Serendipitous growth of single crystals with silicon incorporation

Abstract

The self-flux method for crystal growth is a highly versatile technique which can be used to grow single crystals of congruently melting, incongruently melting, and even metastable phases. However, the growth of a single phase using the self-flux technique can be challenging yet rewarding, especially when one compound in a phase space is considerably more stable than the others. Herein, the synthesis, structure and properties of two competing metal silicide phases, Ru₂₃(Al,Si)₉₇ and CeRu₄(Al,Si)_15.58, and two competing polymorphs of CeAg _y Si _x Ga_{2- x-y} , are discussed to provide an insight into the methods which can be used to target a single phase using the self-flux technique.

Keywords:

• self-flux
• crystal growth
• growth competition
• intermetallics
• aluminium–silicide
• gallium–silicide

Acknowledgements

DPY acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through DMR1005764. JYC acknowledges support from the NSF through DMR0756281 and DMR1063735.