Abstract

This paper reports the investigation of solubility in the system (1-y)Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ (BTO):yBi₁₂[V_{0.8 0.2}]O₂₀(BVO) by solid-state reaction synthesis and the crystal growth of vanadium doped Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ (BTO:V) by the Top Seeded Solution Growth (TSSG) technique. The structure of polycrystalline compounds was checked by X-ray powder diffraction method at room temperature. The system BTO:BVO presents a continuous solid solution in all range of compositions tested in synthesized powders. However, due effects of constitutional supercooling and structural phase transitions, there is a limit for vanadium concentration if we intend to grow good single crystals. The best growth results were obtained for liquid composition 10Bi₂O₃:(1-x)TiO₂:x/2V₂O₅ with x = 0.10, pulling and rotational rates respectively of 0.10 mm/h and 30 rpm, and an axial temperature gradient above the melt of about 35°C/cm.

© 2005 Optical Society of America