Abstract
A systematic study of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1-x Pr x Cu 2 O y , where x=0-1.0, was undertaken to determine growth parameters, crystal properties as well as the phase compositions. Single crystals were grown using the traveling solvent floating zone method. The dimension of single crystals with actual doping ratios x from 0.2 to 0.7 were typically 5mm×3mm×0.2mm. Large single crystals of Bi 2 Sr 2 PrCu 2 O y (x=1.0), typically 10mm×3mm×0.2mm, were successfully grown. These crystals contained no impurities and showed a clean X-ray diffraction pattern of the pure Bi-2212 phase. A planar interface was observed, indicating that a stable growth condition was established before zone quenching. As the Pr-doping level increased, the liquidus composition shifted pronouncedly to the corner of CuO in the pseudo-ternary BiO 1.5 -(Sr,Ca,Pr)O-CuO phase diagram. Therefore, the solidus composition, Bi 1.965 Sr 2.046 Pr 1.096 Cu 1.894 O y , and liquidus composition, Bi 2.17 Sr 1.92 Pr 0.31 Cu 2.60 O y , were obtained by energy dispersive X-ray analyzer measuring. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.