando testing, as briefly exemplified here.
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Koch S, Disch J, Kilian SK, Han Y, Metzler L, Tengattini A, Helfen L, Schulz M, Breitwieser M, Vierrath S. Water management in anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers under dry cathode operation. RSC Adv 2022; 12:20778-20784. [PMID: 35919174 PMCID: PMC9297697 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra03846c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Dry cathode operation is a desired operation mode in anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers to minimize contamination of the generated hydrogen. However, water management under such operation conditions makes it challenging to maintain reliable performance and durability. Here, we utilize high-resolution in situ neutron imaging (∼6 μm effective resolution) to analyze the water content inside the membrane-electrode-assembly of an anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer. The ion-exchange capacity (IEC) and thus hydrophilicity of the polymer binder in the cathode catalyst layer is varied to study the influence on water content in the anode (mid IEC, 1.8–2.2 meq. g−1 and high IEC, 2.3–2.6 meq. g−1). The neutron radiographies show that a higher ion-exchange capacity binder allows improved water retention, which reduces the drying-out of the cathode at high current densities. Electrochemical measurements confirm a generally better efficiency for a high IEC cell above 600 mA cm−2. At 1.5 A cm−2 the high IEC has a 100 mV lower overpotential (2.1 V vs. 2.2 V) and a lower high frequency resistance (210 mΩ cm−2vs. 255 mΩ cm−2), which is believed to be linked to the improved cathode water retention and membrane humidification. As a consequence, the performance stability of the high IEC cell at 1 A cm−2 is also significantly better than that of the mid IEC cell (45 mV h−1vs. 75 mV h−1). Dry cathode operation is a desired operation mode in anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers, but water management is crucial. This is visualized using high-resolution neutron radiography and the ion-exchange capacity of the cathode ionomer is varied.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Koch
- Hahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
- Electrochemical Energy Systems, IMTEK – Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Joey Disch
- Electrochemical Energy Systems, IMTEK – Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
- FIT, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 105, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sophia K. Kilian
- Hahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Yiyong Han
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center, Technical University Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Lukas Metzler
- Electrochemical Energy Systems, IMTEK – Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Grenoble INP, CNRS, 3SR, Univ.Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Lukas Helfen
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Michael Schulz
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center, Technical University Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Matthias Breitwieser
- Hahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
- Electrochemical Energy Systems, IMTEK – Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Severin Vierrath
- Hahn-Schickard, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
- Electrochemical Energy Systems, IMTEK – Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 103, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
- FIT, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 105, 79110 Freiburg, Germany
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9
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Etxegarai M, Tudisco E, Tengattini A, Viggiani G, Kardjilov N, Hall SA. Characterisation of Single-Phase Fluid-Flow Heterogeneity Due to Localised Deformation in a Porous Rock Using Rapid Neutron Tomography. J Imaging 2021; 7:jimaging7120275. [PMID: 34940742 PMCID: PMC8708639 DOI: 10.3390/jimaging7120275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The behaviour of subsurface-reservoir porous rocks is a central topic in the resource engineering industry and has relevant applications in hydrocarbon, water production, and CO2 sequestration. One of the key open issues is the effect of deformation on the hydraulic properties of the host rock and, specifically, in saturated environments. This paper presents a novel full-field data set describing the hydro-mechanical properties of porous geomaterials through in situ neutron and X-ray tomography. The use of high-performance neutron imaging facilities such as CONRAD-2 (Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin) allows the tracking of the fluid front in saturated samples, making use of the differential neutron contrast between “normal” water and heavy water. To quantify the local hydro-mechanical coupling, we applied a number of existing image analysis algorithms and developed an array of bespoke methods to track the water front and calculate the 3D speed maps. The experimental campaign performed revealed that the pressure-driven flow speed decreases, in saturated samples, in the presence of pre-existing low porosity heterogeneities and compactant shear-bands. Furthermore, the observed complex mechanical behaviour of the samples and the associated fluid flow highlight the necessity for 3D imaging and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddi Etxegarai
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3SR, 38000 Grenoble, France; (M.E.); (A.T.); (G.V.)
| | - Erika Tudisco
- Division of Geotechnical Engineering, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
- Correspondence:
| | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3SR, 38000 Grenoble, France; (M.E.); (A.T.); (G.V.)
| | - Gioacchino Viggiani
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3SR, 38000 Grenoble, France; (M.E.); (A.T.); (G.V.)
