Crystal Growth of Tl-Based Cuprate Superconductors

Growth of Tl-based cuprate superconductor crystals has been investigated using a mixed state of solid with melt. Analyses by X-ray and SEM-EPMA reveal that the crystals are grown in a plate form with a developed c-plane with coexistence of two phases, Tl2Ba2CuO6 with Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8, or Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 with Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O10, having common crystal axes. The growth feature is explained in terms of a stacking fault mechanism during lateral growth on the c-plane.