The cubic Gd2O3:Eu3+ nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The SEM image indicated the nanorods with diameter of 30-35 nm and length of 200-500 nm. The structural stability of Gd2O3:Eu3+ nanorods was investigated by in situ high pressure luminescence and Raman spectra up to 18.9 GPa at room temperature. The results reveals a pressure-induced phase transition from cubic to hexagonal structure at about 11.3 GPa. After releasing pressure, the part of hexagonal structure is retained and the other transfers to monoclinic phase.

In this work, the cubic compound Y2O3:Eu(3+) nanotubes with diameter of 70-90 nm and length of 2-3 microm are synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Photoluminescence and Raman spectra of Y2O3:Eu(3+) nanotubes in a diamond anvil cell under high pressure are measured at room temperature. The 5D0 --> 7F(0,1,2) transitions of the Eu(3+) ions exhibit red shifts to higher wavelength with pressure increasing. Above 13.4 GPa, all the Raman active modes disappear. When the pressure is released from 25.6 GPa to ambient pressure, these Raman peaks are not retrieved; this fact indicates that the nanotubes are transformed into amorphous from cubic phase at about 13.4 GPa. It may be related to the collapse of nanotube form under high pressure condition.

With the development of the third generation synchrotron radiation sources the X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM) is playing as a powerful tool for analyzing specimens with spatial resolution about tens of nanometer. It has been used to observe the chemical reaction process, and to investigate the surfaces, interfaces, thin films, buried layers and nano-structures. XPEEM image signals are contributed from photoelectrons, Auger electrons, backscattering electrons and secondary electrons excited by X-rays of certain energy. In this work, a Monte Carlo model for XPEEM image simulation is built. XPEEM images in total electron yield (TEY) mode are simulated with this model for several nanostructures (spheres and cylinders) of silver deposited on/in a silicon substrate (Ag/Si). The simulated XPEEM image in TEY mode for Ag dot array on a Si substrate is quite close to an experimental image. Furthermore, the XPEEM image simulation has been performed for different incident X-rays and for different geometric structures.