Journal of Crystal Growth最新文献

{"title":"Top-Seeded solution growth of lead zirconate titanate single crystals from a high temperature solution","authors":"Vincent Fratello,&nbsp;Song Won Ko","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128109","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128109","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lead zirconate titanate (PZT—Pb(Zr_XTi_1−X)O₃) single crystals were grown by the top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) method. Three solvent systems PbO-PbLiPO₄, PbO-Pb₂P₂O₇, and PbO-B₂O₃ were chosen for their low vapor pressures, but they also had high viscosity and molecular clusters that formed in the melt. To obtain crystals near the morphotropic phase boundary with <em>X</em> ≈<!--> <!-->0.52, melt compositions were formulated based on earlier phase diagram work with a low ratio of [ZrO₂]/([TiO₂] + [ZrO₂]) ∼0.1 in the melt. Liquid-phase epitaxy or top-seeded solution growth with various substrates was not effective because of the excessive lattice mismatch. Bootstrapping from seeding on a platinum wire to a PZT seed was necessary to grow large crystals.</div><div>To maintain a constant crystal composition, steady-state isothermal liquid-phase transport in a two-phase system was developed. This method relies on the phase diagram thermodynamic equilibrium between liquid and solid phases. The melt was equilibrated at the growth temperature with an excess of nutrients in the proper proportions to result in crystallites of the target composition precipitating on the bottom. In a negative vertical temperature gradient, this nutrient material dissolved and was transported to the cooler seed crystal at the top of the melt. This occurs at a constant average temperature to achieve a constant composition the same as the nutrient on the bottom.</div><div>The initial growth morphology of the crystals was a stepped surface, showing columnar growth of large macro-steps growing together trapping melt inclusions. This was improved through solvent choice, liquid-phase transport, and lower growth rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"657 ","pages":"Article 128109"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474019","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":"Numerical investigation on the effect of growth conditions on silicon carbide growth in chemical vapor deposition","authors":"Guangyu Zheng ,&nbsp;Yukang Sun ,&nbsp;Simin Liu ,&nbsp;Peng Su ,&nbsp;Junhong Pei ,&nbsp;Ran Zuo ,&nbsp;Lijun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128108","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128108","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growth of silicon carbide (SiC) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is influenced by process parameters, and the growth rate and the uniformity of film can be improved by optimizing the parameters. In this paper, we propose a method for optimizing SiC-CVD process parameters based on the combined theory of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Design of Experiment (DOE). Herein, the flow stability in the Buffered Distributed Spray (BDS) reactor was studied over a wide range of process conditions to determine the flow states and characteristics, thereby identifying the suitable process parameter range for SiC-CVD. Through simulation validation, a deposition rate of up to 24.8 μm/h with film uniformity below 5 % was achieved. This study provides both an effective solution for high-quality epitaxial growth and a theoretical basis for subsequent experiments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"657 ","pages":"Article 128108"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143464464","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":"MBE growth and properties of GaInAsSb alloys deep inside the miscibility gap","authors":"T. Sabardeil ,&nbsp;G. Gregoire ,&nbsp;J.-L. Reverchon ,&nbsp;V. Trinite ,&nbsp;E. Tournié ,&nbsp;J.-B. Rodriguez ,&nbsp;A. Evirgen","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128107","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128107","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present a detailed study of the crystalline, morphological, electrical and optical properties of GaInAsSb quaternary alloys grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) on GaSb substrate. The objective of this study is, on the one hand, to use the far-from- thermodynamic equilibrium specificity of MBE to grow compositions deep inside the miscibility gap, and to identify the range of compositions accessible for high-performance infrared devices. On the other hand, it enriches the knowledge on the InAs-rich GaInAsSb quaternary alloy that has been little studied until now.