Cláudio Nico

• PhD
• Manager at RiverD International B.V.

We have developed a method to determine the limit of detection (LoD) for quantitative measurement of exogenous analytes in the outer layer of the human skin by in vivo confocal Raman spectroscopy. The method is in accordance with the guidelines of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Us...

Background Protecting the skin barrier in early infancy may prevent atopic dermatitis (AD). We investigated if daily emollient use from birth to 2 months reduced AD incidence in high‐risk infants at 12 months. Methods This was a single‐center, two‐armed, investigator‐blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial (NCT03871998). Term infants identif...

Background Protecting the skin barrier in early infancy may prevent atopic dermatitis (AD). We investigated if daily emollient use from birth to 2 months reduced AD incidence in high risk infants at 12 months. Methods This was a single-center, two-armed, investigator-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial (NCT03871998). Term infants identifi...

Background: Carriers of loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin (LoF FLG) gene have less natural moisturising factor (NMF) in their stratum corneum (SC) and an increased risk of atopic dermatitis (AD). NMF can be measured non-invasively by Raman spectroscopy. The use of Raman-derived NMF at birth to screen for FLG genotype could inform targete...

This paper describes a unique non‐invasive capability to determine the concentration (in mg/cm3) and total amount of topically applied materials in the skin (in μg/cm2 of skin surface). It is based on in vivo confocal Raman spectroscopy. A theoretical derivation is given of a general method to calculate a concentration ratio from a Raman spectrum o...

Rare-earth orthoniobates constitute a class of materials that has been exploited due to their interesting physical properties depending on the lanthanide element. Besides paramagnetism, ferroelasticity, and negative compressibility, these materials are known by their interesting optical properties and mixed types of conduction processes (protonic,...

For the last 75 years several studies have been reporting on the physical properties of niobium oxides, but there is still many contradictory, inconsistent and insufficient information on these metal oxides. This review will begin by describing the niobium oxygen system and the different stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric phases, specifically Nb...

During the last two decades, niobium based materials have received much attention due to their properties and potential applications. It is known that Nb forms several stable oxide crystal structures: NbO (electrical conductor), NbO2 and Nb2O5 (insulators), but also non-stoichiometric phases. In this work, in order to understand the effect of dopin...

Wide band gap oxides, such as ZnO, SnO2 and ZrO2, are functional materials with a wide range of applications in several important technological areas such as those including lighting, transparent electronics, sensors, catalysis and biolabeling. Recently, doping and co-doping of oxides with lanthanides have attracted a strong interest for lighting p...

With a 4f6 electronic configuration, europium ions in the trivalent charge state are known to be efficient activators in wide band gap matrices. Embedded in the aluminophosphate (Li2O–BaO–Al2O3–La2O3–P2O5) glasses the optically activated Eu3+ ions lead to intense room temperature orange/red luminescence with 16–23 Cd/m2 by using ultraviolet pumping...

Niobium oxides have been reported as an alternative to tantalum, and its oxide, for the production of capacitors, but these materials still require a further and exhaustive study. Understanding the dynamics of the oxidation process from NbO to Nb2O5 is essential to explain and control the properties of a niobium oxide based capacitors. In situ XRD...

Li2O–BaO–Al2O3–La2O3–P2O5 glasses optically activated with rare earth ions with the 4f5, and 4f8 electronic configuration (Sm3+ and Tb3+, respectively) were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, absorption, excitation photoluminescence, decay curves and temperature dependent photoluminescence. The spectroscopic characteristics of the as-prepared and heat...

Wide band gap oxide media including 4fn or 3dn ions attracts a considerable attention in the context of photonics and bio-photonics applications due to the electromagnetic widespread spectral range covered by the intraionic radiative relaxation of the charged lanthanide and transition metal ions. Converting ultraviolet commercial light into visible...

The niobium oxide is currently used in the manufacture of relevant technological components, due to its physical characteristics such as the high dielectric constant, the reduced ignition and the high stability of electrical parameters. Their wide availability in nature and low extraction costs are also significant advantages. However, and as it is...

In this work, EuNbO4 samples were prepared, in the shape of fibres, by the laser floating zone (LFZ) technique. The fibres grown at pulling rates below 20 mm h−1 are transparent and monophasic, crystallizing in a monoclinic structure. At higher growth rates, non-stoichiometric europium orthoniobate phases were promoted. The physical properties anal...

Cubic zinc gallate (c-ZnGa2O4) has attracted the attention of the scientific community due to its potential phosphor applications, namely in field emission displays (FEDs) and other electroluminescent devices. Among other advantages, this oxide matrix shows superior thermal and chemical stability when compared to ZnS based phosphors. Most of the ab...

Titanium oxide nanocrystals synthesized by the Pechini method were calcinated at temperatures between 300 and 1000 degrees C. The crystalline structure was analysed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. A phase transition from the anatase to rutile crystalline phase was found to occur at temperatures near...

