Journal of Crystal Growth最新文献

{"title":"Suppression of peritectic reaction and PbSe-assisted growth of PbGa2Se4 single crystals for room-temperature radiation detection","authors":"Leilei Ji,&nbsp;Zi-ang Yin,&nbsp;Bangzhi Ge,&nbsp;Wanqi Jie","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128554","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128554","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nuclear radiation detection technology holds significant application value in fields such as national security, medical imaging, and high-energy physics. However, the semiconductor material systems that meet high-performance requirements are still quite limited, and there is an urgent need to explore new candidate materials. PbGa₂Se₄, with an orthorhombic Fddd space group structure, a density of approximately 6.16 g/cm³, and a band gap of about 2.3 eV, possesses excellent radiation shielding capability and good carrier transport stability, making it a highly promising room-temperature radiation detection material. Nevertheless, the lack of large-sized and high-quality single-crystal preparation technology has severely hindered the in-depth fundamental research in key application fields such as radiation detection. In this paper, a large-sized PbGa₂Se₄ single crystal was successfully grown from the PbSe solution for the first time. Differential thermal analysis confirmed a peritectic reaction at 780 °C, leading to the design of a PbSe-assisted flux growth route. The as-grown crystal exhibited the band gap of 2.29  eV and a high resistivity of 2.96 × 10¹³ Ω·cm. A metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) structured detector based on the crystal demonstrated a sensitivity of 60.06 μC·Gy⁻¹·cm⁻² under 50 kVp X-rays and an α-particle energy resolution of 55%, corresponding to an electron <em>μτ</em> product of 1.38 × 10⁻⁵ cm²·V⁻¹. These findings highlight PbGa₂Se₄ as a promising semiconductor candidate for room-temperature radiation detection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"684 ","pages":"Article 128554"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growth and structural study of the solid solution Si1−xGex (0 < x < 1)","authors":"Alijon Shonazarovich Razzokov ,&nbsp;Serhii Ivanovych Petrushenko ,&nbsp;Mateusz Fijalkowski ,&nbsp;Malika Alijon Qizi Shonazarova ,&nbsp;Sevara Otaxon Qizi Abdullaeva","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128573","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128573","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Single-crystal films of the Si_1−xGe_x (0 &lt; x &lt; 1) solid solution were grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates using liquid-phase epitaxy. The samples were grown from a tin melt solution at crystallization onset temperatures (To.c) → 1050°C, 980°C, 950°C, in a quartz reactor and a hydrogen atmosphere. The chemical composition, crystalline perfection, and single-crystallinity of the obtained films were studied, and the lattice parameter of the functional layer was determined to be <em>a_Si1−xGex</em> = 5.6414 ± 0.0004Å. Excellent sample surface smoothness was demonstrated: the average roughness height of the resulting films was 1.66 nm, and the pit depth was 1.18 nm. A method for controlling the dislocation level based on varying the film composition was proposed and tested. Thus, with a change in the silicon content in the film, the dislocation density changed from N_D ∼ 8·10⁵ cm⁻² (x = 0.5) to N_D ∼ 2·10⁴ cm⁻² (x = 1). This phenomenon was explained by the influence of mechanical stresses arising in the grown film. It was shown that the variegated chemical composition of the solid solution smooths out the difference in lattice parameters and CTE between the epilayers. This value is always smaller than the critical thickness of the pseudomorphic layer, which is estimated at <em>d_f</em> = 3.31 nm. It has been shown theoretically and experimentally that the deformation stress reaches its maximum (<span><math><mrow><msub><mi>σ</mi><msub><mi>δ</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>x</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0.5</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></msub></msub></mrow></math></span> = 4.5946GPa) in the intermediate concentration region of Si_0,5Ge_0,5 (x = 0.5). Despite the high stress levels, the films obtained in this manner remain epitaxial. Maintaining the epitaxial state is largely facilitated by the fact that part of the strain stress energy (Δ = 0.0332 J/m2) is relaxed through the formation of dislocations. Film delamination was studied and the Griffith boundary stresses were determined, which for Si_1−xGe_x at x  = 0.36 are σ_g = 2.6773GPa. The electrophysical parameters of the films at a temperature of 300 K were determined: ρ = 0.5–5 Ohm∙cm, µ_n = 300 cm²/V∙s, n= (5–7) ∙ 10¹⁸ cm⁻³, and the prospects for applied use of the obtained films were assessed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"684 ","pages":"Article 128573"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growth and characterization of Bi0.47Na0.47Ba0.06Ti0.98Fe0.02O3 lead-free piezoelectric crystals via Bridgman method","authors":"Jiangtao Fan ,&nbsp;Junjie Chen ,&nbsp;Zhanggui Hu ,&nbsp;Yicheng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128571","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128571","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>High-performance lead-free piezoelectric single crystals are urgently needed materials for next-generation actuators and transducers. In this study, the Bi_0.47Na_0.47Ba_0.06Ti_0.98Fe_0.02O₃ single crystals were successfully grown using the Bridgman method. The phase structure was found to be a coexistence of R3c and P4bm structures. The Bi_0.47Na_0.47Ba_0.06Ti_0.98Fe_0.02O₃ exhibited a piezoelectric coefficient (<em>d</em>₃₃) of 173 pC/N. Additionally, the single crystal exhibits substantial maximum polarization (<em>P</em>_max) of approximately 45 μC/cm²and residual