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Experimental parameters during optical floating zone crystal growth of rare earth silicides

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Abstract

Optical floating zone (FZ) crystal growth involving growth stability and as-grown crystal perfection is affected by experimental conditions and the specific material. Referring to rare earth silicides, high purity of raw rare earth elements and ambient argon atmosphere are crucial to grow high-quality crystals; the maximum zone height is determined by equating the capillary forces of the surface tension; and asymmetric counter rotation of crystal and feed rod with convex (toward the melt) interfaces are favored to reach single crystals. Influences of several other growth parameters were also discussed in detail in this paper.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51301021), the Special Fund for Basic Scientific Research of Central Colleges (No. 2013G1311051), and the Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing in Northwestern Polytechnical University (No. SKLSP201302).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710064, China

    Yi-Ku Xu, Yong-Nan Chen & Ya-Jie Guo

  2. State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, 710072, China

    Lin Liu & Jun Zhang

  3. Institute for Solid State Research, Leibniz-Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, 01069, Dresden, Germany

    Wolfgang Löser

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  1. Yi-Ku Xu
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  2. Yong-Nan Chen
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  3. Ya-Jie Guo
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  4. Lin Liu
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  5. Jun Zhang
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  6. Wolfgang Löser
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Correspondence to Yi-Ku Xu.

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Xu, YK., Chen, YN., Guo, YJ. et al. Experimental parameters during optical floating zone crystal growth of rare earth silicides. Rare Met. 33, 343–347 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-014-0231-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-014-0231-5

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