Hydrothermal crystal growth of the potassium niobate and potassium tantalate family of crystals

Single crystals of KNbO₃ (KN), KTaO₃ (KT), and KTa_1−xNb_xO₃ (x=0.44, KTN) have been prepared by hydrothermal synthesis in highly concentrated KOH mineralizer solutions. The traditional problems of inhomogeneity, non-stoichiometry, crystal striations and crystal cracking resulting from phase transitions associated with this family compounds are minimized by the hydrothermal crystal growth technique. Crystals of good optical quality with only minor amounts of metal ion reduction can be grown this way. Reactions were also designed to provide homogeneous distribution of tantalum and niobium metal centers throughout the KTN crystal lattice to maximize its electro-optic properties. Synthesis was performed at relatively low (500-660 °C) temperatures in comparison to the flux and Czochralski techniques. This work represents the largest crystals of this family of compounds grown by hydrothermal methods to date.