Tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) is a promising semiconductor for solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, but its performance is limited by intrinsic defects. Here, we investigate the effect of titanium (Ti) doping (0–10 at%) on the structural, compositional, and optoelectronic properties of Ta3N5 thin films. At low concentrations (<2 at%), Ti4+ preferentially substitutes Ta at four-coordinated sites, enhancing nitrogen incorporation and suppressing defect states associated with under-coordinated Ta. This leads to improved carrier dynamics and prolonged electron–hole lifetimes. Higher doping levels (≥3.5 at%) result in occupation of three-coordinated sites, inducing increase in the oxygen content, lattice distortion, and defect formation that deteriorate carrier lifetimes. PEC measurements reveal that optimized Ti doping significantly reduces charge transfer resistance and nearly seven-fold increase in the photocurrent. These findings underscore the importance of controlled Ti doping for defect engineering and band structure tuning to boost the PEC performance of Ta3N5 thin films.

Zinc aluminogallate, Zn(AlxGa1−x)2O4 (ZAGO), a single-phase spinel structure, offers considerable potential for high-performance electronic devices due to its expansive compositional miscibility range between aluminum (Al) and gallium (Ga). Direct growth of high-quality ZAGO epilayers however remains problematic due to the high volatility of zinc (Zn). This work highlights a novel synthesis process for high-quality epitaxial quaternary ZAGO thin films on sapphire substrates, achieved through thermal annealing of a ZnGa2O4 (ZGO) epilayer on sapphire in an ambient air setting. In-situ annealing x-ray diffraction measurements show that the incorporation of Al in the ZGO epilayer commenced at 850 °C. The Al content (x) in ZAGO epilayer gradually increased up to around 0.45 as the annealing temperature was raised to 1100 °C, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. X-ray rocking curve measurement revealed a small full width at half maximum value of 0.72 °, indicating the crystal quality preservation of the ZAGO epilayer with a high Al content. However, an epitaxial intermediate �–(AlxGa1−x)2O3 layer (� - AGO) was formed between the ZAGO and sapphire substrate. This is believed to be a consequence of the interdiffusion of Al and Ga between the ZGO thin film and sapphire substrate. Using density functional theory, the substitution cost of Ga in sapphire was determined to be about 0.5 eV lower than substitution cost of Al in ZGO. Motivated by this energetically favorable substitution, a formation mechanism of the ZAGO and AGO layers was proposed. Spectroscopic ellipsometry studies revealed an increase in total thickness of the film from 105.07 nm (ZGO) to 147.97 nm (ZAGO/AGO) after annealing to 1100 °C, which were corroborated using TEM. Furthermore, an observed increase in the direct (indirect) optical bandgap from 5.06 eV (4.7 eV) to 5.72 eV (5.45 eV) with an increasing Al content in the ZAGO layer further underpins the formation of a quaternary ZAGO alloy with a tunable composition.

Depending on processing methods and conditions, cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) films exhibit linear birefringence or selective Bragg reflection. The latter means reflection of light with left-handed circular polarization (LCP) due to CNC in a helicoidal microstructure of the same handedness. Herein, glass-supported CNC/polyethylene glycol (CNC/PEG) composite films with PEG concentrations in the range of 0-30% w/w with selective Bragg reflection at wavelengths from 440 to 550 nm are prepared. A modular device comprised of a dip-coated birefringent CNC-glass sample sandwiched between two CNC/PEG-glass samples shows different responses to light with LCP and to light with right-handed circular polarization (RCP). The device suppresses selective Bragg reflection from the rear (front) CNC/PEG sample for incident light with LCP (RCP), even when the birefringent film does not meet the condition for a halfwave plate. This behavior resembles the performance of optical diodes for circular polarization. Polarization properties of composite films and optical diodes in terms of degree of polarization and ellipticity are discussed within the Stokes-Mueller formalism. Electromagnetic simulations of Mueller matrices reveal the equivalence of modular and in-tandem film approaches of optical diodes. The handedness of circular polarization of light is reversed by a modular device comprised of a dip-coated birefringent cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) film sandwiched by two CNC/polyethylene glycol composite films. Asymmetric forward and backward propagation of circular propagation resembles an optical diode at wavelengths of selective Bragg reflection.image (c) 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH

