Phase diagram and crystal growth of Pb2Sr2(YxCa1-x)Cu3O8+y

Fundamental research on the crystal growth of Pb2Sr2(YxCa1-x)Cu3O8+y (PSYCCO) has been carried out by differential thermal analysis (DTA), phase diagram studies, and improved thermogravimetric analysis (ITGA). The phase diagrams of the systems PSYCCO-PbO and PSYCCO-PbO(NaCl) have been produced. These indicate that the addition of NaCl, which functions as a flux as well as separating the growth system from air, is beneficial to the crystal growth. Superconducting crystals were grown by spontaneous nucleation with and without precursor. Single crystals up to 3×2.8×2 mm3 in size have been successfully grown from PbO-NaCl flux without using a precursor. The crystals were characterized by X-ray powder analysis and by measurement of their superconducting magnetic properties in the as-grown state.