GROWTH UNITS AND MORPHOLOGY OF LITHIUM TRIBORATE (LBO) CRYSTALS

This paper studies the relationship between the growth rate of lithium triborate (LBO) crystals and the growth-solution supersaturation usin g a weighing method and an infrared spectral technique for determining the anion structures found in the growth solution. The growth mechani sms of the (100), (010), (001) and (011) faces and the habit of the cr ystal can be explained from the view point of the growth unit having t he same coordination polyhedron structure as the anion groups in the c rystal lattice.