Monodisperse particles having: a single pure crystalline phase of a rare earth-containing lattice, a uniform three-dimensional size, and a uniform polyhedral morphology are disclosed. Due to their uniform size and shape, the monodisperse particles self assemble into superlattices. The particles may be luminescent particles such as down-converting phosphor particles and up-converting phosphors. The monodisperse particles of the invention have a rare earth-containing lattice which in one embodiment may be an yttrium-containing lattice or in another may be a lanthanide-containing lattice. The monodisperse particles may have different optical properties based on their composition, their size, and/or their morphology (or shape). Also disclosed is a combination of at least two types of monodisperse particles, where each type is a plurality of monodisperse particles having a single pure crystalline phase of a rare earth-containing lattice, a uniform three-dimensional size, and a uniform polyhedral morphology; and where the types of monodisperse particles differ from one another by composition, by size, or by morphology. In a preferred embodiment, the types of monodisperse particles have the same composition but different morphologies. Methods of making and methods of using the monodisperse particles are disclosed.

A neutron scintillator excellent in neutron detection efficiency and n/ discrimination ability, having uniform characteristics, and easily available in a large size is provided. The neutron scintillator comprises a resin composition having eutectic particles incorporated in a resin having a similar refractive index, the eutectic particles having a sphere equivalent diameter of the order of 50 to 1000 m and being composed of lithium fluoride and an inorganic fluorescent material, such as MgF.sub.2, CaF.sub.2 or SrF.sub.2, the inorganic fluorescent material containing a lanthanoid, such as Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Yb, as a luminescent center atom.

Polymer microparticles spatially and spectrally encoded using upconversion nanocrystals (UCN) are described for labeling of articles and tissues. UCN having spectrally distinguishable emission spectra are disposed in different portions of an encoding region of each microparticle.

Li-containing scintillator compositions, as well as related structures and methods are described. Radiation detection systems and methods are described which include a Cs.sub.2LiLn Halide scintillator composition.

Compositions, devices, and methods for optimizing photosynthetically active radiation by utilizing a composition comprising a quantum confinement material having an emission spectra of between 300 nm and 545 nm, and a quantum confinement material having an emission spectra of between 545 nm and 750 nm where the composition may be embedded in and/or coated on one or more transparent surfaces.

Disclosed is a solar cell module. The module includes a solar cell including a plurality of unit battery cells electrically connected to each other via internal connection electrodes; an upper cover disposed on a front face of the solar cell; a light-conversion coating layer coated on an inner face of the upper cover, wherein the light-conversion coating layer includes upconversion nano-particles for absorbing near-infrared rays and emitting light having a wavelength in a visible region; a lower cover disposed on a rear face of the solar cell; a first filling material layer formed between the solar cell and the light-conversion coating layer; and a second filling material layer formed between the solar cell and the lower cover.

The present invention relates to a nanophosphor which may be used as a wavelength conversion part of a solar cell, a fluorescent contrast agent, and a light emitting part of a display device, and a synthesis method thereof. The nanophosphor of the present invention is excited by ultraviolet light to exhibit strong green light emission, and has multicolor light emission characteristics capable of controlling a color such as green, yellowish green, yellow, and orange color by only adjusting the amount of a doping agent.

The present disclosure relates to a process for fabricating a crystalline scintillator material with a structure of elpasolite type of theoretical composition A.sub.2BC.sub.(1-y)M.sub.yX.sub.(6-y) wherein: A is chosen from among Cs, Rb, K, Na, B is chosen from among Li, K, Na, C is chosen from among the rare earths, Al, Ga, M is chosen from among the alkaline earths, X is chosen from among F, Cl, Br, I,
y representing the atomic fraction of substitution of C by M and being in the range extending from 0 to 0.05, comprising its crystallization by cooling from a melt bath comprising r moles of A and s moles of B, the melt bath in contact with the material containing A and B in such a way that 2s/r is above 1. The process shows an improved fabrication yield. Moreover, the crystals obtained can have compositions closer to stoichiometry and have improved scintillation properties.

A heterogeneous scintillator material is provided comprising core/shell nanoparticles having a highly hygroscopic or deliquescent halide-based core activated with trivalent Ln.sup.3+ or divalent Ln.sup.2+ lanthanide ions (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu) and a stable non-hygroscopic shell thereon. The heterogeneous nanoparticles can comprise highly hygroscopic lanthanide halide (LaBr.sub.3, LuI.sub.3) cores protected with stable non-hygroscopic LaF.sub.3 shells. The heterogeneous nanoparticles can comprise deliquescent alkaline earth halide (SrI.sub.2, BaI.sub.2) cores protected with stable non-hygroscopic (SrF.sub.2, BaF.sub.2) shells.

An exemplary embodiment provides for a source of white light having at least one white light emitting device composed of a transparent glass/quartz chamber, a vacuum chamber including an optically active element, a spacer, a focusing lens, an IR laser diode, where the optically active element arranged in the vacuum chamber is a thin-layer oxide matrix doped with rare earth ions selected from the group of Nd, Yb, the concentration of dopant ions being in the range of 0.0001 to 100 at %.