Investigation of the properties of single and double doped lithium niobate single crystals — functional materials of optoelectronics

Abstract

A series of six LiNbO3:Tb ([Tb] = 0.1 — 2.89 wt%) crystals and seven LiNbO3:Er ([Er] = 0.08÷2.71 wt%) crystals were grown according to a single methodology. Optical uniformity and optical resistance were compared in LiNbO3:Tb and LiNbO3:Er of various chemical composition. The periods of the crystal lattice were determined by the methods of a full -profile analysis of the XRD patterns of polycrystals; models of the atomic structure of LiNbO3:Tb and LiNbO3:Er crystals were analyzed with a change in the dopant concentration. In a series of LiNbO3:Tb crystals, a concentration threshold near the concentration of terbium ~ 2.2 — 2.3 wt% was discovered for the first time. A concentration threshold near the concentration of erbium ~ 2.4 — 2.5 wt% was discovered in LiNbO3:Er. In the area of the concentration threshold, pronounced anomalies of physicochemical, optical and structural characteristics are observed. Growth irregular and regular domain microstructures were revealed in as-grown LiNbO3:Tb and LiNbO3:Er crystals by optical and atomic force microscopy. Structural characteristics and threshold effects are studied in LiNbO3:Gd and LiNbO3:Gd,Cu crystals by Raman spectroscopy, PILS, laser conoscopy and optical microscopy. In LiNbO3:Gd crystals the photorefractive effect is suppressed at as low concentration as [Gd] = 0.05 wt%. For LiNbO3:Gd,Cu crystals a distinct photorefractive response is observed, it increases with increasing Cu concentration. The effect of the association of defects (carriers) is experimentally confirmed and thermodynamically justified by the example of oxygen-octahedron structures such as perovskite and pseudoi:lmental during ion conduction in a certain temperature interval. The discovered phenomenon is extremely important for creating and evaluating the temperature range of operability of ion current sources.