Fabrication and transformation of dense SnO2 via laser ablation condensation Original Research Article

Dense SnO2 nanocondensates with fluorite-type-related structures have been synthesized via severe heating–cooling under energetic Nd–YAG laser pulse irradiation of the Sn target in oxygen ambient. Transmission electron microscopic observations indicated that the fluorite type transformed in a martensitic manner into a baddeleyite-type structure with accompanied dislocations, twinning, commensurate shearing and shape change. The Pa3¯-modified fluorite-type structure was hardly observed possibly due to its transformation into α-PbO2 type and then rutile-type structures in the dynamic process.