Chao Nan Xu
National Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, Japan
Title: Approaches to the new field of multi-piezo: Ceramics, films and composites
Biography
Biography: Chao Nan Xu
Abstract
Piezoluminescence, which is also called elasticoluminescence, is a form of mechanoluminescence (ML) during the elastic deformation, which has attracted considerable attention because it can be repeatedly used for mechano-optical conversion. Elastic ML offers the advantages of wireless detection and nondestructive analysis, making it a promising candidate for various applications, such as stress sensing and damage diagnosis, and in particular for immediate in situ dynamic visualization of stress distribution in industrial plants, buildings, and living organisms. In piezoelectric materials, mechanical stimuli generate electricity, a phenomenon that is widely utilized in industry and daily life. Recently, we have found the first well-known piezo multifunctional material that exhibits both piezoelectricity and efficient elastic ML. By precisely tuning the Li/Nb ratio in nonstoichiometric LiNbO3:Pr3+, a material that exhibits an unusually high piezoluminescence intensity, which far exceeds that of any well-known piezoelectric material, is produced. LiNbO3:Pr3+ shows excellent strain sensitivity at the lowest strain level, with no threshold for stress sensing. These multipiezo properties are useful for nano-micro sensing, damage diagnosis, electro-mechano-optical energy conversion, and multifunctional control in optoelectronics.