Synthesis of Ultra High Purity Intermetallic Single Crystals

An example of a well-known material that has benefitted from advances in crystal growth technology is URu₂Si₂. This compound exhibits an ordered state (“hidden order”) for which the order parameter has not been unambiguously identified, despite three decades of intense research. A solution to the hidden order conundrum may finally be in sight, owing largely to the development of techniques to produce UHP specimens of this material. Another example is that of the correlated electron metals CeTIn₅ (T = Co, Rh, Ir), where characterization of the Fermi surface (e.g., using de Haas van Alphen effect, scanning tunneling microscopy, and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy) was recently enabled by UHP single crystal specimens. To address related challenges in other materials, we are undertaking a program to synthesize UHP samples for in-house and collaborative studies. In particular, we focus on advanced molten metal flux growth techniques and floating zone image furnace techniques for intermetallics.

Related Publications

• High purity specimens of URu2Si2 produced by a molten metal flux technique
• Visualizing nodal heavy fermion superconductivity in CeCoIn₅
• Visualizing heavy fermions emerging in a quantum critical Kondo lattice