Growth and characterization of near stoichiometric LiNbO3 single crystal.

A near stoichiometric LiNbO3 single crystal has been grown by the Czochralski method from a 58.5% Li melt hold in a large platinum crucible. High resolution X-ray rocking curves of 30$ \bar 3 $0 and 0006 reflections indicated that the near stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystal possesses the high structural quality. Compared with the congruent LiNbO3, the near stoichiometric LiNbO3 possesses shorter ultraviolet absorption edge, thus higher Li concentration. The OH– infrared absorption band analyses showed that the Li concentration in the near stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystal is higher than that in the congruent LiNbO3 crystal. This result is in good agreement with that of the ultraviolet absorption edge. The electro-optic (EO) coefficient γ22 of the near stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystal was measured to be 6.75 pm/V higher than that of congruent LiNbO3 crystal. It also proves the near stoichiometric LiNbO3 electro-optic Q-switched requires a low driving voltage and it is advantageous for the device performance. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]