Growth of Congruently Melting Gadolinium Scandium Gallium Garnet.

The Czochralski growth technique was used to prepare crystals of gadolinium scandium gallium garnet. The congruent melting composition, Gd2.957Sc1.905Ga3.138O12, was determined iteratively using x-ray fluorescence to measure the composition of the top and bottom of Czochralski-grown boules. No variation in crystal composition or lattice parameter was observed in crystals grown from this composition although greater than 90% of the initial liquid was crystallized. The congruent composition boule shows much less strain than a similarly prepared crystal grown from a stoichiometric melt.