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"657 ","pages":"Article 128107"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143454893","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":"Preparation and surface morphology analysis of near stoichiometric lithium tantalate crystals by the vapour transfer equilibrium method","authors":"Jiashun Si ,&nbsp;Xuefeng Xiao ,&nbsp;Yan Huang ,&nbsp;Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Shuaijie Liang ,&nbsp;Qingyan Xu ,&nbsp;Huan Zhang ,&nbsp;Lingling Ma ,&nbsp;Cui Yang ,&nbsp;Xuefeng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128105","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128105","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, near stoichiometric lithium tantalate wafers with different Li contents were prepared by the vapour transfer equilibrium method, and the surface morphology of the diffused material and wafers were analyzed. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy tests were conducted on the diffused material and used diffused material, and it was found that the Li content in the used diffused material decreased, the crystal particle size increased, the lattice parameters decreased, and the crystallinity increased. By analyzing the Curie temperature, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy tests of near stoichiometric lithium tantalate wafers prepared by different processes, it was found that the Li ions diffused into the wafers are related to the diffusion temperature, and the higher the diffusion temperature, the smaller the surface roughness of the wafer. When the Li/Ta ratio in the diffused material is equal to or exceeds 70/30, twins will appear on the wafer surface. Through the above analysis, the optimum diffusion temperature range for preparing near stoichiometric lithium tantalate wafers is 1160–1260 ℃, and the Li/Ta ratio in the diffused material should not exceed 70/30, which provides an empirical reference for the preparation of near stoichiometric lithium tantalate crystals with better performance by vapour transfer equilibrium method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"657 ","pages":"Article 128105"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143480755","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":"Controllable preparation of TiO2 nanoparticles using deep eutectic solvents and their photocatalytic degradation of dyeing wastewater","authors":"Bin Han ,&nbsp;Dianchun Ju ,&nbsp;Zhuo Chen ,&nbsp;Yunjie Bao ,&nbsp;Yingying Li ,&nbsp;Qin Yan ,&nbsp;Yuxia Liu ,&nbsp;Chunyu Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128104","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128104","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) have garnered considerable attention within the materials science community due to their superior availability, high photocatalytic activity, remarkable thermal stability, and cost-effectiveness. Recently, a growing interest has emerged in their potential applications within scientific research. Therefore, the development of more efficient and controllable preparation methods has been concentrated in current studies. This study uses deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as solvents and structure-directing agents to provide a gentle and environmentally friendly process for the controlled synthesis of TiO₂ NPs. Furthermore, it examines their photocatalytic degradation performance on dye wastewater under full-spectrum light sources. The findings reveal that by introducing TiCl₄-DESs in a mass ratio of 1:10 in a hydrolytic solution of PEG-H₂O with a mass ratio of 1:1, and subsequently, calcining the mixture at 550 ℃ in a muffle furnace, uniform spherical pure anatase–type TiO₂ NPs with good dispersion and an average particle size of approximately 14.01 nm can be obtained. After 60 min of exposure to a full-spectrum light source, the removal rate of methylene blue reached 99.2 %. After 180 min, the degradation rates of rhodamine B and methyl orange were found to be 97.0 % and 80.7 %, respectively. These results demonstrate that the application of DESs facilitates the green and mild modulation of the nanostructures and grain sizes of TiO₂ NPs, effectively enhancing their photocatalytic activity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"656 ","pages":"Article 128104"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143438092","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":"Structure evolution during growth of epitaxial NbN films on Al2O3 (0006) deposited by magnetron sputtering and its impact on electrical properties","authors":"A. Farhadizadeh ,&nbsp;J. Salamania ,&nbsp;M.A. Sortica ,&nbsp;D. Primetzhofer ,&nbsp;M. Odén","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128094","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128094","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We explore the growth of high-quality epitaxial NbN films on Al₂O₃ (0006) (Sapphire c-plane). The study investigates the structural and electrical characteristics as a function of film thickness. Pole figures analyses reveal the formation of epitaxial growth with two sets of domains, attributed to the differing symmetries of the cubic NbN and rhombohedral Sapphire. We identified the epitaxial relationship as <span><math><mrow><mtext>(0001)[2</mtext><mover><mrow><mtext>1</mtext></mrow><mrow><mo>¯</mo></mrow></mover><mover><mrow><mtext>1</mtext></mrow><mrow><mo>¯</mo></mrow></mover><mtext>0]</mtext></mrow></math></span> <!