Nanocelluloses are very attractive materials for creating structured films with unique optical properties using different preparation techniques. Evaporation-induced self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) aqueous suspensions produces iridescent films with selective circular Bragg reflection. Blade coating of sonicated CNC suspensions leads to birefringent CNC films. In this work, fabrication of both birefringent and chiral films from non-sonicated CNC suspensions using a shear-coating method is studied. Polarization optical microscopy and steady-state viscosity profiles show that non-sonicated CNC suspensions (concentration of 6.5 wt%) evolve with storage time from a gel-like shear-thinning fluid to a mixture of isotropic and chiral nematic liquid crystalline phases. Shear-coated films prepared from non-sonicated fresh CNC suspensions are birefringent, whereas films prepared from suspensions stored several weeks show reflection of left-handed polarized light. Quantification of linear and circular birefringence as well circular dichroism in the films is achieved by using a Mueller matrix formalism.

The first part of this chapter gives a brief description of the polarizing environment we are living in and the possibilities for some animals to detect this polarization. This is followed by a presentation of how animals and plants generate polarized light, usually through reflection from micro- and nanostructures. Special attention is made to scarab beetles reflecting light with a high degree of circular polarization. The use of Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry to obtain optical and structural properties of the beetle cuticle are demonstrated. Finally some comments on the biological aspects of polarization are made. 

A method for designing magnetic shields that do not perturb applied multipole fields in the static regime is developed. Cylindrical core-shell structures with two layers characterized by homogeneous isotropic permeabilities are found to support neutral shielding of multipole fields and unique cloaking solutions of arbitrary multipole order. An extra degree of freedom is provided by every layer added to the structure which may be exploited with an effective design formula for cloaking of additional field terms. The theory is illustrated with numerical simulations.

Birefringent chitin films were prepared by a dipping technique from aqueous suspensions of chitin nanocrystals in a nematic liquid crystal phase. In the films, chitin nanocrystals are preferentially oriented along the withdrawal direction. Normal incidence transmission Mueller-matrix (M) spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements as a function of sample rotation were used to investigate the optical birefringence in the spectral range 0.73 to 5 eV. Analysis of eigenvalues and depolarization data reveal that the Mueller matrix corresponds to a pure retarder for photon energies below 4 eV and is depolarizing in the range 4 to 5 eV. By modeling the chitin film as a slab with in-plane anisotropy the birefringence was determined. The determination of birefringence was extended to include the range of 4 to 5 eV by a differential decomposition of M. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America

The optical properties of several scarab beetles have been previously studied but few attempts have been made to compare beetles in the same genus. To determine whether there is any relation between specimens of the same genus, we have studied and classified seven species from the Chrysina genus. The polarization properties were analyzed with Mueller-matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry and the structural characteristics with optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Most of the Chrysina beetles are green colored or have a metallic look (gold or silver). The results show that the green-colored beetles polarize reflected light mainly at off-specular angles. The gold-colored beetles polarize light left-handed near circular at specular reflection. The structure of the exoskeleton is a stack of layers that form a cusplike structure in the green beetles whereas the layers are parallel to the surface in the case of the gold-colored beetles. The beetle C. gloriosa is green with gold-colored stripes along the elytras and exhibits both types of effects. The results indicate that Chrysina beetles can be classified according to these two major polarization properties.

An approach for simulation of light scattering from beetles exhibiting structural colors originating from periodic helicoidal structures is presented. Slight irregularities of the periodic structure in the exoskeleton of the beetles are considered as a major cause of light scattering. Two sources of scattering are taken into account: surface roughness and volume non-uniformity. The Kirchhoff approximation is applied to simulate the effect of surface roughness. To describe volume non-uniformity, the whole structure is modeled as a set of domains distributed in space in different orientations. Each domain is modeled as an ideal uniformly twisted uniaxial medium and differs from each other by the pitch. Distributions of the domain parameters are assumed to be Gaussian. The analysis is performed using the Mueller matrix formalism which, in addition to spectral and spatial characteristics, also provides polarization properties of the scattered light. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America

Transmission Mueller-matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry is applied to the cuticle of the beetle Cetonia aurata in the spectral range 300-1000 nm. The cuticle is optically reciprocal and exhibits circular Bragg filter features for green light. By using differential decomposition of the Mueller matrix, the circular and linear birefringence as well as dichroism of the beetle cuticle are quantified. A maximum value of structural optical activity of 560 degrees/mm is found. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America