Open AccessThe growth of Nd:CaWO4 single crystals
Author(s) -
A. Golubović,
S. Nikolić,
Radoš Gajić,
Stevan W. Djurić,
Andreja Valčić
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of the serbian chemical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.227
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1820-7421
pISSN - 0352-5139
DOI - 10.2298/jsc0312001g
Subject(s) - materials science , crystal growth , polishing , analytical chemistry (journal) , powder diffraction , crystallography , chemistry , metallurgy , chromatography
CaWO4 doped with 0.8 % at. Nd (Nd:CaWO4) single crystals were grown from the melt in air by the Czochralski technique. The critical diameter dc = 1.0 cm and the critical rate of rotation ?c = 30 rpm were calculated from hydrodynamic equations for buoyancy-driven and forced convection. The rate of crystal growth was experimentally obtained to be 6.7 mm/h. For chemical polishing, a solution of 1 part saturated chromic acid (CrO3 in water) and 3 parts conc. H3PO4 (85 %) at 433 K with an exposure time of 2 h was found to be adequate. A mixture of 1 part concentrated HF and 2 parts chromic acid at room temperature after exposure for 30 min was found to be a suitable etching solution. The lattice parameters a = 0.52404 (6) nm, c = 1.1362 (6) nm and V0 = 0.312 (2) nm3 were determined by X-ray powder diffraction. The obtained results are discussed and compared with published data.