Lithium Tantalate (LiTaO₃) Substrates
SAW-grade LiTaO₃ wafers in <strong>4″ (100mm)</strong> and <strong>6″ (150mm)</strong>, offered with crystal cuts optimized for acoustic wave performance. The <strong>42° Y-X</strong> cut is widely used in 5G SAW/BAW filters with <strong>k² ≈ 5.5%</strong> coupling and low TCF, while LiTaO₃ also supports <strong>pyroelectric sensors</strong> using its strong pyroelectric coefficient.
Product Overview
GINECHIP provides Lithium Tantalate (LiTaO₃) wafers in congruent and stoichiometric grades, available with single-domain poled structure for high-performance electromechanical devices. Substrates are offered in 4″ (100mm) and 6″ (150mm) diameters with CLT/SLT and MgO-doped material options to match diverse design requirements.
Designed for reliable coated-wafer processing, our LiTaO₃ substrates feature SSP and DSP surface quality with Ra < 0.5nm. Thickness is controlled at 250μm–500μm, and each wafer ships in vacuum-sealed Class 100 packaging to minimize contamination and protect surface integrity during handling and deposition.
42° Y-X SAW-grade cuts for 5G RF front-ends: <strong>k² ≈ 5.5%</strong> coupling and TCF ~ <strong>-35 ppm/°C</strong> for stable filter performance.
Crystal Cuts & SAW Performance
The 42° Y-X cut is the industry standard for SAW filters. It delivers high coupling with k² ≈ 5.5%, robust acoustic performance with SAW velocity 3,900–4,200 m/s, and low temperature sensitivity (TCF 42° Y-X ~ -35 ppm/°C) for reliable RF frequency stability.
We also offer X/Y/Z and additional SAW-oriented cuts including 36° Y-X and 48° Y-X to support different device requirements. For temperature-compensated TC-SAW solutions, a SiO₂ overcoat can be used to enhance stability for base station filters and multiplexers.
Material Grades & Pyroelectric Properties
LiTaO₃ wafers are available in congruent and stoichiometric grades, with an MgO-doped option for tailored material behavior. All wafers are provided with single-domain poling to support consistent device performance across the wafer.
LiTaO₃’s pyroelectric coefficient of 2.3 × 10⁻⁸ C/cm²·K and low dielectric constant ε = 41–43 make it well-suited for room-temperature IR detectors, PIR motion sensing, and NDIR gas analysis. Its optical indices at 633nm (nₒ = 2.176, nₑ = 2.180) and broad Transmission 350nm–5,500nm support nonlinear optics applications such as PPLT.
TC-SAW & Temperature-Compensated Solutions
For temperature-critical 5G base station filters, TC-SAW structures add a SiO₂ overcoat that reduces TCF to near zero (±5 ppm/°C), keeping filters stable from -40°C to +85°C without active compensation. Combined with the high coupling of the 42° Y-X cut, our LiTaO₃ substrates support high-linearity, high-power RF front-end designs.
Lithium Tantalate (LiTaO₃)
LiTaO₃ excels with a temperature-stable 42° Y-X cut for 5G SAW filters, where TCF ~ -35 ppm/°C maintains filter performance across temperature. It also offers a strong pyroelectric response (2.3 × 10⁻⁸ C/cm²·K) for IR sensing. Best for temperature-critical SAW and pyroelectric sensors.
Lithium Niobate (LiNbO₃)
LiNbO₃ offers the highest electro-optic coefficient r₃₃ = 30.8 pm/V, ideal for modulators, plus strong nonlinearity for efficient PPLN frequency conversion and high SAW coupling k² = 5.5% at 128° Y-X. Best for electro-optics, nonlinear optics, and high-performance SAW.
Customization & Ordering Options
Customization includes material grade (CLT/SLT/MgO-doped), crystal cuts and orientations (X/Y/Z, 36° Y-X, 42° Y-X, 48° Y-X), substrate thickness (250μm–500μm), and diameter (4″ (100mm), 6″ (150mm)) to match your device design. Single-domain poled substrates are available for consistent pyroelectric and acoustic performance.
Quality and delivery are backed by per-lot verification: X-ray rocking curve (XRC), SAW velocity and coupling measurement, TCF characterization from -40°C to +85°C, pyroelectric coefficient measurement, AFM surface roughness (Ra < 0.5nm), Curie temperature dielectric anomaly, domain etching inspection, and optical spectrophotometry (350nm–5,500nm). Wafers ship vacuum-sealed under Class 100 conditions.
LiNbO₃ vs LiTaO₃: Key Differences
Choosing between LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ depends on your target application. LiNbO₃ is the better fit for electro-optics, nonlinear frequency conversion (PPLN), and high-coupling SAW devices. LiTaO₃ is preferred where temperature stability matters most, such as 5G SAW/BAW filters, and for pyroelectric sensing. Both materials are available from GINECHIP.
