Flux Growth of Magnetic Oxides

In memory of Barbara Wanklyn, Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford University. Flux growth using high temperature solution has long been used to grow crystals for research, however, it has fallen out of favour with the adoption of thin film techniques such a laser deposition and bulk growth using optical float zone furnaces. This talk will revisit the method to allow physical scientists assess the feasibility of the method for preparing their samples and inform them on the properties such samples may have. The concepts explained are meant to accessible and useful to scientists from undergraduate to postdoctoral level. The methodology of flux growth will be described with particular reference to the growth of magnetic materials such as orthoferrites, garnets and rare earth compounds. A typical flux growth will be described including the criteria used to determine starting compositions and concentrations. Photographs of crystals will be shown to illustrate typical results and the various phenomena which may be encountered in flux growth.