/p>The production of a Tantalum solid electrolytic capacitor requires the impregnation of MnO2 by pyrolysis in one of the several manufacturing steps. It has been reported that niobium oxides are a good alternative, presenting potentially better dielectric properties and a better cost effectiveness. Thus, it is important to study the conditions and...

Zirconia nanocrystals doped with europium ions were developed envisaging optical applications. The nanostructures were produced using zirconyl nitrate (ZrO(NO3)2·H2O) and europium nitrate (Eu(NO3)3·5H2O) as cation precursors, and urea (C2H5NO2) as the fuel, by the combustion synthesis process. The lanthanide-doped nanostructures were characterized...

Glasses doped with rare earth (RE) ions are widely studied due to the numerous applications of these systems (active media for solid state lasers, optical telecommunication, non-linear optical materials, electro-optic devices, etc.). Boron trioxide, B2O3, is a known glass forming oxide with a relative low melting temperature. The addition of a tran...

Single crystal fibres of Pr3+-doped tetragonal yttria stabilized zirconia were grown by the laser floating zone method. The fibres show strong red luminescence at room temperature under ultraviolet optical pumping, which is due to the transition between the 1D2 and 3H4 multiplets of the Pr3+ ion. Additionally, in the infrared spectral range main tr...

Lithium niobate (LiNbO(3)-LN) is a large bandgap [3.78 eV at room temperature (RT)] semiconductor mainly known by its ferroelectric behaviour and excellent non-linear optical, electro-optical and piezoelectric properties. In this study 91SiO(2)-4Li(2)O-4Nb(2)O(5)-1Sm(2)O(3) (mol%) glasses were prepared by sol-gel. Glass-ceramics were obtained throu...

We report on the structural, morphological and optical characterization of glass and glass–ceramic samples, with nominal composition of 91SiO2:4Li2O:4Nb2O5:1Dy2O3 (% mole). The samples were heated treated in air in the temperature range between 500°C and 800°C. The glass–ceramics samples start to crystallize at temperatures above 600°C and besides...

The room temperature spectroscopic properties of terbium doped zirconia fibres grown by Laser Floating Zone method are reported. The fibres were found to be stabilised in the tetragonal crystalline phase as measured by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The doping with terbium ions was performed during the growth process and their...

Cited By (since 1996): 3, Export Date: 4 July 2012, Source: Scopus, doi: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2010.10.024, Language of Original Document: English, Correspondence Address: Costa, F.M.; Departamento de Física e i3N, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; email: flor@ua.pt, References: Sá, A.I.D., Rangel, C.M., Skeldon, P., Semiconduct...

Samples of Nb2O5 were prepared by laser floating zone (LFZ) technique and by solid-state reaction in order to study some of their physical properties as a function of synthesis conditions. Single crystals fibres were obtained by LFZ, while a structural orthorhombic to monoclinic phase transition was observed in samples sintered at temperature highe...

Wide band gap niobium oxides are particularly important for electronic device applications. Two types of NbO powders were sintered between 300 and 1100 �C. The structural characterization of the pellets, performed by X-ray diffraction measurements and Raman spectroscopy, revealed the appearance of the NbO and T-, B-, and H-Nb2O5 polymorphs, dependi...

Yttria stabilized zirconia single crystal fibers doped with europium ions were developed envisaging optical applications. The laser floating zone technique was used in order to grow millimetric high quality single crystal fibers. The as-grown fibers are completely transparent and inclusion free, exhibiting a cubic structure. Under ultraviolet (UV)...

Export Date: 20 January 2012, Source: Scopus, CODEN: OMATE, doi: 10.1016/j.optmat.2011.03.039

Export Date: 20 January 2012, Source: Scopus, CODEN: OMATE, doi: 10.1016/j.optmat.2011.07.005

Yttria stabilized zirconia single crystal fibers doped with europium ions were developed envisaging optical applications. The laser floating zone technique was used in order to grow millimetric high quality single crystal fibers. The as-grown fibers are completely transparent and inclusion free, exhibiting a cubic structure. Under ultraviolet (UV)...

Export Date: 4 July 2012, Source: Scopus, CODEN: MSBTE, doi: 10.1016/j.mseb.2011.10.010, Language of Original Document: English, Correspondence Address: Soares, M.R.N.; I3N - Department of Physics, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; email: rosasoares@ua.pt, References: Narukawa, Y., Ichikawa, M., Sanga, D., Sano, M., Mukai, T., (2010)...

Export Date: 4 July 2012, Source: Scopus, Article in Press, CODEN: OMATE, doi: 10.1016/j.optmat.2011.03.039, Language of Original Document: English, Correspondence Address: Valente, M.A.; I3N - Aveiro, Physics Department, Aveiro University, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-1email: mav@ua.pt

Cited By (since 1996): 1, Export Date: 4 July 2012, Source: Scopus, doi: 10.1021/jp110672u, Language of Original Document: English, Correspondence Address: Nico, C.; Department of Physics, I3N, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; email: claudionico@ua.pt, References: Störmer, H., Weber, A., Fischer, V., Ivers-Tiffée, E., Gerthsen, D....