High-quality HfB2 crystals were prepared from a hafnium-excessive molten zone by the RF-heated floating-zone method. ZrB2 crystals were grown from self-fluxes of zirconium and boron. Helium atmosphere, which caused convection in the molten zone, was more suited for increasing the growth rate than argon. Further, the growth rate was found to increase by choosing a self-flux with low atomic number, i.e., boron, and with increasing the growth temperature. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.