Lithium tantalate
2067016
215283067
2008-05-27T14:43:36Z
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{{Chembox new
| Name = Lithium tantalate
| ImageFile =
| ImageName =
| IUPACName = Lithium tantalate
| OtherNames = Lithium Metatantalate
| Section1 = {{Chembox Identifiers
| CASNo = 12031-66-2
| RTECS =
}}
| Section2 = {{Chembox Properties
| Formula = [[Lithium|Li]][[Tantalum|Ta]][[Oxygen|O]]<sub>3</sub>
| MolarMass = ? g/mol
| Appearance =
| Density = 7.46 g/cm³, solid
| Solubility = ?/100 ml (25 °C)
| MeltingPt = 1650 °C (1923 K)
| BoilingPt =
}}
| Section3 = {{Chembox Structure
| Coordination =
| CrystalStruct = [[Trigonal]]
}}
| Section7 = {{Chembox Hazards
| ExternalMSDS =
| MainHazards =
| RSPhrases =
}}
| Section8 = {{Chembox Related
| OtherAnions = [[Lithium niobate|LiNbO<sub>3</sub>]]
| OtherCations =
| Function = [[salt]]s
| OtherFunctn =
}}
}}
{{Wikinews|Tabletop fusion may lead to neutron source}}
'''Lithium tantalate''' (LiTaO<sub>3</sub>), is a crystalline solid which possesses unique [[optical]], [[piezoelectric]] and [[pyroelectric]] properties which make it valuable for non-linear optics, [[passive infrared sensor]]s such as [[motion detector]]s, terahertz generation and detection, [[surface acoustic wave]] applications, cell phones and possibly [[pyroelectric fusion|pyroelectric nuclear fusion]]. Considerable information is available from commercial sources about this crystal.
==Pyroelectric fusion==
According to an April [[2005]] [[Nature (journal)|Nature]] article, Brian Naranjo, Jim Gimzewski and Seth Putterman at [[UCLA]] applied a large temperature difference to a lithium tantalate crystal producing a large enough charge to generate and accelerate a beam of deuterium nuclei into a deuteriated target resulting in the production of a small flux of helium-3 and neutrons through nuclear fusion without extreme heat or pressure. Their results have been replicated.<ref>{{cite_journal | author = B. Naranjo, J.K. Gimzewski and S. Putterman | journal = Nature | title = Observation of nuclear fusion driven by a pyroelectric crystal | url= http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v434/n7037/abs/nature03575.html | issue = 434 |year = 2005 | month = April | pages=1115–1117 | doi = 10.1038/nature03575 | volume = 434 | format = abstract }}</ref>
It is unlikely to be useful for electricity generation since the energy required to produce the fusion reactions exceeded the energy produced by them. It is thought that the technique might be useful for small neutron generators, especially if the deuterium beam is replaced by a tritium one. Comparing this with the [[electrostatic]] containment of [[ionic plasma]] to achieve fusion in a "[[fusor]]" or other [[inertial electrostatic confinement|IEC]], this method focuses electrical acceleration to a much smaller non-ionized [[deuterium]] target without heat.
{{main|Pyroelectric fusion}}
==References==
<references/>
==Further reading==
*[http://www.physicsweb.org/articles/news/9/4/15/1 "Fusion seen in table-top experiment"] Physics Web, 27 April, 2005
[[Category:Lithium compounds]]
[[Category:Tantalates]]
[[Category:Nonlinear optical materials]]
[[Category:Piezoelectric materials]]
[[Category:Crystals]]
[[ja:タンタル酸リチウム]]