Edited by
Karl Gschneidner Jr., B.S. University of Detroit 1952
Ph.D. Iowa State University 1957, Iowa State University, Ames, USA
Jean-Claude Bünzli, Diploma in chemical engineering (EPFL, 1968)
PhD in inorganic chemistry (EPFL 1971), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL),
Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Lausanne, Switzerland. Diploma in chemical engineering (EPFL, 1968), PhD in inorganic
chemistry (EPFL, 1971)
Vitalij Pecharsky, B.S./M.S. L'viv State University, 1976
Ph.D. L'viv State University,, Iowa State University, Ames Laboratory, Ames, Iowa (USA). M.S.
in chemistry (L'viv State University, 1976), PhD in crystallography (L'viv State University, 1979)
Description
Optical spectroscopy has been instrumental in the discovery of many lanthanide elements. In return, these elements have always played
a prominent role in lighting devices and light conversion technologies (Auer mantles, incandescent lamps, lasers, cathode-ray and plasma
displays). They are also presently used in highly sensitive luminescent bio-analyses and cell imaging. This volume of the Handbook on
the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths is entirely devoted to the photophysical properties of these elements. It is dedicated to the
late Professor William T (Bill) Carnall who has pioneered the understanding of lanthanide spectra in the 1960’s and starts with a Dedication
to this scientist. The following five chapters describe various aspects of lanthanide spectroscopy and its applications. Chapters 231
presents state-of-the-art theoretical calculations of lanthanide energy levels and transition intensities. It is followed by a review
(Chapter 232) on both theoretical and experimental aspects of f-d transitions, a less well known field of lanthanide spectroscopy, yet
very important for the design of new optical materials. Chapter 233 describes how confinement effects act on the photophysical properties
of lanthanides when they are inserted into nanomaterials, including nanoparticles, nanosheets, nanowires, nanotubes, insulating and semiconductor
nanocrystals. The use of lanthanide chelates for biomedical analyses is presented in Chapter 234; long lifetimes of the excited states
of lanthanide ions allow the use of time-resolved spectroscopy, which leads to highly sensitive analyses devoid of background effect
from the autofluorescence of the samples. The last review (Chapter 235) provides a comprehensive survey of near-infrared (NIR) emitting
molecular probes and devices, spanning an all range of compounds, from simple chelates to macrocyclic complexes, heterometallic functional
edifices, coordination polymers and other extended structures. Applications ranging from telecommunications to light-emitting diodes
and biomedical analyses are assessed.
Included in series
Handbook on the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths
Audience:
Researchers working on rare earth materials, Rare earth industry, University libraries, Research institutions
