High Homogeneity of Magnesium Doped LiNbO3 Crystals Grown by Bridgman Method

A series of LiNbO3 crystals doped with various MgO concentrations (0, 3%, and 5 mol%) was simultaneously grown in one furnace by the modified vertical Bridgman method. The wet chemistry method was used to prepare the polycrystalline powders, and the growth conditions were optimized. The full width at half maximum of high-resolution X-ray rocking curves for (001) reflection of 5 mol% Mg doped lithium niobate (LN) crystal was about 8 '', which meant it possessed high crystalline quality. The OH- absorption spectra shifted to 3534.7 cm(-1), and the UV absorption edge violet shift indicated that 5 mol% MgO successfully doped in LN and exceeded the threshold. The extraordinary refractive index gradient of 5 mol% Mg doped LN crystal was as small as 2.5 x 10(-5)/cm, which exhibited high optical homogeneity.