LiNbO 3 layer growth in a LiVO 3 high temperature solution

Homoepitaxy of LiNbO 3 takes a successful course in high temperature solutions (HTS) with LiVO 3 as a solvent. In order to optimize the deposition process the phase correlations in the pseudobinary system LiNbO 3 ‐LiVO 3 were specified by means of DTA. At the liquidus temperatures the HTS with concentrations of 15 to 40 mole % have an approximately constant shear viscosity of η ≈ 13.5 mPa · s, similary to solvents containing lead compounds. Always smooth LPE‐layers grow on singular {1 1 02}‐substrates. Surfaces of all other orientations were found to be rough because rhomboedric faces of LiNbO 3 form in the stable state. On the negative polarized (000 1 )‐face epitaxy is still possible, however, on the opposite (0001)‐face only a hexagonal cellular structure is observed because the singular faces develop, exclusively.