The crystal structure of new quantum memory-storage material ScYSiO.

Monoisotopic scandium yttrium oxyorthosilicate crystals as a material for quantum memory storage with high optical quality were grown by the Czochralski method. This material, of composition ScYSiO, is characterized by congruent melting and a melting point 60 K below the temperature for the ideal solid-solution series YSiO-ScSiO. The structure of the crystals was refined on the basis of high-quality single-crystal X-ray diffraction data.

Identification of Nanocrystalline Inclusions in Bismuth-Doped Silica Fibers and Preforms.

The nature of nanocrystalline inclusions and dopant distribution in bismuth-doped silicate fibers and preforms are studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and energy and wavelength-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The core compositions are Bi:SiO2, Bi:Al2O3-SiO2, Bi:GeO2-SiO2, Bi:Al2O3-GeO2-SiO2, and Bi:P2O5-Al2O3-GeO2-SiO2. Nanocrystals of metallic Bi, Bi2O3, SiO2, GeO2, and Bi4(GeO4)3 are observed in these glasses.