LINBO3 SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH BY THE CONTINUOUS CHARGING CZOCHRALSKI METHOD WITH LI/NB RATIO CONTROL

LiNbO3 (LN) single crystals with a controlled Li/Nb ratio were grown by the continuous charging Czochralski (CC-CZ) method. After determining crystal growth conditions such as the material charging rate and the thermal fields for melting the charged materials, Li/Nb ratio controlled crystals with a diameter of 20 mm and a length of 40 mm were successfully grown from Li-rich melts (55.0 and 60.0 mol% Li2O). The grown crystals were transparent and measurements of the variations in the lattice parameters and the extraordinary refractive index, n(e), showed that the Li/Nb ratio was uniform along the growth direction.