polarization (<em>P</em>_r) of about 38 μC/cm². Upon heating from 25°C to 100°C, the electric field induced strain increases from 0.27% to 0.34%. This outstanding performance can be attributed to the presence of morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), the coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal phases, and the synergistic effects of defect dipoles and local nanodomains. The lead-free piezoelectric ceramic concept explored in this study offers a promising strategy for investigating and developing next-generation lead-free piezoelectric materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"684 ","pages":"Article 128571"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of constant crucible rotation on interface morphology and crystal properties of CdZnTe crystal grown by the Traveling Heater Method","authors":"Jijun Zhang ,&nbsp;Kun Liu ,&nbsp;Qiqi Wang ,&nbsp;Li Zhai ,&nbsp;Yunan Hu ,&nbsp;Yingdong Huang ,&nbsp;Chaohui Gu ,&nbsp;Bo Zhang ,&nbsp;Kexin Zhang ,&nbsp;Chen Xie ,&nbsp;Xuan Zhu ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Liang ,&nbsp;Linjun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe, CZT), as a third-generation wide-bandgap semiconductor material, is regarded as an ideal material for photon-counting detectors due to its high atomic number, high resistivity, and excellent optoelectronic properties. In the growth of CZT crystals via the Traveling Heater Method (THM), the quality and grain size are primarily governed by the growth interface morphology. In the crystal growth system, crucible rotation influences the morphology of the growth interface by modulating the convective flow structure. In this study, constant-speed crucible rotation is employed to regulate the growth interface during the THM growth of CZT crystals, investigating the effects of different rotation speeds (0, 5, 10 and 15 rpm) on the macro-shape and micro-morphology of the growth interface, grain evolution, crystal defects, and optoelectronic properties. The influence of constant-speed crucible rotation on crystal growth is analyzed from the perspective of fluid convection. The effects of constant rotation on parameters, such as growth interface curvature, microscopic morphology, single-crystal yield, Te inclusions, point defect concentration, resistivity, energy resolution, and carrier mobility-lifetime product, were characterized. At 10 rpm, the effect of constant rotation on THM growth of CZT reaches its optimum: the interface curvature is 0.068, the single-crystal yield reaches 92.5%, Te inclusions larger than 3 μm are essentially eliminated, the resistivity is as high as 1.2 × 10¹⁰ Ω·cm, the energy resolution is 8.5%, and the mobility-lifetime product is 2.5 × 10^–³ cm²·V^–¹. However, when the rotation speed is further increased to 15 rpm, the interface stability declines, Te inclusions grow again, and the crystal performance significantly deteriorates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"681 ","pages":"Article 128527"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Batch growth of high quality large LiB3O5 crystals at 4 kg level","authors":"Yangyang Zhu ,&nbsp;Qian Wu ,&nbsp;Yinchao Yue ,&nbsp;Feidi Fan ,&nbsp;Yongjun Dong ,&nbsp;Mingjun Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>LiB₃O₅ (LBO), as an important nonlinear optical crystal, has been widely utilized in the field of solid-state laser frequency conversion. In this study, the batch growth of large-sized LBO crystals at 4 kg level was achieved from the high temperature solution method using a home-made scale electric resistance furnace. The as-grown LBO has a high optical homogeneity of 5 × 10⁻⁶. The laser-induced damage threshold of large aperture LBO crystal with the dimensions of 50 × 50 × 5 mm³ was up to 60.89 J/cm² at 355 nm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"681 ","pages":"Article 128532"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growth of 100-mm-long SiC single crystals with reduced thermal stresses by the pulling physical vapor transport (PPVT) method","authors":"Sheng’ou Lu ,&nbsp;Lingmao Xu ,&nbsp;Lingling Xuan ,&nbsp;Anqi Wang ,&nbsp;Junyi Shen ,&nbsp;Fan Wang ,&nbsp;Xuefeng Han ,&nbsp;Deren Yang ,&nbsp;Xiaodong Pi","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128528","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growth of ultra-long SiC single crystals is crucial for reducing production costs. However, two major challenges hinder the growth of ultra-long crystals: the exponential reduction in growth rate, which leads to a length limit, and the sharp increase in thermal stresses, which can cause crack formation during crystal growth. To address these challenges, a temperature-control strategy is initially proposed to mitigate the decay of the axial temperature gradient, thereby enabling sustained crystal growth. However, this approach alone results in a rapid increase in thermal stresses. A novel crystal growth method, termed pulling physical vapor transport (PPVT), is then introduced. The PPVT method synergistically combines temperature-control and pulling-control strategies. Numerical simulations are conducted to compare the thermal stresses between the conventional PVT and innovative PPVT configurations. The results indicate that the thermal stresses are significantly reduced by the PPVT method during the later stages of crystal growth. Furthermore, a crystal growth experiment is performed to grow a 6-inch SiC single crystal using the PPVT method, achieving a crack-free crystal with a length of up to 100 mm. This study demonstrates the potential of the PPVT technique in enabling the growth of ultra-long SiC crystals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"681 ","pages":"Article 128528"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146147371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stacking fault analysis for the early-stages of PVT growth of 4H-SiC crystals","authors":"Shanshan Hu ,&nbsp;Zeyu Chen ,&nbsp;Kaixuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuzhuo Li ,&nbsp;Jianpei Zhang ,&nbsp;Balaji Raghothamachar ,&nbsp;Michael Dudley ,&nbsp;Chuhang Liu ,&nbsp;Yimei Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128523","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Four types of stacking fault formation mechanisms are identified and discussed for early stage PVT growth of 4H-SiC crystals: Type 1: Shockley / double Shockley stacking fault formation inside the facet; Type 2: Stacking fault formation via 2D nucleation; Type 3: Frank + Shockley (<strong><em>S</em></strong>) stacking fault formation due to deflection of threading mixed dislocation (TMD) by macrosteps; Type 4: “Carrot” defect formation related to overgrowth of the terrace formed by separation of 3<strong><em>c</em></strong>/4 and <strong><em>c</em></strong>/4 step risers after deflection of a TMD by vicinal steps. The results help further reduction of defect generation in 4H-SiC substrates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"681 ","pages":"Article 128523"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of crucible etching and polycrystal deposition in the top-seeded solution growth of SiC single crystal","authors":"Xiying Zhang ,&nbsp;Wancheng Yu ,&nbsp;Jianfei Wang ,&nbsp;Dongsheng Zhao ,&nbsp;Peng Liu ,&nbsp;Lihuan Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128530","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128530","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Crucible etching and polycrystal deposition constitute the predominant factors driving solvent geometry evolution during long time top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) of silicon carbide (SiC). To achieve sustainable growth, maintaining quasi-invariant solvent configurations throughout the growth duration is essential. In this paper, the effects of crucible etching and polycrystal deposition on the solvent temperature, flow distribution, and growth rate for TSSG method were numerically investigated by using a global heat and mass transfer model. The results indicated that crystal crucible etching constitutes the primary factor affecting solution flow, whereas polycrystal deposition plays a comparatively less significant role in flow dynamics. These insights enable predictive control of growth-front uniformity through geometric perturbation management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"681 ","pages":"Article 128530"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rice-like, hollow, and rhombohedral nano-calcite synthesis by carbonization","authors":"Sevgi Kilic,&nbsp;Gorkem Toprak,&nbsp;Ekrem Ozdemir","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128534","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128534","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Controlling the morphology and size of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) remains an essential challenge in the production of high-performance fillers and advanced functional materials. Here, we report a continuous carbonization strategy that enables the synthesis of monodisperse nano-calcite particles with tunable rice-like, hollow, and rhombohedral morphologies through precise control of CO₂ dissolution into a flowing Ca(OH)₂ solution under diffusion-limited conditions. A two-stage reactor was designed to decouple nucleation and growth by separating the gas–liquid interaction zone from a stabilization tank. pH and conductivity analyses revealed that crystallization is primarily governed by the CO₂ dissolution kinetics rather than mixing intensity in the stabilization tank. SEM and XRD analyses demonstrate a distinct crystallization sequence such that initial formation of rice-like calcite, subsequent development of hollow nanoparticles through selective tip dissolution, and final transformation into rhombohedral calcite via dissolution–reprecipitation mechanism. The method provides a reproducible, template-free route for fabricating hollow CaCO₃ nanoparticles, overcoming limitations of bubble-templating and additive-mediated techniques. This scalable process provides a robust foundation for producing high-surface-area CaCO₃ nanomaterials which have potential applications in thin films, ceramics, protective coatings, lightweight composites, thermal/acoustic insulation, adsorption, and catalysis, where tailored particle morphology and size can significantly enhance performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"681 ","pages":"Article 128534"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research on the growth of deep-UV nonlinear optical crystal KBe2BO3F2 on China Space Station","authors":"Tong Wu ,&nbsp;Tianhong Huang ,&nbsp;Shuangyue Shang ,&nbsp;Ziyi Guo ,&nbsp;Kai Li ,&nbsp;Xiuhong Pan ,&nbsp;Xuechao Liu ,&nbsp;Rukang Li ,&nbsp;Lijuan Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaoyang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128529","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2026.128529","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>KBBF is the only practical deep-ultraviolet nonlinear optical crystal, with important applications in areas such as photolithography and photoelectron spectroscopy. However, its strong layered growth habit and reliance on spontaneous nucleation have limited crystal size and quality. In this work, to investigate the influence of gravity on spontaneous nucleation, the crystal growth of KBBF was conducted for the first time aboard the China Space Station. Millimeter-sized KBBF crystals were successfully obtained under microgravity condition. The crystal structure and defect were systematically analyzed and compared with ground-grown samples, providing critical insights into the growth mechanism under different gravitational conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"681 ","pages":"Article 128529"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146147370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}