Water Effect on Proton Exchange of X-cut Lithium Niobate in the Melt of Benzoic Acid

Abstract

The influence of controllable amount of water admixture (up to 0.5 w.%) in benzoic acid on the proton exchange process of X-cut congruent lithium niobate was studied in this paper by means of mode spectroscopy, optical microscopy, optical profilometry, atomic force microscopy, XRD, and chemical etching. It has been determined that addition of 0.5 w.% Н2О to benzoic acid increases proton exchange rate and changes phase composition and number of defects of proton exchanged layer in lithium niobate.