Growth of Epitaxial KNbO3 Thin Films

KNbO3 possesses high nonlinear optical coefficients making it a promising material for frequency conversion of infrared light into the visible wavelength range using integrated optical devices. While epitaxial thin films of KNbO3 have previously been grown using ion beam sputtering, defects (i.e. grain boundaries, domains, surface roughness) in these films resulted in high optical losses and no measurable in-plane birefringence. Previous films were grown on MgO substrates, which have a >4% lattice mismatch with KNbO3. In the work reported here, we have grown films on MgO, MgA12O4, NdGaO3, and KTaO3 to investigate the role of lattice mismatch on the resulting film quality. Films have also been grown with and without oxygen ion assistance. The orientations, morphologies, and defects in the films were examined using x-ray diffraction and AFM to determine their relationships to the growth conditions and substrate lattice mismatch.