Trans Tech Publications, Defect and Diffusion Forum, (363), p. 62-67, 2015
DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/ddf.363.62
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The diffusion of lithium in amorphous lithium niobate layers is studied as a function of temperature between 293 and 423 K. About 800 nm thick amorphous7LiNbO3layers were deposited on sapphire substrates by ion-beam sputtering. As a tracer source about 20 nm thin6LiNbO3layers were sputtered on top. Isotope depth profile analysis is done by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Compared are amorphous samples which show a ratio of Li : Nb < 1 (Li-poor) and of Li : Nb > 1 (Li-rich) close to the stoichiometric composition of Li : Nb = 1 for crystalline LiNbO3. The results reveal that the diffusivities of both types of samples obey the Arrhenius law with an activation enthalpy of 0.70 eV and 0.83 eV, respectively. The diffusivities of the sample containing a higher amount of Li are lower by a factor of about two to ten. This demonstrates that variation of the Li content in amorphous samples over the stability range of the crystalline LiNbO3phase has only a modest influence on diffusivities and activation enthalpies.