Progress in UV treatment applications requires new compact and sensor constructions. In the paper a hybrid (organic-inorganic) rare-earth-based polymeric UV sensor construction is proposed. The efficient luminescence of poly(methyl) methacrylate (PMMA) matrix doped by europium was used for testing the optical sensor (optrode) construction. The europium complex assures effective luminescence in the visible range with well determined multi-peak spectrum emission enabling construction of the optrode. The fabricated UV optical fibre sensor was used for determination of Nd:YAG laser intensity measurements at the third harmonic (355 nm) in the radiation power range 5.0-34.0 mW. The multi-peak luminescence spectrum was used for optimization of the measurement formula. The composition of luminescent peak intensity enables to increase the slope of sensitivity up to −2.8 mW-1. The obtained results and advantages of the optical fibre construction enable to apply it in numerous UV detection systems.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Dar) leaves exposed to UV-B irradiation at a biologically effective dose of 9.5 kJ m-2d-1 showed decreased chlorophyll fluorescence parameter values versus the control; in peppermint (Mentha piperita L. cv. Asia) leaves those values were almost unchanged after treatment. Fv/Fo and Rfd were reduced more than other values, indicating inhibition of the oxygen-evolving complex and cooperation between the light and dark photosynthesis reactions as the primary targets of UV-B. The photosynthetic electron transport rate showed less change directly after irradiation, but after 24 h of recovery it was reduced to 50% of the control. Generally, photosystem II of peppermint leaves appeared more tolerant to the applied UV-B radiation than in cucumber leaves.

The experiment on Zea mays L. cv. Landmark (F1) plants was performed in a greenhouse with UV-B (305–315 nm). The pots with plants were divided into four groups: the first and the second groups were grown, respectively, at low (1.0 kJ m-2 d-1) and high (3.0 kJ m-2 d-1) biological effective dose of UV-B radiation. Half of the pots of each group were sprayed with 0.1% solution of Asahi SL (the third and fourth groups). The intensity of photosynthesis and transpiration, chlorophyll fluorescence, the content of UV-absorbing compounds and radical scavenging activity were measured using DPPH after four and six weeks of UV-B radiation. After six weeks of irradiation with a higher UV-B dose both flavonoid content and antioxidant activity increased by 112% and by 44%, respectively, compared to the plants grown at the lower dose. The plants treated with Asahi SL and exposed to the high dose of UV-B had the content of flavonoids 80% higher than the control ones. Asahi SL decreased scavenging activity in both groups of plants by 17% and 32%, respectively, in comparison with the untreated plants. The intensity of net photosynthesis, the transpiration rate and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fo, ETR, Rfd) did not differ in most of variants.

Exposure of green algae Chlorella vulgaris to short-term UV-B radiation (280 nm – 315 nm) induced several changes in the function of photosystem II (PS II) studied by means of chlorophyll fluorescence (FL) and oxygen evolving. The intensity of photosynthetic oxygen evolving intensity of algae suspension decreased in a similar way to the FL parameter values in proportion to the applied dose of UV-B radiation (0.0, 3.2, 6.4, 12.8 kJ·m-2). The correlation between photosynthetic oxygen evolving intensity and FV/FO ratio was better than that between photosynthetic oxygen evolving intensity and FV/FM. The vitality index (Rfd) in the UV-B irradiated algae strongly decreased, compared to the control, which indicates inhibition of potential CO2 fixation and cooperation between light and dark reactions of photosynthesis. It may indicate damage of Rubisco.

The compositional graded quaternary barriers (GQBs) instead of ternary/conventional quantum barriers (QBs) have been used to numerically enhance the efficiency of AlGaN-based ultraviolet light-emitting diode (LED). The performance of LED with GQBs is examined through carrier concentrations, energy band diagrams, radiative recombination, electron and hole flux, internal quantum efficiency (IQE), and emission spectrum. As a function of the operating current density, a considerable reduction in efficiency droop is observed in the device with composition-graded quaternary barriers as compared to the conventional structure. The efficiency droop in case of a conventional LED is ~77% which decreased to ~33% in case of the proposed structure. Moreover, the concentration of electrons and holes across the active region in case of the proposed structure is increased to ~156% and ~44%, respectively.

Presently, finding effective, simple, inexpensive, hygienic and safe pest control agents are the biggest challenges in management of stored product insects, where those features are available in most physical factors. The insecticidal efficiency of four diversified physical control agents (ultraviolet and microwave irradiations, thermal remediation and silica nanoparticles) were assayed against the most common coleopteran insect species ( Sitophilus oryzae L. and Tribolium castaneum Herbst) on stored wheat. Exposing tested insects to microwave irradiations (2450 MHz) for 25 sec gave preventive efficiency for stored material, which reached 97.68 and 99.02%, respectively. Sufficient exposure periods to kill 50% of the coleopteran adults (LT50%) were 13 and 14 sec, respectively. For effective control with UV radiations, S. oryzae should be exposed for 12 h and T. castaneum for 24 h. An exposure period of 24 h caused progeny reduction 95.24 and 89.72% and gave preventive efficiency of 94.25 and 93.37%, respectively. Values of LT50% were 56.76 and 74.04 h, respectively. Exposing infested samples of the tested species to 70oC for 10 min killed 100% of adults and caused complete cessation of egg laying. Furthermore, 65°C or 70°C caused full progeny reduction. The lowest level of stored product weight loss (1.15 and 1.35%, respectively) occurred at 70°C, where sufficient exposure temperatures to kill 50% of the coleopteran adults (LTD50%) were 60.95°C and 61.63°C, respectively. Synthetic silica nanoparticles (SSiNPs) were more toxic against the tested populations than bio-silica nanoparticles (BSiNPs) after 48–72 h. A concentration of 1.00 g kg–1 of tested silica nanoparticles caused significant reduction in adult populations, saved wheat grain vitality and gave least lost weights of flour (3.35–6.85%).

