PREPARATION OF NEODYMIUM-SUBSTITUTED LAB6 SINGLE-CRYSTALS BY THE FLOATING ZONE METHOD

Single crystals of La(1-x)Nd(x)B6 were prepared in the composition range below x = 0.3 by the r.f.-heating floating zone method. The crystals were free of subgrain boundaries in the range above x = 0.15. Boundary-free crystals with a composition x = 0.15 were automatically prepared by a computerized control system. The distribution coefficient, the etching pattern and the lattice constant were examined and compared with those of other pseudobinary rare earth hexaborides based on LaB6 with CeB6, PrB6, SmB6 or GdB6.