LiTaO₃ offers a lower birefringence (nₑ - nₒ ≈ 0.004 vs 0.08 for LiNbO₃), which enables phase-matching geometries that are not possible in LiNbO₃, including UV generation via SHG (e.g., 355nm from 710nm) and THz-wave generation by difference-frequency mixing. Its higher acoustic velocity and lower TCF also make it the substrate of choice for temperature-compensated RF filters.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification / Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Congruent LiTaO₃ (CLT), Stoichiometric LiTaO₃ (SLT), MgO-doped |
| Diameter | 4″ (100mm), 6″ (150mm) |
| Crystal Orientation | X-cut, Y-cut, Z-cut, 36° Y-X, 42° Y-X (SAW), 48° Y-X |
| Thickness | 250μm–500μm standard |
| Surface Polish | SSP, DSP, Ra < 0.5nm |
| SAW Velocity | 3,900–4,200 m/s (varies with cut) |
| TCF (Temperature Coefficient of Frequency) | 42° Y-X: ~ -35 ppm/°C |
| Pyroelectric Coefficient | 2.3 × 10⁻⁸ C/cm²·K |
| Curie Temperature | 610°C |
| Refractive Index | nₒ = 2.176, nₑ = 2.180 @ 633nm |
| Optical Transmission | 350nm–5,500nm |
| Dielectric Constant | ε = 41–43 |
| Domain Structure | Single-domain poled |
| Density | 7.46 g/cm³ |
| Packaging | Conductive or standard, vacuum-sealed, Class 100 |
Applications
5G SAW/BAW Filters
LiTaO₃ is the dominant substrate for surface and bulk acoustic wave filters in 5G smartphone RF front-ends. The 42° Y-X cut delivers the optimal combination of high electromechanical coupling (k² ≈ 5.5%), moderate SAW velocity (~4,000 m/s), and lower TCF (-35 ppm/°C compared to -75 ppm/°C for LiNbO₃). Each 5G handset contains 15–30 LiTaO₃-based filters spanning bands from 600 MHz to 2.7 GHz.
Pyroelectric Sensors
LiTaO₃'s high pyroelectric coefficient (2.3 × 10⁻⁸ C/cm²·K) and low dielectric constant (ε = 41–43) make it the material of choice for room-temperature infrared detectors. Pyroelectric LiTaO₃ sensors are used in non-contact thermometry, flame detection, gas analysis (NDIR), motion sensing (PIR), and FTIR spectroscopy detectors — all operating without cryogenic cooling unlike semiconductor IR detectors.
Nonlinear Optical Devices
LiTaO₃'s lower birefringence (nₑ - nₒ ≈ 0.004 vs 0.08 for LiNbO₃) enables phase-matching geometries not possible in LiNbO₃. Periodically poled LiTaO₃ (PPLT) is used for UV generation via SHG (e.g., 355nm from 710nm) where LiNbO₃'s photorefractive damage threshold is insufficient, and for THz-wave generation via difference frequency mixing.
BAW Multiplexers
Solidly mounted resonator (SMR) and film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) BAW devices increasingly use LiTaO₃ thin films for high-frequency multiplexers above 3 GHz. The higher acoustic velocity compared to AlN enables thinner piezoelectric layers at a given frequency, while the temperature-stable 42° Y-X cut minimizes TCF-induced frequency drift in high-power duplexer applications.
5G Base Station Filters
High-power LiTaO₃ SAW and TC-SAW (temperature-compensated SAW) filters handle the demanding linearity and power requirements of 5G NR base station transceivers. TC-SAW structures with SiO₂ overcoat reduce TCF to near zero (±5 ppm/°C), enabling filter operation across the -40°C to +85°C outdoor base station temperature range without active thermal compensation.
SAW Sensor & Lab-on-Chip
The high mass sensitivity of LiTaO₃ SAW devices enables label-free biosensing, chemical vapor detection, and particulate matter monitoring. SAW delay-line and resonator configurations on 36° Y-X LiTaO₃ achieve sub-picogram mass resolution, used in gas chromatography detectors, humidity sensors, and point-of-care diagnostic platforms.
Metrology & Quality Control
Every lot is verified with X-ray rocking curve (FWHM < 30 arcsec), SAW velocity and coupling measurement (3,900–4,200 m/s), TCF characterization (~ -35 ppm/°C), pyroelectric coefficient measurement (2.3 × 10⁻⁸ C/cm²·K), AFM surface roughness (Ra < 0.5nm), Curie temperature dielectric anomaly (610°C), domain etching inspection, and optical spectrophotometry (> 65% transmission, 350nm–5,500nm). This ensures consistent substrate performance for SAW, pyroelectric, and nonlinear optical applications.
Get Started Today
Talk to GINECHIP to source LiTaO₃ substrates matched to your SAW, pyroelectric, or nonlinear optical requirements, with custom cuts, doping, and poling. We support your specs from material selection through verified metrology results.