Annealing Effects for Ca₃NbGa₃Si₂O₁₄Piezoelectric Single Crystals Grown by Micro-Pulling-Down Method

The langasite-type Ca3NbGa3Si2O14 [CNGS] piezoelectric crystals grown in Air and Ar were annealed under various temperatures and atmospheres and the effects of annealing on various properties were investigated. The absorption peaks around 360 and 500 nm of CNGS crystals grown in Air decreased by the annealing at 1300°C in Ar. On the other hand, the annealing at 1300°C in Air decreased transmittance in the range from 300 to 500 nm for the CNGS crystal grown in Ar. The results suggest that the absorptions around 350 and 500 nm originate from the excess oxygen and the post-annealing can control the oxygen content in the crystals.