Advances in High-Temperature Top-seeded Solution Growth

Dear Colleagues,

In the high-temperature top-seeded solution growth (HTTSSG) technique, a crystal seed is placed in contact with the top surface of the high-temperature solution.

The technique originates from the flux method. The top-seeding setup was first developed by Miller in 1957 for growing high quality potassium niobate, KNbO₃, by slow cooling.

Many compounds melt incongruently or congruently but have an excessively high vapor pressure or melting point; others decompose below the melting point or do not crystallize first in the desired modification. In these cases, application of the Czochralski crystal growth technique is not possible, but the HTTSSG method, where crystal growth may be performed at a temperature well below the melting point of the material, can be used.

The HTTSSG technique has undergone great technical development since its first application and has been used for the growth of a wide range of crystal materials such as non-linear-optical materials, high-T_c superconductors, and dielectric materials, particularly ferroelectrics.

In this Special Issue, studies addressing or related to the following topics are welcome: 

• growth of technologically important crystalline materials like titanates, molibdates, vanadates, tungstates, niobates, tantalates, borates, phosphates, and cuprates found in binary, ternary, and quaternary systems;
• investigations into the crystal growth conditions, growth atmosphere, non-facetting growth, proper flux, and seeding process;
• morphological stability, facetting, segregation, growth interfaces, characteristic defects, flux inclusions, and crystallization mechanisms;
• theoretical investigations into temperature and convection control;
• technical developments and the design of novel apparatus.

Dr. Zsuzsanna Szaller
Prof. Dr. Shanpeng Wang
Guest Editors

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• flux growth
• solution growth
• facetting
• non-linear-optical materials
• high-Tc superconductors
• ferroelectrics
• temperature and convection control