CrystEngComm Blog

Lithium niobate (LN), a nonlinear optical  material in its single crystal form, is well proven as a potential and unique material for its use in advanced photonic device applications like second-harmonic generation, optical switching, optical modulators, holographic data storage, acousto-optic and ferroelectric. The transition and rare earth metal ions (Fe, Mn, Cuand Ce) improve the data storage capabilities of LN by improving its photorefraction efficiency. However, when the concentration of dopants in the crystal increase, high geometric strains develop in the lattice resulting in the agglomeration of point defects, the formation of dislocations finally leading to structural boundaries. These defects mask or partially/completely deteriorate some of the anisotropic physical properties of the single crystals and reduce the efficiency of the devices made out of these crystals.

In this HOT article, a very detailed account of a novel technique for producing optical quality single crystals of doped lithium niobate is presented. The authors have grown Fe doped LiNbO3 single crystals using an indigenously developed Czochralski growth setup. In order to achieve good quality crystals (free from structural defects, voids and grain boundaries) from the Czochralski method they have used a post growth cooling technique. Additionally they have evaluated the potential of the material for use in optical devices and shown it to be “fit for purpose”.

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Crystalline perfection, EPR, prism coupler and UV-VIS-NIR studies on Cz-grown Fe-doped LiNbO3: A photorefractive nonlinear optical crystal
Satya Kumar Kushwaha, Kamlesh Kumar Maurya, Narayanasamy Vijayan and Godavarthi Bhagavannarayana
CrystEngComm, 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0CE00892C