High-pressure crystal growth furnace

The group applies a unique high-pressure traveling-solvent floating-zone furnace. The device offers growth conditions particularly devoted to Li-based single crystals where volatilization of Li is a major problem but may be suppressed by high external gas pressure. The device at U Heidelberg is the first which has been commercially delivered to academic research world-wide.

Relevant parameters of the high-pressure furnace

• Ar and O2 pressure up to 150 bar
• high pressure argon purification
• controlled gas flow
• oxygen-tight sealings
• pressure range down to 0.1 mbar
• in-situ temperature control
• growth speed 0.01 - 2000 mm/h
• rotation speed 0-150 rpm
• arc lamps 5 and 7 kW
• temperatures up to >2700 °C

The device has been funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within SPP 1473 WeNDeLIB (KL 1824/5-1)   

Selected publications on single crystal growth (2010 - )