Piezoelectric Ca3NbGa3Si2O14 crystal: crystal growth, piezoelectric and acoustic properties

Ca3NbGa3Si2O14 (CNGS), a five-component crystal of lanthanum-gallium silicate group, was grown by the Czochralski method. The parameters of the elementary unit cell of the crystal were measured by powder diffraction. The independent piezoelectric strain coefficients $$d{}₁₁$$ and $$d₁₄$$ were determined by the triple-axis X-ray diffraction in the Bragg and Laue geometries. Excitation and propagation of surface acoustic waves (SAW) were studied by high-resolution X-ray diffraction at BESSY II synchrotron radiation source. The velocity of SAW propagation and power flow angles in the $$Y$$ -, $$X$$ - and $$yxl/{+}36^\circ$$ -cuts of the CNGS crystal were determined from the analysis of the diffraction spectra. The CNGS crystal was found practically isotropic by its acoustic properties.