Advanced piezoelectric crystal Ca3TaGa3Si2O14: growth, crystal structure perfection, and acoustic properties

A five-component crystal of the lanthanum-gallium silicate family Ca3TaGa3Si2O14 (CTGS) was grown by the Czochralski method. The CTGS crystal, like the langasite crystal (La3Ga5SiO14, LGS), possesses unique temperature properties and the fewer number of the Ga atoms in the unit cell makes the density much lower and, consequently, increases the velocity of acoustic wave propagation. The unit-cell parameters were determined by the powder diffraction technique. The defects in the CTGS crystal structure were studied by X-ray topography, which enables the visualization of growth banding characteristics of crystals grown by the Czochralski method. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) propagation in the CTGS crystal was investigated by the high-resolution X-ray diffraction method on the BESSY II synchrotron radiation source. The velocities of propagation and power flow angles of SAWs in the Y- and X-cuts of the CTGS crystal were determined from the X-ray diffraction spectra.