| | | | - Stephen A. Hall
- Division of Solid Mechanics, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden;
- Lund Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science (LINXS), 223 70 Lund, Sweden
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10
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Törnquist E, Le Cann S, Tudisco E, Tengattini A, Andò E, Lenoir N, Hektor J, Raina DB, Tägil M, Hall SA, Isaksson H. Dual modality neutron and x-ray tomography for enhanced image analysis of the bone-metal interface. Phys Med Biol 2021; 66. [PMID: 34010812 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ac02d4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The bone tissue formed at the contact interface with metallic implants, particularly its 3D microstructure, plays a pivotal role for the structural integrity of implant fixation. X-ray tomography is the classical imaging technique used for accessing microstructural information from bone tissue. However, neutron tomography has shown promise for visualising the immediate bone-metal implant interface, something which is highly challenging with x-rays due to large differences in attenuation between metal and biological tissue causing image artefacts. To highlight and explore the complementary nature of neutron and x-ray tomography, proximal rat tibiae with titanium-based implants were imaged with both modalities. The two techniques were compared in terms of visualisation of different material phases and by comparing the properties of the individual images, such as the contrast-to-noise ratio. After superimposing the images using a dedicated image registration algorithm, the complementarity was further investigated via analysis of the dual modality histogram, joining the neutron and x-ray data. From these joint histograms, peaks with well-defined grey value intervals corresponding to the different material phases observed in the specimens were identified and compared. The results highlight differences in how neutrons and x-rays interact with biological tissues and metallic implants, as well as the benefits of combining both modalities. Future refinement of the joint histogram analysis could improve the segmentation of structures and tissues, and yield novel information about specimen-specific properties such as moisture content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Törnquist
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sophie Le Cann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,MSME, CNRS UMR 8208, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Univ Gustave Eiffel, Creteil, France
| | - Erika Tudisco
- Division of Geotechnical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), Grenoble, France.,Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3SR, Grenoble, France
| | - Edward Andò
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3SR, Grenoble, France
| | - Nicolas Lenoir
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), Grenoble, France.,Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, 3SR, Grenoble, France
| | - Johan Hektor
- LUNARC-Centre for Scientific and Technical Computing at Lund University, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Deepak Bushan Raina
- Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Magnus Tägil
- Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Stephen A Hall
- Division of Solid Mechanics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Lund Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science (LINXS), Lund, Sweden
| | - Hanna Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Orthopaedics, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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11
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Guillaume F, Le Cann S, Tengattini A, Törnquist E, Falentin-Daudre C, Albini Lomami H, Petit Y, Isaksson H, Haïat G. Neutron microtomography to investigate the bone-implant interface-comparison with histological analysis. Phys Med Biol 2021; 66. [PMID: 33831846 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/abf603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Bone properties and especially its microstructure around implants are crucial to evaluate the osseointegration of prostheses in orthopaedic, maxillofacial and dental surgeries. Given the intrinsic heterogeneous nature of the bone microstructure, an ideal probing tool to understand and quantify bone formation must be spatially resolved. X-ray imaging has often been employed, but is limited in the presence of metallic implants, where severe artifacts generally arise from the high attenuation of metals to x-rays. Neutron tomography has recently been proposed as a promising technique to study bone-implant interfaces, thanks to its lower interaction with metals. The aim of this study is to assess the potential of neutron tomography for the characterisation of bone tissue in the vicinity of a metallic implant. A standardised implant with a bone chamber was implanted in rabbit bone. Four specimens were imaged with neutron tomography and subsequently compared to non-decalcified histology to stain soft and mineralised bone tissues, used here as a ground-truth reference. An intensity-based image registration procedure was performed to place the 12 histological slices within the corresponding 3D neutron volume. Significant correlations (p < 0.01) were obtained between the two modalities for the bone-implant contact (BIC) ratio (R = 0.77) and the bone content inside the chamber (R = 0.89). The results indicate that mineralised bone tissue can be reliably detected by neutron tomography. However, theBICratio and bone content were found to be overestimated with neutron imaging, which may be explained by its sensitivity to non-mineralised soft tissues, as revealed by histological staining. This study highlights the suitability of neutron tomography for the analysis of the bone-implant interface. Future work will focus on further distinguishing soft tissues from bone tissue, which could be aided by the adoption of contrast agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Guillaume
- Département de génie mécanique, École de technologie supérieure, Montréal, Canada.,MSME, CNRS UMR 8208, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Univ Gustave Eiffel, F-94010 Creteil, France
| | - Sophie Le Cann
- MSME, CNRS UMR 8208, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Univ Gustave Eiffel, F-94010 Creteil, France
| | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, France.,Laboratoire 3SR, Université Grenoble Alpes, Gières, France
| | - Elin Törnquist
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Céline Falentin-Daudre
- LBPS/CSPBAT, UMR CNRS 7244, Institut Galilée, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, 99 avenue JB Clément 93430- Villetaneuse, France
| | - Hugues Albini Lomami
- MSME, CNRS UMR 8208, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Univ Gustave Eiffel, F-94010 Creteil, France
| | - Yvan Petit
- Département de génie mécanique, École de technologie supérieure, Montréal, Canada
| | - Hanna Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Guillaume Haïat
- MSME, CNRS UMR 8208, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Univ Gustave Eiffel, F-94010 Creteil, France
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12
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Pinzón G, Andò E, Tengattini A, Viggiani G, Desrues J. Contact evolution in granular materials with inherently anisotropic fabric. EPJ Web Conf 2021. [DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/202124906015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper presents the results of two triaxial compression tests performed on approximately 9×103 oblate spheroids (lentils) with different initial orientations with respect to the loading axis (approximately 30° and 60°). Typical stress-strain information is complemented with x-ray tomography scans every 1 % strain. Starting from an initial labelling of particles, a new technique is used to obtain unprecedented detail of tracking of all the particles through time. This rich dataset is analysed from the perspective of inter-particle contacts (building on previous metrological work on this subject) revealing that the mean contact orientation in both samples rotates towards the direction of σ1 at a rate depending on the initial orientation. Different trends are observed for the alignment of contact orientation, with a significant evolution observed in the sample prepared at 30° which is not as pronounced as in the other sample.
