Piezoelectric La3Ga5.3Ta0.5Al0.2O14 crystal: growth, crystal structure perfection, piezoelectric, and acoustic properties

A five-component crystal of lanthanum–gallium silicate group La3Ga5.3Ta0.5Al0.2O14 (LGTA) was grown by the Czochralski method. The LGTA crystal possesses unique thermal properties and substitution of Al for Ga in the unit cell leads to a substantial increase of electrical resistance at high temperatures. The unit cell parameters of LGTA were determined by powder diffraction. X-ray topography was used to study the crystal structure perfection: the growth banding normal to the growth axis were visualized. The independent piezoelectric constants d 11 and d 14 were measured by X-ray diffraction in the Bragg and Laue geometries. Excitation and propagation of surface acoustic waves were studied by the double-crystal X-ray diffraction at the BESSY II synchrotron radiation source. The analysis of the diffraction spectra of acoustically modulated crystals permitted the determination of the velocity of acoustic wave propagation and the power flow angles in different acoustic cuts of the LGTA crystal.