Although radiocarbon-accelerator mass spectrometry (14C-AMS) is an important tool for the establishment of soil chronology, its application is challenging due to the complex nature of soil samples. In the present study, chemical extraction methodologies were tested to obtain the most representative age of Amazonian soil deposition by 14C-AMS. We performed acid hydrolysis with different numbers of extractions, as well as treatments combining acid and bases and quartered and non-quartered samples. The ages of the soil organic matter (SOM) fractions were compared to the ages of naturally buried charcoal samples at similar depths. The results showed that the age of the non-hydrolyzable inert fraction of soil was closer to the age of charcoal and older than the ages of humin. It was also observed that the quartering process can influence the results, since the dating of the humin fraction showed variability in the results. Our results are important to provide information about the most suitable method for the 14C-AMS dating of soil samples for paleoenvironment reconstruction studies.

Theories have been put forward on the etiology of sialoliths; however, a comprehensive understanding of their growth mechanisms is lacking. In an attempt to fill this gap, the current study has evaluated the internal architecture and growth patterns of a set of 30 independent specimens of sialoliths characterized at different scales by computed microtomography and electron microscopy. Tomography reconstructions showed cores in most of the sialoliths. The cores were surrounded by concentric or irregular patterns with variable degrees of mineralization. Regardless of the patterns, at finer scales the sialoliths consisted of banded and globular structures. The distribution of precipitates in the banded structures is compatible with a Liesegang–Ostwald phenomenon. On the other hand, the globular structures appear to arise from surface tension effects and to develop self-similar features as a result of a viscous fingering process. Electron diffraction patterns demonstrated that Ca- and P-based electrolytes crystallize in a structure close to that of hydroxyapatite. The organic matter contained sulfur with apparent origin from sulfated components of secretory material. These results cast new light on the mechanisms involved in the formation of sialoliths.

Single crystalline colorless α-Al2O3 samples were implanted with several fluences of Fe+ ions in the range of 1×1016 to 5×1017 Fe+ cm-2 at room temperature. Optical absorption and luminescence measurements were carried out before and after annealing in reducing and oxidizing atmospheres. The structural changes were studied with RBS/channeling and x-ray diffraction. After implantation, the damage induces a brownish coloration in the samples for fluences below 2×1017 Fe+ cm-2. The optical spectra are characterized by an absorption band centered at 200 nm. This band is strongly reduced after annealing at 1100 °C in reducing atmosphere and a new well-defined band develops around 350 nm. This new band shifts to lower values with the implanted fluence, which is an indication of its correlation with the dimensions of the iron precipitates formed in the implanted region. The existence of these precipitates was confirmed by x-ray diffraction and TEM. The samples implanted with fluences above 1×1016 Fe+ cm-2 annealed in oxidizing atmosphere display different optical absorption spectra, with respect to those annealed in reducing atmosphere, characterized by an increase in the intensity of the peak at 200 nm. Luminescence measurements show the presence of F and F+ centers in the samples. The existence of these defects can be explained by the need of charge compensation and strain release due to the formation of mixed iron oxide or metallic precipitates.

In this work we report the structural and optical properties of ion implanted GaN. Potential acceptors such as Ca and Er were used as dopants. Ion implantation was carried out with the substrate at room temperature and 550 °C, respectively. The lattice site location of the dopants was studied by Rutherford backscattering/channeling combined with particle induced X-ray emission. Angular scans along both [0001] and [1011] directions show that 50% of the Er ions implanted at 550 °C occupy substitutional or near substitutional Ga sites after annealing. For Ca we found only a fraction of 30% located in displaced Ga sites along the [0001] direction. The optical properties of the ion implanted GaN films have been studied by photoluminescence measurements. Er- related luminescence near 1.54 µm is observed under below band gap excitation at liquid helium temperature. The spectra of the annealed samples consist of multiline structures with the sharpest lines found in GaN until now. The green and red emissions were also observed in the Er doped samples after annealing.

In this work we report the structural and optical properties of ion implanted GaN. Potential acceptors such as Ca and Er were used as dopants. Ion implantation was carried out with the substrate at room temperature and 550 °C, respectively. The lattice site location of the dopants was studied by Rutherford backscattering/channeling combined with particle induced X-ray emission. Angular scans along both [0001] and [1011] directions show that 50% of the Er ions implanted at 550 oC occupy substitutional or near substitutional Ga sites after annealing. For Ca we found only a fraction of 30% located in displaced Ga sites along the [0001] direction. The optical properties of the ion implanted GaN films have been studied by photoluminescence measurements. Er- related luminescence near 1.54 μm is observed under below band gap excitation at liquid helium temperature. The spectra of the annealed samples consist of multiline structures with the sharpest lines found in GaN until now. The green and red emissions were also observed in the Er doped samples after annealing.