Nanocomposite-seeded epitaxial growth of single-domain lithium niobate thin films for surface acoustic wave devices
A method for making LNO film, including the steps of identifying a substrate, identifying a deposition target, placing the substrate and deposition target in a deposition environment, evolving target material into the deposition environment, and depositing evolved target material onto the substrate to yield an LNO film. The deposition environment defines a temperature of between 500 degrees Celsius and 750 degrees Celsius and a pressure of about 10 −6 Torr. A seed or buffer layer may be first deposited onto the substrate, wherein the seed layer is about 30 mole percent gold and about 70 LiNbO 3 .
1 . A LNO film, comprising:
a single crystal-like LNO film;
a substrate; and
a seed layer between the substrate and the single crystal-like LNO film;
wherein the single crystal-like LNO film has a single domain;
wherein the single crystal-like LNO film is between 100 nm and 5 μm thick; and
wherein the single crystal-like LNO film is at least 80 cm 2 in area;
wherein the seed layer is 70 mole percent LiNbO 3 and 30 mole percent metal;
wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Ni, Co, Cu, and combinations thereof.
2 . The LNO film of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a c-cut Al 2 O 3 substrate.
3 . The LNO film of claim 2 wherein the seed layer is between 10 nm and 50 nm thick.
4 . The LNO film of claim 2 wherein the seed layer is between 10 nm and 30 nm thick.
5 . The LNO film of claim 1 wherein the single crystal-like LNO film is free of twinning.
6 . The LNO film of claim 1 wherein the single crystal-like LNO film is between 100 nm and 150 nm thick.
7 . A LNO film, comprising:
a single domain LNO film;
a substrate; and
a seed layer between the substrate and the single domain LNO film;
wherein the seed layer is 70 mole percent LiNbO 3 and 30 mole percent Au;
wherein the seed layer is between 10 nm and 50 nm thick.
8 . The LNO film of claim 7 , wherein the single domain LNO film is untwinned.
9 . The LNO film of claim 7 , wherein the substrate is one of c-plane Al 2 O 3 , LiTaO 3 , LTO, LNO, and SiO.
10 . The LNO film of claim 7 , wherein the seed layer is between 10 nm and 30 nm thick.
11 . The LNO film of claim 7 , wherein the single domain LNO film is at least 80 cm 2 in area.
12 . The LNO film of claim 7 , wherein the LNO film has three-fold symmetry.
13 . A LNO film, comprising:
a single crystal-like LNO film;
a substrate; and
a seed layer between the substrate and the single crystal-like LNO film;
wherein the single crystal-like LNO film has a single domain;
wherein the single crystal-like LNO film is between 100 nm and 5 μm thick;
wherein the seed layer comprises LiNbO 3 and a metal selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Ni, Co, Cu, and combinations thereof.