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13
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Vego I, Tengattini A, Andò E, Lenoir N, Viggiani G. X-ray tomographies of a water-sensitive granular material (couscous) exposed to high relative humidity: an experimental study. EPJ Web Conf 2021. [DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/202124908012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Several granular materials are hydro-sensitive, i.e., contact with water severely affects their morphology and mechanical behaviour. To this broad class belong a series of materials of great relevance for the pharmaceutical and food industry. Former studies have been conducted on the effect that moisture or humidity have on granular flow or on the individual grain mechanical response, but the processes occurring at the microlevel and their influence on the overall granular packing behaviour is yet to be fully understood. This study presents an experimental investigation of the response of a water-sensitive material (couscous) exposed to high relative humidity (97%). 4D (3D plus time) x-ray tomographies were acquired in operando. A data treatment approach based on Dicrete Digital Image Correlation (dDIC) is developed and detailed here. This allows for following each individual grain throughout the 4+ days of the humidification test. This, in turn, allows the study of the interand intra-granular strain, which is particularly pronounced in water sensitive materials. The expansion of the individual grains also severely affects the contact network, whose evolving properties are here analysed and correlated to the macroscopic (sample-scale) deformation.
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14
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Chuirazzi W, Craft A, Schillinger B, Cool S, Tengattini A. Boron-Based Neutron Scintillator Screens for Neutron Imaging. J Imaging 2020; 6:124. [PMID: 34460568 PMCID: PMC8321177 DOI: 10.3390/jimaging6110124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In digital neutron imaging, the neutron scintillator screen is a limiting factor of spatial resolution and neutron capture efficiency and must be improved to enhance the capabilities of digital neutron imaging systems. Commonly used neutron scintillators are based on 6LiF and gadolinium oxysulfide neutron converters. This work explores boron-based neutron scintillators because 10B has a neutron absorption cross-section four times greater than 6Li, less energetic daughter products than Gd and 6Li, and lower γ-ray sensitivity than Gd. These factors all suggest that, although borated neutron scintillators may not produce as much light as 6Li-based screens, they may offer improved neutron statistics and spatial resolution. This work conducts a parametric study to determine the effects of various boron neutron converters, scintillator and converter particle sizes, converter-to-scintillator mix ratio, substrate materials, and sensor construction on image quality. The best performing boron-based scintillator screens demonstrated an improvement in neutron detection efficiency when compared with a common 6LiF/ZnS scintillator, with a 125% increase in thermal neutron detection efficiency and 67% increase in epithermal neutron detection efficiency. The spatial resolution of high-resolution borated scintillators was measured, and the neutron tomography of a test object was successfully performed using some of the boron-based screens that exhibited the highest spatial resolution. For some applications, boron-based scintillators can be utilized to increase the performance of a digital neutron imaging system by reducing acquisition times and improving neutron statistics.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Chuirazzi
- Advanced Post-Irradiation Examination Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, USA;
| | - Aaron Craft
- Advanced Post-Irradiation Examination Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, USA;
| | - Burkhard Schillinger
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (FRM II) and Faculty for Physics E21, Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (FRM II), Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany;
| | - Steven Cool
- DMI/Reading Imaging, Reading, MA 01867, USA;
| | - Alessandro Tengattini
- Le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, 3SR, 38000 Grenoble, France;
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
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15
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Dauti D, Tengattini A, Pont SD, Toropovs N, Briffaut M, Weber B. Some Observations on Testing Conditions of High-Temperature Experiments on Concrete: An Insight from Neutron Tomography. Transp Porous Media 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-020-01392-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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16
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Tötzke C, Kardjilov N, Lenoir N, Manke I, Oswald SE, Tengattini A. What comes NeXT? - High-Speed Neutron Tomography at ILL. Opt Express 2019; 27:28640-28648. [PMID: 31684612 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.028640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Here, we report on a new record in the acquisition time for fast neutron tomography. With an optimized imaging setup, it was possible to acquire single radiographic projection images with 10 ms and full tomographies with 155 projections images and a physical spatial resolution of 200 µm within 1.5 s. This is about 6.7 times faster than the current record. We used the technique to investigate the water infiltration in the soil with a living lupine root system. The fast imaging setup will be part of the future NeXT instrument at ILL in Grenoble with a great field of possible future applications.
