R1: Characterization and description of minerals (Joint Session with The Gemmological Society of Japan)

[R1-05] Nno-inclusion in blue sapphire from Diego, Madagascar

*Akira MIYAKE¹, Seika oto¹, Yohei Igami¹, Jun Uzuhashi², Tadakatsu Ohkubo², Hiroshi Kitawaki³, Kentaro Emori³ (1. Kyoto Univ., 2. NIMS, 3. CGL)

Keywords:corundum, srilankite, transmission electron microscope, 3D atomprobe

Nano-inclusions in Be-containing natural blue sapphires (corundum) from Diego, Madagascar were observed and analysed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and 3D atomprobe (3DAP). TEM results show that Nano-inclusion has 20-40 nm length and 5-10 nm width, and the nano-inclusion is identified by srilankite, one kind of polymorphs of TiO₂. TEM and 3DAP results show the inclusion consists of Ti, Nb, Ta, Fe, Sn and Be component is found in the boundary between inclusion and matrix phase, corundum.