Growth of single crystals of the new double perovskite Ba 2HoRu 1−xCu xO 6 from high temperature solutions

Abstract

Single crystals of Ba 2HoRu 1− x Cu x O 6 have been grown from high temperature solutions using PbO–PbF 2 as solvent in the temperature range 1150–1250 °C. Crystals with a six sided plate like morphology measuring up to 3 mm across and 0.5 mm thick and polyhedral habit measuring up to 2 and 1 mm in thick mass were obtained. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns obtained on the crystals were indexed to give a monoclinic space group P2 1/n with lattice parameters a = 5.875 ( 2 ) , b = 5.874 ( 3 ) , c = 8.960 ( 1 ) and β = 89.995 ( 2 ) ° . The crystals with x = 0 show a single anomaly at 6.5 K corresponding to an antiferromagnetic phase with θ = - 21.82 K . The crystals containing Cu show additional anomalies at 18 and 48 K. The SEM and EDS analysis reveals a 2116 phase.