Low-temperature elastic constants and piezoelectric coefficients of langasite (La3Ga5SiO14)

A complete set of elastic constants C _ij and piezoelectric coefficients e _ij of a La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄ (langasite) single crystal was determined from 5.5 to 275.5?K by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Unlike a conventional crystal, the elastic constants C _ij of the langasite crystal showed three types of temperature dependence: (i) monotonic elastic stiffening upon cooling (C ₄₄ and C ₁₄); (ii) monotonic elastic softening (C ₆₆); and (iii) a stiffening-to-softening transition below 150?K (C ₁₁, C ₁₂, C ₁₃ and C ₃₃). In addition, a strong correlation between C ₆₆ and the piezoelectric coefficient e ₁₁ was confirmed. Group theoretical lattice dynamics analysis revealed that the novel phenomena of elastic softening and strong correlation are explained on the basis of two types of optical mode internal displacements which have the totally symmetric A ₁ and doubly degenerated E symmetries in the point group D ₃.     

Growth and characterization of a new langasite‐type single crystal Sr3NbAl1.5Ga1.5Si2O14

Single crystals of Sr₃NbAl_1.5Ga_1.5Si₂O₁₄ (SNAGS) with langasite structure have been successfully grown by Czochralski method. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) verified that the as‐grown crystal was isostructural with A₃BC₃D₂O₁₄ structure and the lattice parameters were calculated as follows: a = 8.242 Å, c = 5.041 Å, V = 296.6 ų. The piezoelectric coefficient d₁₁ was 5.7pC/N, which was 2.47 times of α‐quartz (d₁₁=2.31pC/N). The electric resistivity was up to 3.04×10⁶ Ωcm at 700 °C for X‐cut sample. In addition, the transmission spectrum of the SNAGS crystal showed that it had a high transmittance (>80%) in the range of 350‐800 nm and exceeded 90% above 520 nm. These results suggest that the SNAGS crystals have potential applications in high‐temperature piezoelectric sensors and optical techniques. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The color of langatate crystals and its relationship with composition and optical properties

Langatate crystals grown by the Czochralski method in 〈0001〉 and 〈01 1〉 directions both without subsequent annealing (from colorless to orange crystals) and with vacuum (colorless and pale‐green crystals) and air (orange crystal) annealing have been investigated by neutron diffraction, X‐ray diffraction and optical spectroscopy. The main types of point defects were compared with absorption bands: oxygen vacancies ‐ V_O^•• (0.35‐0.36 µm), the vacancies in the lanthanum position ‐ V_La‴ (0.29‐0.30 µm); the absorption band at 0.48‐0.49 µm is typical for the colored samples. The relationship between the X color coordinate (red component) and the oxygen contents has been obtained. The green color of the sample annealed in vacuum is due to the presence of Ta⁺³ ions in the La(Ta³⁺,Ga)O₃ phase that has the structural and geometric agreement with langatate structure. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Electro‐optic,Piezoelectric and Dielectric Properties of Langasite (La3Ga5SiO14), Langanite (La3Ga5.5Nb0.5O14) and Langataite (La3Ga5.5Ta0.5O14)

Refractive indices were determined of single crystals of La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄ (langasite, LGS), La₃Ga_5.5Nb_0.5O₁₄ (langanite, LGN) and La₃Ga_5.5Ta_0.5O₁₄ (langataite, LGT) in the wavelength region between 0.36 μm and 2.33 μm. While phase‐matched optical second harmonic generation is not possible in LGS it occurs in the isotypic compounds LGN and LGT. Temperature‐dependent examination of the dielectric properties of LGS up to 600 °C showed anomalous behaviour. For all three substances the electro‐optic [r^σ_ijk] (“unclamped”) and the piezoelectric [d_ijk ] tensors were determined at room temperature. In addition, the temperature‐dependence of these properties was studied for LGS between –200 °C and +200 °C by a Jamin interferometer in combination with a modified Sénarmont compensator.     

Oscillating Frequency Response of a Langasite Crystal Microbalance in Liquid Phase

The frequency responses of a langasite crystal microbalance （LCM） in liquid phase were investigated. It was shown that the LCM possessed much stronger oscillating ability in liquid phase than that of the commonly used quartz crystal microbalance （QCM）. The frequency shifts of the LCM to the changes in mass loading, as well as viscosity and density of the liquid were measured. The LCM was applied to monitor the adsorption process of an ionic liquid film to ethanol vapor.     

Angular stability of electric field‐induced effects in crystalline materials

We analyze angular bandwidths of extrema of the indicative surfaces describing spatial anisotropy of piezoelectric (PE) and electrooptic (EO) properties of doped lithium niobate (LiNbO₃:MgO) and langasite (La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄) crystals. A number of highly efficient experimental geometries are suggested, which are promising for PE and EO devices. Our data obtained with both analytical and numerical techniques characterize angular stability of those devices and, in particular, their angular aperture. We show that, besides of a maximal size of the electric field‐induced effects, ‘nondirect crystal cuts’ offer considerably higher angular stability of their characteristics, when compared with that typical for ‘direct crystal cuts’ usually employed in PE and EO devices.     

Lateral field excitation properties of langasite single crystal

In this work, bulk acoustic wave propagation properties of langasite single crystal excited by lateral electric field have been investigated. Three important crystal cuts have been identified for different operational modes of lateral field excitation (LFE) on langasite substrate, namely the (yxl)65o (pure-LFE mode), (yxl)45o (quasi-LFE mode), and (yxl)0o (pseudo-LFE mode). Devices on langasite substrate with the above cuts were fabricated and tested, and the experimental results agree well with the theoretical analysis. It is found that a pure thickness shear mode exists in the (yxl)65o langasite LFE device with the bare side facing liquid, and no spurious mode is found due to its moderately large piezoelectric coupling factor. In addition, (yxl)0o langasite LFE device is also found suitable for liquid phase sensing applications.     

Temperature dependence of lattice parameters of langasite single crystals

To determine the coefficient of thermal expansion of trigonal langasite (La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄) the two independent lattice parameters a and c are measured over a temperature range of 800 °C using X‐ray diffraction on single crystal samples. From the given nonlinear temperature dependence the linear and quadratic thermal coefficients of expansion α₁₁, β₁₁ and α₃₃, β₃₃ for the two lattice parameters a and c could be deduced. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)