AUTOSTOICHIOMETRIC VAPOR-DEPOSITION .2. EXPERIMENT

An autostoichiometric vapor deposition method is implemented to achieve deposition of stoichiometric LiTaO3 using LiTa(OBut(n))(6) precursor. Precisely stoichiometric LiTaO3 can be grown by this method. A simple- low pressure reactor is used to facilitate the autostoichiometric vapor deposition through hydrolysis polycondensation of double alkoxides in the vapor phase. Typical deposition and annealing conditions are described, X-ray diffraction, SEM, and compositional analyses are performed on the films grown on fused silica, Pt, (100) sapphire, and LiNbO3(001). Rocking curve measurements indicated excellent epitaxial growth of LiTaO3 on (100) sapphire. Compositional analysis by measurement of lattice parameters confirmed that the present method can produce high quality stoichiometric LiTaO3. The nonstoichiometry factor for LiTa(OBut(n))(6) is negligible. Mass spectrometric study of the precursor compound LiTa(OBut(n))(6) suggests that the volatile species is Li2Ta2(OBut(n))(12)