Chemical etching of (100) and (110) faces of flux-grown LaBO3 crystals

Experiments on the etching of (100) and (110) faces of LaBO3 crystal surfaces are offered. The results reveal HNO3 to be a dislocation etchant for both LaBO3 crystal faces. It is shown that the shape of the etch pits due to HNO3 is different for different habit faces. The dependence of the etch rates for (100) and (110) faces (lateral as well as vertical) on the concentrations and temperature of the etchant, are described and discussed. It is shown that the faces resist attack of the etchant in the direction of the normal to the surface after 2 h of etching irrespective of the concentration of the etchant used at different temperatures. It is further shown that till the time the passivity sets in, the variation of depth with etching time is linear in all the cases.