-->||<!--> <span><math><mrow><mtext>(111)[1</mtext><mover><mrow><mtext>1</mtext></mrow><mrow><mo>¯</mo></mrow></mover><mtext>0]</mtext></mrow></math></span>. Medium and high-resolution X-ray diffractometry shows clear Kiessig fringes, which become asymmetric for thicknesses greater than 18 nm. The asymmetry is inferred to arise from relaxed domains dispersed in the film in low concentrations near the substrate-film interface and then become more widespread with increased thickness based on dynamical XRD simulation and dark field transition electron microscopy. All films display a rocking curve consisting of an intense sharp peak, accompanied by a broader peak that intensifies as the thickness increases. The sharp peak reflects a highly ordered, long-range correlated structure within NbN, while the broadened peak indicates regions of slightly misoriented NbN, likely related to strain relaxation in local domains. X-ray reflectivity indicates that the mass density is higher than bulk NbN for the thinnest films, it decreases as the films grow thicker and stabilizes at 7.8 g·cm⁻³ for films thicker than ∼ 70 nm. As thickness increases, the lattice constant decreases due to relaxation, which also impacts the electrical resistivity. The strained films exhibit slightly lower resistivity than the relaxed films, likely due to the higher crystallinity of the thinner films.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"656 ","pages":"Article 128094"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143429280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of transition metal ions on the phase formation during the hydrothermal synthesis of barium hexaferrite","authors":"A.Yu. Mironovich ,&nbsp;V.G. Kostishin ,&nbsp;G.A. Skorlupin ,&nbsp;E.S. Savchenko ,&nbsp;A.I. Ril","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128095","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128095","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the effect of certain transition metal cations (Cr³⁺, Ni²⁺, Co²⁺ and Mn²⁺) on the hydrothermal synthesis of barium hexaferrite was investigated. It was found that the addition of Co²⁺ and Mn²⁺ significantly promotes the formation of the hexaferrite phase. In other cases, the dominant product of the reaction was the non-magnetic ferrihydrite. The mechanism by which hexaferrite forms in the presence of Co²⁺ or Mn²⁺ was discussed. The hexaferrites obtained in this work were nanoplates with a thickness of no more than 20 nm and a diameter ranging from 80 to 400 nm. These powders had a low saturation magnetization (&lt;20 emu/g) and coercivity (&lt;450 Oe). Although the magnetism of these hexaferrite nanoplates is relatively weak, they can still be manipulated by external magnetic field and could be used to prepare anisotropic hexaferrite materials. Pierre Muller</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"656 ","pages":"Article 128095"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143419339","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":"Real-time nanoscale visualization of cholesterol monohydrate nucleation and growth","authors":"Lioudmila V. Sorokina ,&nbsp;Azadeh Amiri ,&nbsp;Pavel L. Rehak ,&nbsp;Alireza Ghorbani ,&nbsp;Abhijit H. Phakatkar ,&nbsp;Petr Král ,&nbsp;Tolou Shokuhfar ,&nbsp;Reza Shahbazian-Yassar","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aberrant cholesterol crystallization has implications in the development of numerous pathologies. However, current imaging methods rely on extensive sample preparation and static conditions, unable to capture real-time transformations. This study utilized <em>in-situ</em> graphene liquid cell transmission electron microscopy to capture nanoscale events of cholesterol monohydrate (ChM) nucleation and growth. The results revealed ChM triclinic forms through a combination of non-classical and classical modes, specifically, a modified Stranski − Krastanov mechanism. ChM triclinic nucleates from an amorphous precursor, which grows on triclinic surfaces as an epilayer. These epilayers coalesce into 2D layers formed along a preferred lattice plane, enabling 3D growth. