Fabrication of single crystal of SmBa2Cu3O7-x, by the modified top-seeded solution growth method in low oxygen partial pressure atmosphere

Single crystals of SmBa2Cu3O7-x (Sm123) have been successfully grown by a modified top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) method in 1% oxygen partial pressure atmosphere (P(O-2)=0.01 atm). Solid Sm2BaCuO5 (Sm211) solute and Ba-Cu-O solvent with Ba to Cu ratio of 3:5 were used in a Sm2O3 crucible. The Sm123 as-grown crystals mere confirmed by X-ray structure analysis to have the SmBa2Cu3O7-x tetragonal structure, and the substitution of Sm ion to the Ba site was not detected within experimental accuracy. The transport properties of the grown crystals annealed in an oxygen gas flow were measured by the direct-current four-contact method, both in the ab-plane and along the c-asis. The superconductive transition temperature was 93 K and the transition width was 0.3 K.