Research on Peculiarities of Growth Domain Structure of Doped LiNbO3 Single Crystals Depending on Growth Regimes

Abstract

Domain structure images of Gd doped lithium niobate single crystals (LiNbO3:Gd) grown under both steady and strongly unsteady conditions have been studied using image analyzer Thixomet. R As a result, the technological regimes were formulated for growth of doped LN crystals: a) with periodic spatial distribution of impurity leading to periodic domain structure, which period is controlled by the ratio of pulling and rotation rates and increases essentially with lowering of the melt level; b) with periodic domain structure, which period is independent on the melt level; c) without regular domain structure and homogeneous impurity distribution along the crystal growth direction.