Czoehralski growth and constitutional studies on single crystals of potassium lithium niobate (KLN)

The ferroelectric phase of potassium lithium niobate K3Li2-xNb5+xO15 (KLN) is a very promising material for the conversion of infrared light to light in the visible region. However, growing of single crystals is known to be complicated due to the considerable anisotropy of the growth rate and the thermal expansion behaviour. The single crystals of KLN, Mg2+-doped KLN, as well as the mixed crystals of potassium lithium tantalate niobate K3Li2(Nb1-xTax)(5)O-15 (KLTN) were grown by the Czochralski technique. The chemical analyses of the samples were performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). The element concentrations along the single crystals were measured by the electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) to clarify the segregation phenomena in the grown crystals. The elements distribution coefficients were also calculated. (C) 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.