Single Crystal Growth of Photorefractive Sillenites

Abstract

The compounds, crystallized in the cubic form similar to sillenite structure, occur in a number of isomorphs [1]. The well-known representatives of this family are bismuth germanium (BGO) and bismuth sillicon oxides (BSO), both of which can be grown from their stoichiometric melts using Czochralsky technique. The optical examination and utilization of the iso­morphs are difficult because of their incongruent melting or decomposition in solid state.