Lithium diffusion in congruent LiNbO3 single crystals at low temperatures probed by neutron reflectometry

Abstract

The self-diffusion of lithium in congruent LiNbO3 single crystals was investigated at low temperatures between 379 and 523 K by neutron reflectometry. From measurements on 6LiNbO3 (amorphous film)/natLiNbO3 (single crystal) samples, Li self-diffusivities were determined in single crystals down to extremely low values of 1 × 10-25 m2 s-1 on small length scales of 1-10 nm. The measured diffusivities are in excellent agreement with (extrapolated) literature data obtained by experiments based on Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and Impedance Spectroscopy. The tracer diffusivities can be described by a single Arrhenius line over ten orders of magnitude with an activation enthalpy of 1.33 eV, which corresponds to the migration energy of a single Li vacancy. A deviation from the Arrhenius behaviour at low temperatures, e.g., due to defect cluster formation is not observed. © 2014 the Owner Societies.