LiAlO2 (Lithium aluminate) Substrates
Lithium aluminate (LiAlO2) is a crystalline material that is commonly used as a substrate for growing other types of crystals, such as lithium niobate (LiNbO3) or lithium tantalate (LiTaO3). It has a high thermal stability, a high dielectric constant, and a high mechanical hardness, making it an ideal substrate for high-temperature and high-frequency applications.
LiAlO2 is synthesized from high-purity lithium oxide and aluminum oxide powders, and can be grown by a number of methods, including the Czochralski method and the float-zone method. The Czochralski method involves pulling a single crystal from a melt of the material, while the float-zone method involves floating a small piece of the material in a molten bath and then pulling it up to form a crystal.
LiAlO2 is used in a variety of applications, including as a substrate for laser devices, as a base material for thin-film transistors, and as a substrate for piezoelectric and ferroelectric thin films. It is also used as an insulator in microwave and millimeter-wave devices, due to its high dielectric constant and low loss.