Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Oxide Self-Flux in Optical Floating Zone Crystal Growth of Nickel Niobate (NiNb2O6)

Version 1 : Received: 12 April 2017 / Approved: 13 April 2017 / Online: 13 April 2017 (06:18:11 CEST)

How to cite: Munsie, T.J.S.; Millington, A.; Luke, G.M.; Dabkowska, H.A. Oxide Self-Flux in Optical Floating Zone Crystal Growth of Nickel Niobate (NiNb2O6). Preprints 2017, 2017040073. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201704.0073.v1 Munsie, T.J.S.; Millington, A.; Luke, G.M.; Dabkowska, H.A. Oxide Self-Flux in Optical Floating Zone Crystal Growth of Nickel Niobate (NiNb2O6). Preprints 2017, 2017040073. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201704.0073.v1

Abstract

Growing crystals of nickel niobate (NiNb2O6), we noticed that changing growth conditions allowed our material to enter different areas of the phase diagram. In particular, we found that excess material accumulated within and above the liquid zone. Analysis showed that this was an unincorporated constituent. Changing the ratio of the constituent oxides - an excess of ~4% of either NiO or Nb2O5 gave us the opportunity to investigate changes in zone stability, melting temperature and quality of the resulting crystal. We found that a small excess of nickel oxide decreases the melting temperature significantly, and created the best pseudo-rutile NiNb2O6 crystal studied, while higher amounts of niobium oxide allowed us to stabilize the NiNb2O6 columbite phase. This research reinforces the idea that self-flux as a travelling solvent can significantly impact crystal growth parameters and quality.

Keywords

optical floating zone; self flux; crystal growth; oxide growth

Subject

Physical Sciences, Condensed Matter Physics

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