Narrow Results

The congruent Sc(3 mol%):Ce:Cu:LiNbO₃ single crystals were grown by the Czochralski method and three kinds of different samples were prepared by proper reduction or oxidation post-treatment processes. The extrinsic defect structures of samples were determined by infrared transmittance spectra. Two-wave coupling and light induced scattering experiments were used to measure the photorefractive properties. It is found that the reduction treatment made erasure time and diffraction efficiency decrease, but light-induced scattering resistance increase; the inverse case occurred with oxidation treatment. Analysis indicated that photoconductivity change was responsible for photorefractive properties.

Novel three-dimensional (3D) branched nanotubes of sodium niobate (NaNbO₃) were produced by a multi-step reaction, which involves the synthesis of Nb₂O₅ branched nanowires and subsequently treating these precursors in alkali solution. XRD and SEM have been used to analyze current products. All the obtained nanobranches exhibited tubular structure, which was induced by nanoscale Kirkendall effect and surface diffusion. This work demonstrates a simple and efficient pathway to design hierarchical and complex hollow nanostructures, which are expected to have important applications, such as sensors and photocatalysts.