Abstract: A crystal growth system, comprising: a furnace; a plurality of heating elements coupled to said furnace, each said plurality of heating elements defining a heat zone, each said heating element set to a desired temperature value; a plurality of thermocouples associated with respective heat zones to detect a temperature value; a translation system for passing an ampoule containing crystal growth material through said furnace into said heat zones and providing a positional location of said ampoule and; a multi-variable self-tuning temperature controller connected to said plurality of heating elements, said plurality of thermocouples and said translation system, said controller monitoring each said zone temperature value and upon considering the thermal interaction of heating zones and the moving thermal inertia of the ampoule, adjusting voltage input to said heat zones to obtain optimal crystal growth within said ampoule.

Abstract: In a method of drawing single crystals from a body of highly pure polycrystalline material molten by inductive heating, a solid body of the polycrystalline material is first heated by direct induction heating at a frequency >200 KHz to increase its conductivity and is then further heated by direct induction heating at a frequency <20 KHz to melt the center of the body of polycrystalline material to form a molten pool contained by a marginal solid zone of the polycrystalline material from which the single crystal is drawn.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a recrystallized-material-member by melting a given zone of a crystalline-material-member and moving the molten zone continuously along the crystalline-material-member to recrystallize a desired region of the crystalline-material-member, wherein dimension of the molten zone of the crystalline-material-member is controlled to be constant and/or quality of crystal of the recrystallized-material-member is controlled to be uniform.

Abstract: PrBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.Y exhibiting superconductivity is provided by a method including the steps of preparing a solvent consisting of a mixture of praseodymium oxide, at least one of barium oxide and barium carbonate, and copper oxide at a mixing ratio of between 1:3:5 and 1:8:20, disposing the solvent between a feed rod of PrBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 formed to a high density and a seed crystal, heating the solvent to a temperature of 880.degree.-980.degree. C. in an atmosphere of an inert gas of at least one of argon and nitrogen mixed with 0.01-2% oxygen to form a floating solvent zone, moving the floating solvent zone toward the feed rod at 0.1-1.0 mm/hr under a temperature gradient at the solid-liquid interface of 25.degree.-35.degree. C./mm to precipitate single crystal on the seed crystal, and heat-treating the single crystal obtained in an atmosphere containing not less than 15% oxygen. Another aspect of the invention provides a superconducting device including the superconducting PrBa.sub.2 Cu.

Abstract: For the solution growth, a solvent is used which is composed of a mixture of an oxide containing at least one member of those elements which constitute the oxide crystal and a halide containing at least one member of those elements which constitute the oxide crystal. The process enables the temperature of crystal growth to be lowered to a significant extent, avoids inclusions such as impure anionic elements from getting intruded into the oxide crystal, while retaining adequate crystal growth through solution growth, and affords, in spite of an atmospheric mode of crystal growth and with the pinning force of magnetic flux used to advantage, the same level of beneficial effects as in a mode of crystal growth at a low oxygen pressure.

Abstract: In order to improve a process for growing crystals from a molten zone which is heated and to which a source material is supplied which is melted and deposited in crystalline form on a substrate from the molten zone, such that dimensions of the substrate along an interface between the substrate and the molten zone are dependent to a lesser extent on dimensions of the source material supplied to the molten zone, it is suggested that the molten zone be mechanically stabilized by a wall member which forms a boundary of the molten zone and is essentially immovable relative to the molten zone, a base member which forms a lower boundary of the molten zone and is movable relative to the wall member and a meniscus arranged between the base member and the wall member.

Abstract: A template having a surface relief structure contacts a thin crystalline film on a substrate to align the film in accordance with the surface relief structure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing single crystals of a group II-IV-V.sub.2 and group I-III-VI.sub.2 compounds by synthesizing compound material from its constituents and separately melting and refreezing the material in a transparent furnace while observing crystal growth.

Abstract: Silicon granules filled in a nonconductive cylinder are locally heated from outside of the cylinder using a local heating means, for example, a radio-frequency induction heating coil etc. to form a silicon granule sintering portion and a silicon melting portion, with gradually moving the local heating means in such a manner that the positions of the sintering portion and of the melting portion can be moved gradually. Concomitantly with the movement of the positions of the sintering portion and the melting portion, the melting portion in the original position is solidified to produce a silicon rod. According to this method, molten silicon is formed without contacting the inner wall surface of the cylinder and then solidified so that there can be obtained a silicon rod containing no impurities derived from the material of the cylinder.

Abstract: A method for producing a single crystal or polycrystal of terbium aluminate containing at least terbium, aluminum and oxygen and represented by the formula Tb.sub.1-x Al.sub.1+x O.sub.3 wherein -0.5.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.5, which comprises growing the single crystal or polycrystal using a reducing gas atmosphere or a neutral gas atmosphere as an atmosphere for crystal growth.