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17
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Ramírez JM, Ferrarese Lupi F, Berencén Y, Anopchenko A, Colonna JP, Jambois O, Fedeli JM, Pavesi L, Prtljaga N, Rivallin P, Tengattini A, Navarro-Urrios D, Garrido B. Er-doped light emitting slot waveguides monolithically integrated in a silicon photonic chip. Nanotechnology 2013; 24:115202. [PMID: 23449309 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/24/11/115202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
An integrated erbium-based light emitting diode has been realized in a waveguide configuration allowing 1.54 μm light signal routing in silicon photonic circuits. This injection device is based on an asymmetric horizontal slot waveguide where the active slot material is Er(3+) in SiO2 or Er(3+) in Si-rich oxide. The active horizontal slot waveguide allows optical confinement, guiding and lateral extraction of the light for on-chip distribution. Light is then coupled through a taper section to a passive Si waveguide terminated by a grating which extracts (or inserts) the light signal for measuring purposes. We measured an optical power density in the range of tens of μW/cm(2) which follows a super-linear dependence on injected current density. When the device is biased at high current density, upon a voltage pulse (pump signal), free-carrier and space charge absorption losses become large, attenuating a probe signal by more than 60 dB/cm and thus behaving conceptually as an electro-optical modulator. The integrated device reported here is the first example, still to be optimized, of a fundamental block to realize an integrated silicon photonic circuit with monolithic integration of the light emitter.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Ramírez
- MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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18
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Ramírez JM, Berencén Y, Ferrarese Lupi F, Navarro-Urrios D, Anopchenko A, Tengattini A, Prtljaga N, Pavesi L, Rivallin P, Fedeli JM, Garrido B. Electrical pump & probe and injected carrier losses quantification in Er doped Si slot waveguides. Opt Express 2012; 20:28808-28818. [PMID: 23263121 DOI: 10.1364/oe.20.028808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Electrically driven Er(3+) doped Si slot waveguides emitting at 1530 nm are demonstrated. Two different Er(3+) doped active layers were fabricated in the slot region: a pure SiO(2) and a Si-rich oxide. Pulsed polarization driving of the waveguides was used to characterize the time response of the electroluminescence (EL) and of the signal probe transmission in 1 mm long waveguides. Injected carrier absorption losses modulate the EL signal and, since the carrier lifetime is much smaller than that of Er(3+) ions, a sharp EL peak was observed when the polarization was switched off. A time-resolved electrical pump & probe measurement in combination with lock-in amplifier techniques allowed to quantify the injected carrier absorption losses. We found an extinction ratio of 6 dB, passive propagation losses of about 4 dB/mm, and a spectral bandwidth > 25 nm at an effective d.c. power consumption of 120 μW. All these performances suggest the usage of these devices as electro-optical modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Ramírez
- MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
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19
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Ramíırez JM, Ferrarese Lupi F, Jambois O, Berencén Y, Navarro-Urrios D, Anopchenko A, Marconi A, Prtljaga N, Tengattini A, Pavesi L, Colonna JP, Fedeli JM, Garrido B. Erbium emission in MOS light emitting devices: from energy transfer to direct impact excitation. Nanotechnology 2012; 23:125203. [PMID: 22414783 DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/23/12/125203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The electroluminescence (EL) at 1.54 μm of metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) devices withEr3C ions embedded in the silicon-rich silicon oxide (SRSO) layer has been investigated under different polarization conditions and compared with that of erbium doped SiO2 layers. EL time-resolved measurements allowed us to distinguish between two different excitation mechanisms responsible for the Er3C emission under an alternate pulsed voltage signal (APV). Energy transfer from silicon nanoclusters (Si-ncs) to Er3C is clearly observed at low-field APV excitation. We demonstrate that sequential electron and hole injection at the edges of the pulses creates excited states in Si-ncs which upon recombination transfer their energy to Er3C ions. On the contrary, direct impact excitation of Er3C by hot injected carriers starts at the Fowler–Nordheim injection threshold (above 5 MV cm(-1)) and dominates for high-field APV excitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Ramíırez
- Departament d’Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, Carrer Martí i Franquès 1, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
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