COMPOSITIONAL ANALYSIS OF SINGLE-CRYSTALS OF FLUX-GROWN MAGNETIC GARNETS BY ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

A method of determining the chemical composition of single crystals of flux-grown magnetic garnets (R1, R2)3(Fe, Ga)5O12 (R1 and R2 = Y, Eu, Gd, or Er) is described. Elements to be determined were rare earths, iron and gallium as main constituents, and lead as an impurity introduced from the flux. Lanthanum chloride was added to the samples and the standard solutions to remove the interference effects of concomitant foreign elements on the atomic-absorption measurement of the rare earths and to improve the measurement precision for iron, gallium and lead. The atomic-absorption measurements in the lanthanum chloride matrix are discussed. Finally, results for some garnets are presented and problems regarding the composition of the materials are described. © 1978.