Lithium tantalate single crystal growth from a platinum-rhodium crucible in an inert gas, nitrogen or reducing gas atmosphere
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a single crystal of lithium tantalate by bringing a seed crystal of lithium tantalate into contact with a melt consisting essentially of lithium tantalate in a crucible and pulling the molten mass containing said seed crystal out of the crucible to form said single crystal, the improvement comprising forming a single crystal from said melt in said crucible, said crucible consisting essentially of a platinum-rhodium alloy containing between 20 and 40% by weight rhodium, in an atmosphere selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, reducing gas, inert gas, and mixtures thereof, supplied at a flow rate between 0.1 and 10 liters per minute, to form a lithium tantalate single crystal containing between 5 and 30 ppm by weight rhodium.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of producing a single crystal of lithium tantalate in a platinum-rhodium crucible containing 20 to 40% by weight of rhodium in an atmosphere of reducing or inert gas.
10 Citations
4 Claims
- 1. A method of manufacturing a single crystal of lithium tantalate by bringing a seed crystal of lithium tantalate into contact with a melt consisting essentially of lithium tantalate in a crucible and pulling the molten mass containing said seed crystal out of the crucible to form said single crystal, the improvement comprising forming a single crystal from said melt in said crucible, said crucible consisting essentially of a platinum-rhodium alloy containing between 20 and 40% by weight rhodium, in an atmosphere selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, reducing gas, inert gas, and mixtures thereof, supplied at a flow rate between 0.1 and 10 liters per minute, to form a lithium tantalate single crystal containing between 5 and 30 ppm by weight rhodium.
Specification