The Electronic Structure and Secondary Pyroelectric Properties of Lithium Tetraborate

Authors

• Volodymyr T. Adamiv, Institute of Physical OpticsFollow
• Yaroslav V. Burak, Institute of Physical OpticsFollow
• David J. Wooten, Air Force Institute of TechnologyFollow
• John McClory, Air Force Institute of TechnologyFollow
• James Petrosky, Air Force Institute of TechnologyFollow
• Ihor Ketsman, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
• Jie Xiao, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
• Yaroslav B. Losovyj, Louisiana State University at Baton RougeFollow
• Peter A. Dowben, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2010

Citation

Materials 2010, 3, 4550-4579

Comments

© 2010 by the authors

Open access

doi:10.3390/ma3094550

Abstract

We review the pyroelectric properties and electronic structure of Li₂B₄O₇(110) and Li₂B₄O₇(100) surfaces. There is evidence for a pyroelectric current along the [110] direction of stoichiometric Li₂B₄O₇ so that the pyroelectric coefficient is nonzero but roughly 103 smaller than along the [001] direction of spontaneous polarization. Abrupt decreases in the pyroelectric coefficient along the [110] direction can be correlated with anomalies in the elastic stiffness C_33^D contributing to the concept that the pyroelectric coefficient is not simply a vector but has qualities of a tensor, as expected. The time dependent surface photovoltaic charging suggests that surface charging is dependent on crystal orientation and doping, as well as temperature.