Growth of Yttrium Iron Garnet on a Seed from a Molten Salt Solution

Abstract

Yttrium iron garnet has been crystallized on a seed crystal from molten BaO−xB2O3, where x is 0.61. Two methods were used: (1) slow cooling of a melt in which a rapidly rotating seed was suspended, and (2) growth in a temperature gradient where excess yttrium iron garnet was maintained in a hotter part of the system, and a rapidly rotating seed was suspended in a cooler region. The geometry of the furnace, crucible, baffle, stirrer, and circulator system required to produce controlled growth in each of these systems is described, and the nature of the rate limiting step in each of the systems is discussed. The dependence of growth rate in the [110] direction on stirring rate, cooling rate, and solvent weight is presented. Good quality growth with rates as high as 50–75 mil/day was achieved in favorable cases.