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An SnS layer with a monolayer thickness was realized with a stable SnOx passivation layer via mechanical exfoliation, followed by moderate oxygen annealing.

We have investigated microscale to nanoscale ferroelectric domain and surface engineering of a near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystal by using scanning force microscopy. The single crystals LiNbO3 fixed on metal substrates were polished to a 5 μm thickness. Artificial patterns of inverted-domain structures were fabricated in the samples, where polarization directions of the domains were switched by scanning the samples with a conductive cantilever while applying voltages. Furthermore, the negatively polarized surfaces in the patterns were preferentially etched in HF solution. As a result, cavity and mound-shaped surfaces were fabricated; these structures could be used to create functional templates and devices.

Aluminum nitride (AlN) powders manufactured via three major commercial processes, namely, chemical vapor deposition from triethyl aluminum, carbothermal reduction and nitridation of alumina, and direct nitridation of aluminum, were exposed to moist air at room temperature to investigate the degradation mechanism and kinetics. In the degradation, the powders were initially hydrolyzed to amorphous aluminum oxyhydroxide, which subsequently transformed into mixtures of crystallized aluminum trihydroxide (Al(OH) 3 ) polymorphs, i.e., bayerite, nordstrandite, and gibbsite, forming agglomerates around the unreacted AlN. The data were fitted by using the unreacted-core model. Three stages were found in the degradation: the stage of an induction period at the beginning, followed by a stage of fast hydrolysis with the chemical reaction being rate controlling, and finally, with gradual closing of pores in the structure of Al(OH) 3 around AlN, changing to a stage of slow hydrolysis that was controlled by mass diffusion through Al(OH) 3 . The existence of an induction period was attributed to slow hydrolysis of the surface oxide/oxyhydroxide layer. The powder produced by the carbothermal process showed the longest induction period, which was attributed to its surface structure being different from other powders. 937J ournal

High optical quality LiREF(4) (RE = Tb(3+), Dy(3+), Ho(3+), Er(3+) and Yb(3+)), PrF(3) and CeF(3) single crystals have been grown by the Czochralski technique. Their magneto-optical properties have been measured and analyzed in detail in the ultraviolet-visible wavelength region, and their figures of merit as Faraday rotators have been determined. CeF(3) presents superior properties above 300 nm, showing a figure of merit higher than that of the reference material, terbium-gallium-garnet, which is nowadays used in the visible-near infrared. PrF(3) is the best rotator for the 220-300 nm range. Towards shorter wavelength and in the vacuum ultraviolet, it is shown that the LiREF(4) crystals are unique rotators. Overall, the rare-earth fluoride single crystals studied here exhibit better properties than other materials considered so far, and therefore they have potential to cover the increasing demand for new and improved Faraday rotators in the ultraviolet-visible wavelength region.