Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
A polycrystalline sample of Bi2InNbO7 was synthesized by a solid-state reaction and characterized by powder x-ray diffraction and Rietveld structure refinement. The optical absorption and electrical properties of Bi2InNbO7 were investigated. It was found that the Bi2InNbO7 compound exhibited a direct gap semiconducting behavior. Conductivity measurement showed the compound had an activation energy of 2.62(5) eV. Ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy measurement revealed that the band gap of Bi2InNbO7 is about 2.7(4) eV.