EFFECTS OF SEED ORIENTATION ON THE TOP-SEEDED SOLUTION GROWTH OF KTIOPO4 SINGLE-CRYSTALS

KTiOPO4 crystals were grown from 3K(2)WO(4).P2O5 and K6P4O13 fluxes by the top-seeded solution growth technique. Observations of growth habit and X-ray topography were performed to investigate the effects of seed orientation on the crystal growth of KTP. Growth habits of the KTP crystals were largely affected by the seed orientation in the top-seeded solution growth. In the KTP crystals grown in [010] and [001] seed orientation, the number of habit faces was about half of the crystals grown by the submerged-seeded solution growth technique. When the K6P4O13 flux was used, crystals grown in [010] seed orientation exhibited smaller capping region and lower dislocation density than the crystals grown in [001] seed orientation under the same growth conditions. The way to grow a KTP crystal which has less dislocation density and growth sector boundaries is proposed.