Growth of Incipient Ferroelectric KTaO3 Single Crystals by a Modified Self-Flux Solution Method

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Sebastian Zlotnik (Author) Other; Paula M Vilarinho (Author) Other; Elisabete E V Costa (Author) Other; Agostinho Moreira, JA (Author) FCUP; Abilio Almeida (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Crystal Growth & Design

Vol. 10 No. 8

Pages: 3397-3404

ISSN: 1528-7483

Publisher: American Chemical Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 14 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 16 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Materials engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-46S

DOI: 10.1021/cg100036v

Abstract (EN): High-quality potassium tantalate (KTaO3, KT) single crystals are grown by a high-temperature self-flux solution modified method in which potassium carbonate (K2CO3) and boron oxide (B2O3) are utilized as a complex flux. Additions of small amounts of boron oxide, used because of its low melting temperature (450 degrees C) and tendency to decrease the weight losses, increased the metastable region, requiring lower temperature (<= 1300 degrees C) for the growth of relatively large KT crystals thereby suppressing the K volatilization tendency. By changing the flux composition and flux to solute proportion growth conditions are modified. The as-grown potassium tantalate crystals exhibit a dielectric permittivity of 6600 and dielectric losses of 0.004 at 13 K and 100 kHz. These results suggest a new promising approach for growing relatively large size and high quality single crystals within KT-based system.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8