High T sub c Superconductors: Crystal Growth and Characterization

Single crystals are important in elucidating structures and their relationship to physical properties in high Tc superconducting oxides. As is typical for such complex substances, high temperature solution growth techniques are employed for the preparation of bulk single crystals. Development of suitable flux systems for each material for the growth of crystals of phases including Ba sub 2 YCu sub 3 O sub 7, Bi sub 2.2 Sr sub 2 Ca sub 0.8 Cu sub 2 O sub 8+delta, Bi sub 2 Sr sub 2 CuO sub 6+delta, Ba sub 1-x K sub x BiO sub 3, and Pb sub 2 Sr sub 2 MCu sub 3 O sub 8 will be discussed. The large, high quality single crystals thus obtained have given us important new insights into superconductivity in oxides. Recent results from the study of superconducting single crystals will be presented.