Hydrothermal crystal growth of the potassium niobate and potassium tantalate family of crystals

Journal Article · Mon Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2010.09.011· OSTI ID:21494123

Mann, Matthew ^[1]; Jackson, Summer ^[1]; Kolis, Joseph ^[1]

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1. Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States)

Single crystals of KNbO{sub 3} (KN), KTaO{sub 3} (KT), and KTa{sub 1-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 3} (x=0.44, KTN) have been prepared by hydrothermal synthesis in highly concentrated KOH mineralizer solutions. The traditional problems of inhomogeneity, non-stoichiometry, crystal striations and crystal cracking resulting from phase transitions associated with this family compounds are minimized by the hydrothermal crystal growth technique. Crystals of good optical quality with only minor amounts of metal ion reduction can be grown this way. Reactions were also designed to provide homogeneous distribution of tantalum and niobium metal centers throughout the KTN crystal lattice to maximize its electro-optic properties. Synthesis was performed at relatively low (500-660 {sup o}C) temperatures in comparison to the flux and Czochralski techniques. This work represents the largest crystals of this family of compounds grown by hydrothermal methods to date. -- Graphical Abstract:

• OSTI ID: 21494123
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 183, Issue 11; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2010.09.011; PII: S0022-4596(10)00397-X; Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0022-4596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRACKING
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL LATTICES
HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS
MONOCRYSTALS
NIOBATES
NIOBIUM
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM HYDROXIDES
STRIATIONS
TANTALATES
TANTALUM
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
METALS
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PYROLYSIS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
REFRACTORY METALS
SYNTHESIS
TANTALUM COMPOUNDS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS