LiNb1-xTaxO3 films prepared by thermal plasma spray CVD

LiNb1-xTaxO3 films with x = 0.3-0.7, epitaxial orientation and good crystal linity were prepared by using thermal plasma spray CVD. Mixtures of metalor ganic solutions containing lithium-niobium and lithium-tantalum alkoxides w ere used as liquid source materials. Preferentially (001)-oriented LiNb1-xT axO3 films were fabricated on sapphire (001) substrates with deposition rat es up to approximately 6 nm/s, which was approximately 100 times as fast as those of most conventional vapor phase deposition methods. LiNb1-xTaxO3 fi lms with x = 0.5 achieved a (006) rocking curve full-width at half-maximum value of 0.15-0.20 degrees, which is comparable with those of LiNbO3 and Li TaO3 films grown by other conventional deposition techniques. This is the f irst success in preparing LiNb1-xTaxO3 films with x > 0.33, good crystallin ity and high (001) orientation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. Ah rights re served.