Large single crystals of Ca(Cu1-xZnx)(2)O-3 (X = 0, 0.035, 0.07, 0.14) have been grown by the traveling solvent floating zone (TSFZ) method. Appropriate growth atmosphere (5 bar oxygen) and CuO-poor starting composition to form solvent are found to be Crucially important for successful crystal growth. Lower Zn content (x = 0.035, 0.07) promotes the phase formation and stability of the melt zone during the growth. Grown crystals were characterized by polarized optical microscopy, energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TGDTA). Lane back -scatteri it g photography, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.