Fiber Crystal Growth From the Melt

The literature on melt growth of single crystalline fibers is reviewed. The paper introduces in the characteristic features and wide field of advanced applications of micro single crystals in elongated form having a small diameter in the region mykrometer-millimeter. A brief historical survey is given. After that typical melt growth methods for production of fiber crystals are shown - micro zone floating (i.e. LHPG) and pulling from a die (i.e. Stepanow, EFG and micro pulling down techniques). Some selected fundamentals of the fiber growth process are described in detail, like mass and heat balance, capillary stability and segregation behaviour. In the centre of interest is the discussion of growth and analytical results obtained for various materials - oxides, mainly suitable for wave guides, lasers and nonlinear optics (sapphire, YAG, KRS-5, BBO, LiNbO3 and further niobates etc.), eutectics for composites, semiconductors for fundamental studies, and metals for high-speed filament production. Special measures for fiber cladding, in-situ core doping and periodically ferroelectric domain adjustment are included. For the sake of completeness a look at the modern branch of polycrystalline and amorphous alloy fiber spinning and melt extrusion is taken too. In conclusion, the special suitability of fiber crystal growth for fundamental research is demonstrated.

[1]  M. Fejer,et al.  Quasi‐phase‐matched second‐harmonic generation of blue light in periodically poled LiNbO3 , 1990 .

[2]  J. Sheehan,et al.  Growth of spinel single crystal fibers by the laser-heated floating-zone technique and their cgaracterization as high temperature reinforcements , 1993 .

[3]  R. Feigelson,et al.  Laser-heated pedestal growth of high Tc Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconducting fibers , 1988 .

[4]  A. Bhalla,et al.  SrxBa1−xNb2O6 single crystal fibers: dependence of crystal quality on growth parameters , 1992 .

[5]  Nicholas Djeu,et al.  Novel implementation of laser heated pedestal growth for the rapid drawing of sapphire fibers , 1994 .

[6]  K. Gürs,et al.  Tiegelfreies zonenschmelzen von rubinkristallen durch aufheizen der schmelzzone mittels laser , 1969 .

[7]  D. Yoon,et al.  Characterization of dislocations in a LiNbO3 single crystal grown by micro pulling down method , 1994 .

[8]  Laser-heated pedestal growth of laser and IR-upconverting materials , 1991 .

[9]  J. Strom-Olsen,et al.  The fabrication of fine metallic fibers by continuous melt-extraction and their magnetic and mechanical properties , 1991 .

[10]  R. Drew,et al.  Amorphous CaO · Al2O3 fibers by melt extraction , 1996 .

[11]  G. Boulon,et al.  Laser heated pedestal growth and optical properties of Yb3+-doped LiNbO3 single crystal fibers , 1995 .

[12]  B. Henderson,et al.  Laser heated pedestal growth and spectroscopic properties of K2NdNb5O15 and Ba2NdNbO6 crystals , 1997 .

[13]  M. Imaeda,et al.  Homogeneity and SHG properties of K3Li2 − xNb5 + xO15 + 2x single crystals grown by micro-pulling-down technique , 1997 .

[14]  G. Boulon,et al.  Growth and characterization of MgO-doped single-crystal fibers of lithium niobate in relation to high temperature phase equilibria in the ternary system Li2ONb2O5MgO , 1997 .

[15]  K. M. Kim,et al.  Maximum stable zone length in float‐zone growth of small‐diameter sapphire and silicon crystals , 1979 .

[16]  S. A. Dunn,et al.  Melt spun calcium aluminate fibers: infrared transmission , 1990 .

[17]  S. Uda,et al.  Operating Limits for Stable Growth of Silicon Fibers with Diameter Less Than 150 μm by Modified μ‐PD Method , 1996 .

[18]  C. Brandle,et al.  Thermophysical properties of a LiCaAlF6 melt , 1991 .

[19]  J. Pollock.  Filamentary sapphire , 1972 .

[20]  G. Boulon,et al.  Nonlinear single-crystal fibers of undoped or Nd3+-doped niobates: growth by LHPG, spectroscopy and second harmonic generation , 1997 .

[21]  S. Uda,et al.  Analysis of Ge distribution in Si1 − xGex single crystal fibers by the micro-pulling down method , 1996 .

[22]  Martin M. Fejer,et al.  Nonlinear Frequency Conversion in Periodically-Poled Ferroelectric Waveguides , 1992 .

[23]  H. Kuiken,et al.  Analysis of the temperature distribution in FZ silicon crystals , 1979 .

[24]  Radiative heat transfer in fiber drawing and crystal pulling , 1996 .

[25]  A. Hernandes,et al.  Laser heated pedestal growth of Sr2RuO4 single-crystal fibers from SrRuO3 , 1997 .

[26]  Chieh Hu,et al.  Measurement of the float-zone interface shape for lithium niobate , 1995 .

