Investigation of the cluster formation in lithium niobate crystals by computer modeling method

Abstract

The processes occurring upon the formation of energetically equilibrium oxygen-octahedral clusters in the ferroelectric phase of a stoichiometric lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) crystal have been investigated by the computer modeling method within the semiclassical atomistic model. An energetically favorable cluster size (at which a structure similar to that of a congruent crystal is organized) is shown to exist. A stoichiometric cluster cannot exist because of the electroneutrality loss. The most energetically favorable cluster is that with a Li/Nb ratio of about 0.945, a value close to the lithium-to-niobium ratio for a congruent crystal.