A new setup for optical measurements under controlled environment.

We present a new analytical instrument for studying the optical properties of materials in different gaseous environments at room and controlled elevated temperatures. The system consists of a vacuum chamber, which is equipped with temperature and pressure controllers, a heating band, and a residual gas analyzer and is connected to a gas feeding line via a leak valve. Two transparent view ports located around a sample holder allow for optical transmission and pump-probe spectroscopy using an external optical setup.

Preferential Orientation of Photochromic Gadolinium Oxyhydride Films.

We report preferential orientation control in photochromic gadolinium oxyhydride (GdHO) thin films deposited by a two-step process. Gadolinium hydride (GdH) films were grown by reactive magnetron sputtering, followed by oxidation in air. The preferential orientation, grain size, anion concentrations and photochromic response of the films were strongly dependent on the deposition pressure.