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Melt processing is a promising process to fabricate Mg–CNTs (carbon nanotubes) composites with high performance and large dimensions. In this work, the liquid-mixing technique and ball-milling processes as well as the stirring casting method were used to prepare ZM1-1.0CNTs-L and ZM1-1.0CNTs-B composites, respectively. The composites were studied using optical microscopy (OM), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and room-temperature tensile test. The results show that the yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), elongation and microhardness values of the ZM1-1.0CNTs-L composite are improved by 37.3%, 29.6%, 37.0% and 33.3%, respectively, compared with those of ZM1 alloy. The uniform dispersion of CNTs as well as the strong interfacial bonds with the Mg matrix is the main reason for the significant improvement in mechanical properties of the as-cast composite. Liquid mixing combined with the stirring casting method is favorable to fabricate Mg–CNTs composite with high mechanical properties.

In this work, we report the fabrication of an optical waveguide by single-energy H+ ion implantation in the Er3+-doped phosphate glass. The ion implantation conditions are with energy of 0.4 MeV and a fluence of 8.0×1016 ions/cm2. The dark mode spectrum of the waveguide structure was measured by the prism coupling experiment. The refractive index change along with the penetration depth was fitted by using the reflectivity calculation method (RCM). Finally, the calculated near-field light intensity distribution shows superior waveguide properties, which demonstrates its promising potentials for compact optical integrated devices.

Nd3+:SrAlF5 nanocrystals embedded fluorophosphate glass–ceramics were prepared by the melt quenching and subsequent thermal treatment method. The formation of SrAlF5 nanocrystals in the glass was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The fluorescence intensity and lifetime of the glass–ceramics increased with the increase of size of nanocrystals. Importantly, by controlling growth of nanocrystals, an obvious enhancement of lifetime (725 μs) emerged in the glass–ceramics heat-treated at 510 °C and the transmittance can reach to 72.2 % at 1049 nm. The enhanced fluorescence intensity and lifetime were ascribed to the comfortable local environment to the Nd3+ ion and scattering of the nanoparticle embedded into the glass matrix.

Tb3+-doped aluminum borosilicate glasses are important magneto-optical materials for optical isolators. Optical waveguides are basic components in integrated photonics. By using the ion implantation technique, optical guiding structures can be produced in Tb3+-doped aluminum borosilicate glasses, and miniaturized waveguide isolators can be realized. In this paper, planar waveguides have been fabricated in Tb3+-doped aluminum borosilicate glasses by (6.0 + 5.5) MeV carbon ion implantation at doses of (8.0 + 4.0) × 1013 ions/cm2. The optical properties of optical waveguides are measured by equipments of prism coupling and end-face coupling systems. They are also analyzed by simulation programs of intensity calculation method and beam propagation method. The waveguides with good optical performances suggest potential applications on fabrication of waveguide isolators in Tb3+-doped aluminum borosilicate glasses.