On growth and morphological studies of TGS single crystals

The effect of various growth parameters; seed morphology, growth-temperature and pH of the mother solution on the growth of TGS single crystals is studied. The effect of these variables on the crystal morphology and perfection is reported. It is shown that; (i) The crystal quality is much dependent on the seed and the growth temperature and (ii) the pH-control is a simple and an effective method for obtaining TGS crystals of required morphology.     

Domain structure and dielectric properties of TGS and DTGS single crystals depending on growth conditions

The influence of growth temperature and supersaturation of solution on domain structure and dielectric properties of TGS and DTGS single crystals was investigated. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of domain structures was carried out. The optimal growth conditions were found. It proves to be useful to arrange the measured values in table where lines correspond to growth temperatures and columns – to supersaturations for investigation of optimal growth conditions. The diagonal of extremal values exists in this table. The existence of optimal growth conditions explains in terms of interaction between domain and defect structures.     

Growth of thiourea-doped TGS crystals and their characterisation

Thiourea-doped Triglycine sulphate (ThTGS) crystal with three different concentrations of thiourea was grown from aqueous solution by slow cooling technique. The cell parameters were determined from powder X-ray diffraction analysis. A qualitative analysis of the presence of thiourea in doped crystals was estimated by FTIR analysis. Microhardness studies were carried out using Leitz Weitzler hardness tester at room temperature. Dielectric properties of the crystals were studied which showed a shift in the T_c when compared to pure TGS crystal. Pyroelectric studies were carried out and the pyroelectric coefficient was found. Piezoelectric studies (d₃₃ coefficient) has also been carried out.     

Growing lysozyme crystals under various physicochemical conditions: Computer modelling

A computer model of the growth of lysozyme crystals under a variety of physicochemical conditions is proposed. The growth unit was composed of the protein in its HP (hydrophobic–hydrophilic) coarse-grained cubic representation. The growth of the crystal was driven by hydrophobic structural interactions between incoming growth units and the surface of the crystal. The energies of HH, HP and PP interactions were taken from the well-known HP model and modified within the limits of the Miyazawa–Jernigan matrix describing interactions between amino acids in proteins. Suitably chosen energy values of HH, HP and PP interactions can mimic various physicochemical conditions of the system in which the crystal can grow. Some combinations of energy values have produced different crystal forms: a physical fact confirmed by experiment.     

GaN single crystals of different habit grown from solution at near atmospheric pressure

Near atmospheric pressure solution growth is one of the many developing methods for growing bulk GaN from solution. Apart from other approaches, this method holds certain advantages, such as relatively low growth pressure and temperature, and the ability to grow high quality GaN crystals with different orientations by varying the solvent composition. GaN whiskers of millimeter scale size with exceptional mechanical and optical properties were grown from solution. Crystals of near isotropic shape were also grown from solution by manipulating additives in the basic solvent.     

Growth of large single crystals of stearic acid from solution

The growing of large single crystals of stearic acid (CH₃(CH₂)₁₆COOH), one of the saturated fatty acids, from organic solutions is reported. There are two parts in this experimental investigation; (1) to clarify the relationship between polymorphism of stearic acid having three modifications, namely, the A-form (orthorhombic), the B- and C-forms (monoclinic) and the growth conditions in the case of solution growth, because this complicated relationship has apparently made it very difficult to obtain large single crystals, (2) to produce large single crystals of stearic acid under the optimum growth conditions according to part (1). As a result large single crystals of stearic acid more than 8 × 8 mm² in area of the B- and C-modifications were successfully obtained. The values of long spacing, the crystal habit and the cleavage plane are also reported.     

Growth of magnetic garnet single crystals from high temperature solution

A review is given to show the development of growth techniques for single crystals for the incongruently melting yttrium iron garnet. As a result of this world-wide development a technique is described in some detail which allows well controlled nucleation and growth using a high temperature solution.     

Spontaneous growth of single crystals of various shapes in tin-fullerite films

Changes in the structure and elemental and phase compositions of tin-fullerite films after their storage in air are investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray spectroscopic microanalysis, and Auger electron spectroscopy. Formation of the new phase Sn_xC₆₀, whisker tin and Sn_xC₆₀ crystals, and petal and flowerlike fullerite crystals under the action of internal stress is established.     

