Abstract
Bismuth tungstate, Bi2W06 (BWO), mono-domain crystals were grown by a slow cooling method using L2B4O7 as a flux below the Curie temperature of 940°C. The growth conditions, which produced the maximum thickness, were investigated by a solidification technique based on the changing volumes of the starting material solution. We obtained plate-like crystals with sizes up to 1.0 mm thick. The relationship between the crystallographic abc and rectangular XYZ axes in the BWO crystals was clarified using etch pit observations and static piezoelectric measurements. According to the relationship, when the +Z axis was chosen such that the piezoelectric constant d33 is positive, it was found that both d31 and d32 are negative. The dielectric constant, epsilon iJ/ epsilon 0, of the BWO crystal was 70-100 at room temperature.
