Czochralski-grown lithium niobate with regular domain structure

Abstract

Periodically-poled LiNbO₃ bulk crystals with (Y, Mg), (Dy, Mg), (Nd, Mg) and (Eu, Mg) were grown along the normal to the faces {0112}. The superlattice with period 4–30 μm was studied by chemical etching, optical microscopy and by wave dispersive X-ray microanalysis in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The face (0112) forms thin and flat boundaries of domain and is favourable to a high stability of domain period. The distribution of impurities in double-doped LiNbO₃ crystals has the form close to sinusoid with the period corresponding to the period of regular domain structure.

Keywords:

• LiNbO₃
• periodical ferroelectric domain structure
• face
• modulation of impurities.