A contribution to the study of the influence of impurities on the growth and some physical properties of TGS single crystals

Single crystals of TGS doped with Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ have been prepared under identical conditions by the method of temperature decrease (below the phase transition point). Presentation of the influence of impurities on the development of individual crystal faces is based on goniometric measurements. The influence of impurities on the domain structure of TGS is documented by microphotographs of domain structures and by investigation of the variation with time of the average domain width. It is shown that the distribution of impurities (between the liquid and solid phases) is approximately proportional to the concentrations of metal glycino chelates in the solution. From the results concerning the influence of impurities on various physical properties follows that the degree to which the properties are affected depends not only on the impurity concentration but also on the specific intensity of their action which is due to variations in the binding forces in the structure of TGS.     

Dielectric,piezoelectric, elastic properties and internal friction of TGSe crystals with large unipolarity

In this work we have studied influence of temperature and external electric field on dielectric, elastic, piezoelectric properties and internal friction of D, L-α-alanine doped triglycine selenate crystals. Experimental result analysis allows to conclude that ferroelectric materials with stable physical properties may be created on doping crystals foundation.     

Refractometry of TGS crystals doped with L-threonine impurity under uniaxial pressure

The temperature and spectral dependences of the refractive indices of triglycine sulphate (TGS) crystals doped with L-threonine impurity have been investigated. It is established that the introduction of an impurity weakens the temperature dependence of refractive indices. The electronic polarizability, refractions, and parameters of UV oscillators of mechanically deformed impurity crystals are calculated. The temperature coefficients of the phase transition shift are determined.     

Effect of indium intercalation on various properties of MoSe2 single crystals

Indium intercalated MoSe₂ single crystals i.e. In_xMoSe₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) are grown by direct vapour transport technique. These crystals are structurally characterized by X‐ray diffraction, by determining their lattice parameters ‘a’ and ‘c’ and X‐ray density. The Hall effect and thermoelectric power measurements shows that In_xMoSe₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) are p‐type in nature. The direct and indirect band gap measurements are also undertaken on these semiconducting materials. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Criterion for identification of ferroelectric domains in TGS crystals from AFM images

Criteria for identification of actual (dynamic) domains and morphologically similar domain “memory” regions are proposed based on the study of various types of contrast of topographic atomic-force microscopy images of lenslike regions on the polar surface of TGS crystals. Inaccuracy in identification may result in further errors in estimating the parameters of the domain structure. The images of ferroelectric domains in the spreading-resistance mode that indicate directly the presence of conductive properties of the domain walls have been obtained for the first time.     

Growth and characterization of TGS and DTGS single crystals doped with Pt(II), Pt(IV) and L‐alanine

The single crystals of triglycine sulfate doped with bivalent and tetravalent Pt‐ions and with L‐alanine (LADTGS/Pt(II) and LATGS/Pt(IV)) were grown in the ferroelectric phase from low temperature solutions. Using stick seeds the full‐shaped crystals with many growth pyramids have been prepared. The growth rate along the axis c of the doped crystals is much higher than in an undoped one. Morphology, domain structure and P‐E hysteresis loops have been investigated. The effect of the dopant on the growth velocity is explained on the basis of catalytic action of supposed platinum complexes. The first series of the pyroelectric detectors have been prepared from these materials and their fundamental parameters are presented. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Critical behaviour and internal bias of TGS and isomorphous crystals depending on growth conditions

The critical behaviour of TGS and isomorphous DTGS, TGSe and DTGSe single crystals grown at various conditions was investigated. The growth dependences for ΔT in heating and cooling regimes and shift ΔT of the temperature of maximal permittivity were found. These dependencies were explained in terms of existence of internal biasing fields these being measured vs temperature.     

Dielectric behaviour of TGS crystals poled by doping on repeated temperature cycling

Data characterizing the stability of basic dielectric properties against thermal treatement are presented for crystals of TGS and deuterated TGS doped with alanine or bivalent platinum. Complex permittivity and over-all polarization have been measured during a heating-cooling cycle. In alanine doped crystals the heating and cooling curves are perfectly reproducible. In Pt-doped samples the reproducibility is worse, for pure TGS the properties on cooling are strongly influenced by domain effects. These data made it possible to estimate the change of the figures of merit for pyroelectric ir detectors due to transient heating.