This paper presents a method of optical fluorescence analysis for the evaluation of homogeneity of multicomponent grain mixtures. This method is based on the evaluation of the content of fluorescent marker. Maize with two degrees of fineness d1 = 1:25 mm and d2 = 2:00 mm was used as a tracer. Maize was covered with Rhodamine B, which emits red light under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. The tracer was introduced into the mixture before the mixing process began. Nine multicomponent grain mixtures were used. The proportion of fluorescent maize was evaluated on the basis of computer image analysis. Additionally, the fraction of the tracer was evaluated using a control method (validation of the accuracy of the proposed method). The results indicate that the degree of the tracer’s fineness influences the results obtained. The use of fluorescent maize with particle size d2 = 2:00 mm allowed to obtain results which differed less from the control method. The average size of the difference in results ranged from 0.20–0.38 for the 2.00 mm tracer and 0.38–1.34 for the 1.25 mm tracer.

The aim of this work was to induce permanent birefringence both in typical liquid crystal cells and photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) by photo-polymerization. For this purpose three different liquid crystalline materials, namely E7, 5CB, and 6CHBT were combined with a mixture of RM257 monomer and a UV sensitive initiator with the percentage weight less than 10%. Due to the photo-polymerization process it was possible to achieve polymer-stabilized liquid crystal orientation inside LC cells and micro-sized cylindrical glass tubes. In particular, periodic change in spatial molecular orientation was achieved by selective photo-polymerization. Successful results obtained in these simple geometries allowed for the experimental procedure to be repeated in PCFs leading to locally-induced permanent birefringence in PCFs.

The research and analysis of the bactericidal properties of the spacer knitted fabric with the UV-C system are presented in this paper. The disintegration factor affecting the bacteria in the knitted fabric is the UV-C radiation in the range of 265–270 nm distributed via woven optical fibres. The way of integrating elements of the system generating the UV-C radiation in the structure of the spacer knitted fabric was designed, as well as various configurations of optical fibres arrangement, fibre density, number of radiation sources, and diode types were tested. The material was contaminated with selected microorganisms indicative of sanitary contamination and important in terms of nosocomial infections. The scope of the research included microbiological (quantitative and qualitative) analyses of selected taxonomic groups of microorganisms (mesophilic bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes) before and after the irradiation process. The analysis of the research results and the applied modification of the knitted fabric turned out to be effective in reducing the amount of potentially pathogenic microorganisms.

This paper presents a critical analysis of a current typical method to measure sensitivity of solar blind ultraviolet cameras using a high temperature blackbody as a calibrated source of ultraviolet light. It has been shown that measurement of sensitivity of solar-blind ultraviolet (SBUV) cameras defined as minimal detectable blackbody irradiance at optics plane of the tested SBUV camera generates inflated, misleading and prone to measurement errors' results that should not be used for evaluation of SBUV cameras' performance.

In this work a review of investigations concerning interaction of intense extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray (SXR) pulses with matter is presented. The investigations were performed using laser-produced plasma (LPP) EUV/SXR sources based on a double stream gas puff target. The sources are equipped with dedicated collectors allowing for efficient focusing of the EUV/SXR radiation pulses. Intense radiation in a wide spectral range, as well as a quasi-monochromatic radiation can be produced. In the paper different kinds of LPP EUV/SXR sources developed in the Institute of Optoelectronics, Military University of Technology are described.

Radiation intensities delivered by the sources are sufficient for different kinds of interaction experiments including EUV/SXR induced ablation, surface treatment, EUV fluorescence or photoionized plasma creation. A brief review of the main results concerning this kind of experiments performed by author of the paper are presented. However, since the LPP sources cannot compete with large scale X-ray sources like synchrotrons, free electron lasers or high energy density plasma sources, it was indicated that some investigations not requiring extreme irradiation parameters can be performed using the small scale installations. Some results, especially concerning low temperature photoionized plasmas are very unique and could be hardly obtained using the large facilities.

Infrared (IR) reflectography has been used for many years for the detection of underdrawings on panel paintings. Advances in the fields of IR sensors and optics have impelled the wide spread use of IR reflectography by several recognized Art Museums and specialized laboratories around the World. The transparency or opacity of a painting is the result of a complex combination of the optical properties of the painting pigments and the underdrawing material, as well as the type of illumination source and the sensor characteristics. For this reason, recent researches have been directed towards the study of multispectral approaches that could provide simultaneous and complementary information of an artwork. The present work relies on non−simultaneous multispectral inspection using a set of detectors covering from the ultraviolet to the terahertz spectra. It is observed that underdrawings contrast increases with wavelength up to 1700 nm and, then, gradually decreases. In addition, it is shown that IR thermography, i.e., temperature maps or thermograms, could be used simultaneously as an alternative technique for the detection of underdrawings besides the detection of subsurface defects.