[27]  W. Yen,et al.  Valence and site occupation of chromium ions in single-crystal forsterite fibers , 1991 .

[28]  S. Uda,et al.  Interface field-modified solute partitioning during Mn : LiNbO3 crystal fiber growth by micro-pulling down method II Radial distribution analysis , 1997 .

[29]  E. M. Vogel,et al.  Growth of tetragonal BaTiO_3 single crystal fibers , 1986 .

[30]  A. Hoyem.  Some Electrical Properties of Spectroscopically Pure Zinc Crystals , 1931 .

[31]  E. Gomperz.  Untersuchungen an Einkristalldrähten , 1922 .

[32]  R. Drew,et al.  Fine metallic and ceramic fibers by melt extraction , 1994 .

[33]  Itaru Yokohama,et al.  Cr, Ca : Y3Al5O12 laser crystal grown by the laser-heated pedestal growth method , 1998 .

[34]  Yasuyuki Okamura,et al.  Growth of Fiber Crystals for Infrared Optical Waveguides , 1980 .

[35]  F. Wallenberger,et al.  Inviscid Melt Spinning of Alumina Fibers: Chemical Jet Stabilization , 1992 .

[36]  Modeling the time-dependent growth of single-crystal fibers , 1997 .

[37]  G. Boulon,et al.  Laser heated pedestal growth and spectroscopic properties of neodymium doped Ba2NaNb5O15 single crystal fibers , 1996 .

[38]  M. Fejer,et al.  Laser-heated miniature pedestal growth apparatus for single-crystal optical fibers , 1984 .

[39]  H. Komatsu,et al.  Effects of the Crystal Diameter on the Dislocation Density in KCl Crystals Grown by the Czochralski Method , 1979 .

[40]  S. A. Dunn,et al.  Crystallization of inviscid melt spun (IMS) calcia-alumina (CA) eutectic fibers , 1995 .

[41]  T. Fukuda,et al.  Oxide mixed crystals grown by heater-immersed zone melting method with multi-capillary holes , 1995 .

[42]  Amar S. Bhalla,et al.  Growth of SrxBa1−xNb2O6 single crystal fibers , 1989 .

[43]  S. Uda,et al.  Silicon Single Crystal Fiber Growth by Micro Pulling Down Method , 1996 .

[44]  M. Ishii,et al.  Crystal growth of sapphire filaments by a laser-heated floating zone technique , 1977 .

[45]  Robert S. Feigelson,et al.  Pulling optical fibers , 1986 .

[46]  J. Bailey,et al.  Filamentary sapphire , 1974 .

[47]  L. Coldren,et al.  Growth of single‐crystal sapphire‐clad ruby fibers , 1977 .

[48]  G. Morscher,et al.  Bend properties of sapphire fibers at elevated temperatures I: Bend survivability , 2019 .

[49]  Chieh Hu,et al.  Measurement of the surface temperature distribution in the float zone of LiNbO3 , 1996 .

[50]  Robert L. Byer,et al.  Stoichiometric LiNbO3 single-crystal fibers for nonlinear optical applications , 1987 .

[51]  Yasuyuki Okamura,et al.  CsI Crystalline Fiber for Infrared Transmission , 1980 .

[52]  L. M. Hobrock,et al.  Polycrystalline fiber optical waveguides for infrared transmission , 1978 .

[53]  C. Burrus,et al.  Single-crystal fiber-optical devices: a Nd:YAG fiber laser (A) , 1975 .

[54]  S. Uda,et al.  Micro-pulling down growth studies of lead tungstate crystals : aspects of incongruent melt vaporization , 1997 .

[55]  N. Ming,et al.  Influence of growth striations on para‐ferroelectric phase transitions: Mechanism of the formation of periodic laminar domains in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 , 1989 .

[56]  V. A. Tatarchenko.  Capillary shaping in crystal growth from melts: I. Theory , 1977 .

[57]  J. Pollock.  Filamentary sapphire , 1972 .

[58]  Growth of barium metaborate (BaB2O4) single crystal fibers by the laser-heated pedestal growth method , 1988 .

[59]  Martin M. Fejer,et al.  Uniform refractive index cladding for LiNbO3 single‐crystal fibers , 1990 .

[60]  E. Linder.  Thermo-Electric Effect in Single Crystal Zinc , 1927 .

[61]  Tsuguo Fukuda,et al.  Growth and Characterization of K3Li2-xNb5+xO15+2x Micro Single Crystals Formed by the µ-Pulling Down Method for Blue SHG Applications , 1994 .

[62]  Martin M. Fejer,et al.  Ferroelectric domain structures in LiNbO3 single-crystal fibers , 1986 .

[63]  K. Shimamura,et al.  Si1 − xGex fiber crystals with functionally variant composition grown by micro-pulling-down technique , 1996 .

[64]  Georges Boulon,et al.  Laser heated pedestal growth of pure and Nd3+-doped potassium lithium niobate single-crystal fibers , 1997 .

