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The Growth of Optical Quality LiNbo3 Thin Films On Sapphire and LiTao3 Substrates Using Solid-Source Mocvd

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

S. Y. Lee ,
R. K. Route  and
R. S. Feigelson
S. Y. Lee
Affiliation:
Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, CA 94305-2205
R. K. Route
Affiliation:
Center for Materials Research, Stanford University, CA 94305-4045
R. S. Feigelson
Affiliation:
Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, CA 94305-2205
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Abstract

High quality lithium niobate (LiNbO3) epitaxial thin films have been grown on c-plane sapphire and LiTaO3 substrates by solid-source MOCVD using the tetramethyl-heptanedionate sources, Li(thd) and Nb(thd)4. Phase content was controllable, and stoichiometric films were reproducibly deposited over a broad temperature range from a Li(thd)-rich source. Using sapphire substrates, with which the occurrence of multiple in-plane orientations is typically a problem, LiNbO3 films with only one in-plane orientation could be prepared within a narrow range of growth conditions. XRD rocking curve FWHM values as low as 0.04°, and optical waveguiding losses near 2dB/cm (1200Å thick film, TMo mode, 632.8nm) were obtained. However, film thicknesses on sapphire were limited to 2000Å because of cracking caused by the large thermal expansion mismatch, and in such thin films, optical confinement is poor.

In contrast, LiTaO3 has almost same lattice constants and thermal expansion coefficients as LiNbO3, making it a potentially superior substrate material. Lithium niobate films up to 6000Å were successfully deposited on LiTaO3 substrates without cracking. Film quality was greatly improved, with FWHM values as low as 0.01°, and rms surface roughness less than 10 Å. Preliminary optical waveguiding losses less than 6 dB/cm for the TEo mode have been achieved.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 392: Symposium U – Thin Films for Integrated Optics Applications , 1995 , 177
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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