Importance

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Abstract

[Object] To provide a high-quality, transparent garnet single crystal with suppressed cell growth that would otherwise lead to partially inhomogeneous crystal composition, and a method for producing the garnet single crystal. [Solving means] The garnet single crystal is grown by bringing a seed crystal into contact with a raw-material melt in a crucible disposed inside a chamber and pulling, while rotating, the seed crystal. The garnet single crystal is characterized by being represented by a general formula: (Tb_3-xSc_x) (Sc_2-yAl_y)Al₃O_12-z (provided that 0.11≦x≦0.14, and 0.17≦y≦0.23). The garnet single crystal is grown as follows. First, a mixture powder containing 20.9 to 21.2% by mole terbium oxide, 32.7 to 33.3% by mole scandium oxide, and the balance of aluminium oxide and unavoidable impurities is filled into the crucible and melted. Then, while a nitrogen gas is supplied into the chamber, the number of rotations of the seed crystal is set to 5 to 20 rpm, and the rate of pulling the seed crystal is set to 0.3 to 0.8 mm/h for the growth.

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First Claim