Lithium niobate thin films

Joshi V., Roy D., Mecartney M.L. Low temperature synthesis and properties of lithium niobate thin films. Appl. Phys. Lett. 1993 63 1331-1333... 

Remarkably some polymers are ferroelectric. Polyvinylene fluoride, as a thin film (approximately 25 /mi thick) is used in Shockwave experiments to measure stress. The pressure range over which this polymer operates is an order of magnitude larger than that of quartz or lithium niobate. 

All alkoxide routes appear to be limited to obtaining PNM [88a] and lithium or potassium niobate or tantalate [102a]. For the latter, the formulation of the mixed-metal alkoxide MM (OR)6, M = Nb, Ta, is in agreement with that of the material. Epitaxial thin films of LiNbOa on sapphire could be obtained [103]. The use of a mixed-metal MgNb2(OR)i2 species (R = Et [105], C2H40Me [104]) has been shown to promote the formation of the perovskite phase for PNM. 

The power consumption for heating and cooling of samples can be reduced if the temperatures in the device are kept constant in three different regions and the sample is moved between these three regions. This movement can be operated at the surface of a thermostating chip, for example, by electrostatic manipulation or by surface acoustic waves (SAWs). Therefore fluidic transport paths (hydrophilic areas) are defined lithographically in a hydrophobic environment on a piezoactive substrate like lithium niobate. The excitation of SAWs is realized by microlithographically prepared thin-film electrodes. SAW systems are of particular interest... 

As with lithium niobate, the cost of devices based on poljnneric electrooptic modulators is in the packaging rather than in the materials. A Lucent lithium niobate modulator sells for approximately 6000. Pol5uner modulator vendors such as Pacific Wave Industries (Los Angeles, California) are quoting comparable prices. The low material cost is associated with the fact that modulator devices are thin-film... 

Betts, RA. and Pitt C.W. (1985) Growth of thin-film lithium niobate by molecular beam epitaxy. Electron. Lett., 21, 960-962. 

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