Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol.483, 9-15, 2018
Solid state single crystal growth of three-dimensional faceted LaFeAsO crystals
Solid state single crystal growth (SSCG) is a crystal growth technique where crystals are grown from a polycrystalline matrix. Here, we present single crystals of the iron pnictide LaFeAsO grown via SSCG using NaAs as a liquid phase to aid crystallization. The size of the as-grown crystals are up to 2 x 3 x 0.4 mm(3). Typical for this method, but very uncommon for crystals of the pnictide superconductors and especially for the oxypnictides, the crystals show pronounced facets caused by considerable growth in c direction. The crystals were characterized regarding their composition, structure, magnetic, and thermodynamic properties. This sets the stage for further measurements for which single crystals are crucial such as any c axis and reciprocal space dependent measurements. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:X-ray diffraction;Single crystal growth;Inorganic compounds;Oxide superconducting materials