Domain Reversal Characteristics of Near-Stoichiometric LiNbO 3 Crystals

The domain reversal characteristics of near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 ([Li]/[Li+Nb] = 0.496) single crystals, which are grown by the Czochralski method with K2O flux, are investigated. The switch field for 180° ferroelectric domain reversal in the near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystal is 8.0 ± 0.5 kV/mm, which is only one third of the switching field required for the congruent LiNbO3 crystals. We have successfully achieved 180° domain reversal in near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 samples of 1.0 mm thickness.