Preparation and Characterization of Sol-Gel Derived Heteroepitaxial LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 Thin Films

Abstract

AbstractDense epitaxial LiNbO3 thin films without any misoriented plane on sapphire substrates were obtained with a sol-gel process utilizing 2-methoxyethanol based metal alkoxide precursors without pre-hydrolysis and rapid thermal annealing. Epitaxial LiNbO3 films annealed at 700°C were transparent and showed refractive indices close to bulk single crystal values. Epitaxial and transparent LiTaO3 films crystallized successfully on sapphire substrates with single orientations with the present process. X-ray rocking curve full widths at half maximum of epitaxial LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 films on sapphire (110) substrates and annealed at 700°C were less than 0.4 degree.