Investigation of the Piezoelectric Effect in LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ Crystals by X-Ray Diffraction

Abstract

The behavior of LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ crystals with domain structures in an external electric field was studied using high-resolution X-ray diffractometry and topography. Domain structures in Z-cut LiTaO₃ and Y-cut LiNbO₃ crystals have been formed by the aftergrowth thermoelectricall treatment technique were investigated. Strong elastic distortions near different domain boundaries in the Y-cut LiNbO₃ crystal were detected. The possibility of using X-ray diffraction to measure piezoelectric charge constants tensor components is demonstrated.

Keywords:

• Lithium niobate
• lithium tantalate
• piezoelectric effect
• regular domain structure
• X-ray diffraction
• elastic deformation