[65]  A. G. Dentai,et al.  Nd:YAG single‐crystal fiber laser: Room‐temperature cw operation using a single LED as an end pump , 1976 .

[66]  L. E. Cross,et al.  Inhomogeneities and segregation behavior in strontium-barium niobate fibers grown by laser-heated pedestal growth technique : Part I , 1996 .

[67]  Lambertus Hesselink,et al.  Growth of Sr0.61Ba0.39Nb2O6 fibers: new results regarding orientation , 1991 .

[68]  W. Tiller,et al.  The influence of an interface electric field on the distribution coefficient of chromium in LiNbO3 , 1992 .

[69]  K. M. Kim,et al.  Measurement of meniscus angle in laser heated float zone growth of constant diameter sapphire crystals , 1980 .

[70]  C. Burrus,et al.  Room‐temperature continuous operation of a ruby fiber laser , 1978 .

[71]  R. Poplawsky.  Ferrite Crystals Using an Arc Image Furnace , 1962 .

[72]  R. E. Maringer,et al.  Casting of metallic filament and fiber , 1974 .

[73]  V. Chani,et al.  Growth of vanadium garnet fiber crystals and variations of lattice parameter , 1997 .

[74]  B. Cockayne,et al.  Oxide crystal growth using gas lasers , 1970 .

[75]  M. Digonnet,et al.  Clad Nd:YAG fibers for laser applications , 1987 .

[76]  F. Ainger,et al.  Crystal growth of YVO4 using the LHPG technique , 1993 .

[77]  H. E. Labelle,et al.  Growth of Sapphire Filaments from the Melt , 1967, Nature.

[78]  A. G. Hoyem,et al.  An Experimental Study of the Growth of Zinc Crystals by the Czochralski-Gomperz Method , 1929 .

[79]  T. Yao,et al.  A Novel Growth Technique for Single-Crystal Fibers: The Micro-Czochralski (µ-CZ) Method , 1989 .

[80]  M. M. Fejer,et al.  Quasi-Phase-Matched Interactions In Lithium Niobate , 1990, Optics & Photonics.

[81]  R. Feigelson,et al.  Pulling microcrystals of Co, Fe and Co-Fe alloys from their melts , 1986 .

[82]  Robert L. Byer,et al.  Characterization of single‐crystal sapphire fibers for optical power delivery systems , 1989 .

[83]  D. Yoon,et al.  Morphological aspects of potassium lithium niobate crystals with acicular habit grown by the micro-pulling-down method , 1994 .

[84]  K. Shimamura,et al.  A new crystal growth method for in situ core doping , 1994 .

[85]  T. Jaaskelainen,et al.  Growth of single-crystal photorefractive fibers of Bi12SiO20 and Bi12TiO20 by the laser-heated pedestal growth method , 1994 .

[86]  J. Pollock.  Filamentary sapphire , 1972 .

[87]  Tsuguo Fukuda,et al.  A double-die modification of micro-pulling-down method for in situ clad/core doping of fiber crystal , 1997 .

[88]  G. G. Johnson,et al.  Growth studies of YVO4 crystals (II). Changes in YVO‐stoichiometry , 1994 .

[89]  M. Fejer,et al.  Periodically poled LiNbO3 for high‐efficiency second‐harmonic generation , 1991 .

[90]  S. Uda,et al.  Origin of SiC Precipitation during the Micro-Pulling-Down Processing of Si–Ge Fibers , 1997 .

[91]  Peter Rudolph.  The virtues of Fukuda laboratory of crystal growth , 1996 .

[92]  W. Yen,et al.  Coloration of chromium‐doped yttrium aluminum garnet single‐crystal fibers using a divalent codopant , 1991 .

[93]  W. Tiller,et al.  The dissociation and ionization of LiNbO3 melts , 1992 .

[94]  D. Yoon,et al.  Characterization of LiNbO3 micro single crystals grown by the micro-pulling-down method , 1994 .

[95]  Growth of MgO doped LiNbO3 single crystal fibers by a novel drawing down method , 1991 .

[96]  Merton C. Flemings,et al.  Highly textured and single crystal Bi2CaSr2Cu2Ox prepared by laser heated float zone crystallization , 1989 .

[97]  K. Shimamura,et al.  Growth of SixGe1 − x crystals by the micro-pulling-down method , 1996 .

[98]  Tsuguo Fukuda,et al.  Crystal growth of dislocation-free LiNbO3 single crystals by micro pulling down method , 1994 .

[99]  S. A. Dunn,et al.  Phase identification in calcia-alumina fibers crystallized from amorphous precursors , 1993 .

[100]  H. E. Labelle,et al.  Growth of controlled profile crystals from the melt: Part I - Sapphire filaments , 1971 .

[101]  R. Feigelson.  Opportunities for research on single-crystal fibers , 1988 .