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the amorphous to crystalline transition occurs via the self-assembly of small clusters, interconnected by filaments, which regrow into bilayers with exposed polar groups. These superstructures adsorb on the surfaces of crystalline cholesterol, form islands, which spread and form nuclei of a new bilayer. This study underscores the significance of homoepitaxy in ChM growth and may provide additional insights into biologically relevant processes, such as ChM nucleation on lipid droplets. Overall, this study lays the foundation for investigating the mechanisms of ChM growth from solution in real-time and on the nanoscale.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"655 ","pages":"Article 128096"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403521","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":"Crystallization and growth control of sulfathiazole using 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinooxy cellulose nanofibers gel","authors":"Kang Han ,&nbsp;Dandan Gong ,&nbsp;Chengwei Du ,&nbsp;Lijuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Lu Wang ,&nbsp;Jing Lian ,&nbsp;Aniruddha Majumder ,&nbsp;Jie Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128093","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128093","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The influence of 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidinooxy (TEMPO) cellulose nanofibers (TCNF) on the nucleation and growth of sulfathiazole (STZ) crystals is uncovered, aiding in the precise control of drug crystal morphology. To elucidate the mechanism by which TCNF regulates the nucleation and growth of STZ crystals, cooling crystallization experiments and molecular simulations were conducted. Initially, the crystal forms of STZ in pure water were determined. Subsequently, crystallization experiments with the addition of TCNF were conducted. The experiments aimed to investigate their effects on crystal form and crystal habits. The results revealed that a pure Form III was obtained due to the hydrogen bonding interactions on the surface of TCNF. Molecular simulations helped better explain the influence on specific crystal faces. This study indicates that the influence of TCNF on the characteristics of STZ crystals is mediated through interaction with the z-axis crystal facets, leading to the formation of block-shaped crystals. In addition, the higher concentration of TCNF forms a local closed space, resulting in blocked mobility, allowing STZ molecules in the solution to grow at the defects of STZ crystallization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"655 ","pages":"Article 128093"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420063","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":"Radical enhanced growth of GaN on Si with the buffer layer of GaN at a low temperature of 600 °C","authors":"Swathy Jayaprasad,&nbsp;Arun Kumar Dhasiyan,&nbsp;Naohiro Shimizu,&nbsp;Osamu Oda,&nbsp;Hiromasa Tanaka,&nbsp;Masaru Hori","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128089","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128089","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gallium nitride (GaN) films have been grown on Si (111) substrates with low-temperature GaN as a buffer layer using a newly developed Radical Enhanced Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (REMOCVD) system. This REMOCVD system has three features; (1) the application of very high-frequency (VHF) of 100 MHz to increase the plasma density, (2) the introduction of H₂ gas together with N₂ gas in the plasma discharge region to generate active NH_x radical species in addition to nitrogen radicals, and (3) the radical supply under remote plasma arrangement with suppressed charged ions and photons by employing a Faraday‘s cage. Using this new system, we have studied the homoepitaxial growth of GaN. It was found that high-quality crystals can be grown by REMOCVD at temperatures of 800 °C lower than those of MOCVD. However, the buffer layer is necessary for the heteroepitaxial growth of GaN on Si. In the present study, the low-temperature GaN (LT-GaN) grown at 600 °C was used as the buffer layer. The growth conditions such as the effect of N-termination of Si and the effect of thickness of LT-GaN as a buffer layer were optimized. The surface morphology and the cleaved cross-sectional view of GaN grown on Si substrates were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The crystal quality of GaN grown on Si substrates was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The epitaxial growth of GaN on Si (111) substrates was achieved by the REMOCVD method with a growth rate of approximately 0.6 µm/h at a low temperature of 800 ℃. The present REMOCVD system is a very promising method for the growth of GaN on Si at relatively low temperatures without using toxic and costly ammonia gas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"656 ","pages":"Article 128089"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143419338","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}