Micro-pulling-down: A viable approach to the crystal growth of refractory rare-earth sesquioxides

Abstract

The RE2O3 (RE = Y, Lu, Sc) sesquioxides are promising host materials for solid-state lasers owing to their low phonon energy and high thermal conductivity. Our results demonstrate that the micro-pulling-down method is a viable approach to the single-crystal growth of refractory rare-earth sesquioxides with melting points over 2400°C. The method yields chemically homogeneous single-crystal rods of high crystallinity. We also present thermal conductivity data for Yb-doped Y2O3 and Lu2O3 and for Tm-doped Y2O3.