Abstract
An eutectic melt in the system(Bi2O3)0.85·(Nb2O5)0.15-6Bi2O3·SiO2 was unidirectionally solidfield at a rate of 0.5mm/h under a thermal gradient of 100℃/cm. Double crucibles and seed crystal plate were used in order to botain the composite crystals which had uniform microstructure throughout the ingot. The obtained composite crystals showed uniform microstructure, in which needle-like δ-(Bi2O3)0.85·(Nb2O5)0.15 crystals were arrayed in parallel in a matrix of γ-6Bi2O3·SiO2 single crystal. It was found that the <110> direction of δ-(Bi2O3)0.85·(Nb2O5)0.15 crystal was essentially parallel to the <111> direction of γ-6Bi2O3·SiO2 crystal in the composite crystals. A transverse thin plate of the composite crystals showed a high resolution optical transmission like an optical fiber array, and sharp chatoyancy was observed in the cabochon shaped composite crystals. Then, this may be useful for applications such as screen of a cathode ray tube or artificial cat's eye gem stones.
