The near-stoichiometric lithium niobate (LN) crystal co-doped with Fe2O3 and ZnO has been grown by K-flux method and is compared with the same doping congruent Fe:Zn:LN on photorefractive properties for the first time. In comparison with congruent Fe:Zn:LN, the absorption edge of near-stoichiometric Fe:Zn:LN shifts to the violet, and its lattice constants get smaller. Stoichiometric Fe:Zn:LN exhibits higher photorefractive sensitivity than that of congruent one. The mechanism of photorefractive effect improvement for near-stoichiometric Fe:Zn:LN crystal is investigated combined with doping ions location analysis. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.