Abstract
Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) crystals are important dielectric and ferroelectric materials, which are widely used in acoustics, optic, and optoelectrical devices. The physical and chemical properties of LiNbO3 are dependent on microstructures, defects, compositions, and dimensions. In this review, we first discussed the crystal and defect structures of LiNbO3, then the crystallization of LiNbO3 single crystal, and the measuring methods of Li content were introduced to reveal reason of growing congruent LiNbO3 and variable Li/Nb ratios. Afterwards, this review provides a summary about traditional and non-traditional applications of LiNbO3 crystals. The development of rare earth doped LiNbO3 used in illumination, and fluorescence temperature sensing was reviewed. In addition to radio-frequency applications, surface acoustic wave devices applied in high temperature sensor and solid-state physics were discussed. Thanks to its properties of spontaneous ferroelectric polarization, and high chemical stability, LiNbO3 crystals showed enhanced performances in photoelectric detection, electrocatalysis, and battery. Furthermore, domain engineering, memristors, sensors, and harvesters with the use of LiNbO3 crystals were formulated. The review is concluded with an outlook of challenges and potential payoff for finding novel LiNbO3 applications.
Highlights
Due to its piezoelectric, ferroelectric, nonlinear optics, and pyroelectric properties, LiNbO3 crystal has found its wide applications in surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, optical waveguides, optical modulators, and second-harmonic generators (SHG) [1,2,3]
Congruent LiNbO3 melt composition is used in Cz method, leading to the growth of congruent LiNbO3 (CLN) crystal, which suffers from Li deficient [12,13]
LiNbO3 has the advantages of spontaneous ferroelectric polarization, high dielectric constant, high chemical stability, and high voltage electric coefficient, which can be served as substrate to improve photodetector, catalysis, photoreactivity, and battery perforomfaonthcesr omfaottehreiarlms [a6t0e,r6i1a]l.s L[6iN0,6b1O].3LpioNlabrOiz3epdodlaorpiziendg dhoaps ibnegenhaussbeedetnouesnehdatnocentheanpcheotthoeeplhecottroiecldecetreicctidoentecchtaiornacctherairsaticctseroisftgicrsapohf egnraep[h62e]n.eA[s62s]h.oAwsnshinowFinguinreF7ig, uthre 7d,etvhiecedsewviecrees fwaberiecafatebdricwaittehdgwraipthhgenraepdheepnoesidtedpoosnitxe-dcuotnLxi-NcubtOL3iNbublOk 3abnudlkfilamndcrfyilsmtalcsr.yTshtaelslo
Summary
Ferroelectric, nonlinear optics, and pyroelectric properties, LiNbO3 crystal has found its wide applications in surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, optical waveguides, optical modulators, and second-harmonic generators (SHG) [1,2,3]. LiNbO3 crystallized as R3c space group below Curie temperature shows spontaneous polarization that leads to its ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties [4,5]. Most basic and applied studies of LiNbO3 focus on its bulk single crystal [9,10,11]. The Cz growth method is the current mainstream technology for growing high quality bulk single crystal LiNbO3. Congruent LiNbO3 melt composition is used in Cz method, leading to the growth of congruent LiNbO3 (CLN) crystal, which suffers from Li deficient To quantitatively display the development trends of LiNbO3 researching field, the Web of Science database was used to track the number of publications between 1997 and 2021. To quantitatively display the development trends of LiNbO3 researching field2 ,ofth16e.
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