Abstract
Large (up to 5×4×1.5 mm 3) single crystals of YBa 2Cu 3O 7−σ with perfect orthorhombic morphology were successfully grown from favourable flux composition in alumina crucibles. The number of nucleation centres was reduced by using smooth inner wall crucibles and a temperature oscillation method. The crystals could be isolated from the CuO flux by tipping the crucible over while remaining in the furnace at 970°C. By applying a uniaxial stress at the annealing temperature, both macro- and micro-twin domains in the thick crystals could be removed and a single untwinned domain was obtained. The structures of bith twin- and single-domain crystals were characterized by means of high resolution electron microscopy. We also report the magnetic property of the as-grown single crystals.
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