Ti Compound Formation During Ti Diffusion in LiNbO3

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), backscattering spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction were used to study the initial steps of Ti diffusion into both Y-cut and Z-cut LiNbO3 substrates annealed in dry 02 atmosphere. The Ti oxidation process observed at intermediate temperatures (300°C-500°C) is followed at higher temperature treatments (950°C, 30-60 min) by an epitaxial growth of the (TixNb l_x)O2 phase, which behaves as a source for Ti diffusion ´and consequently is consumed for longer annealing times (950°C, 20 h). For this compound an x value of 0.60 + 0.05 was obtained from experimental results.