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.