Effect of seed orientation on the growth of TGS crystals with large (0 1 0) facets needed for detector applications

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2002-04, Vol.240 (1), p.196-202
• Main Authors: Satapathy, S., Sharma, S.K., Karnal, A.K., Wadhawan, V.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Crystal morphology; A2. Growth from solution; B2. Ferroelectric materials; B3. Infrared devices; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Growth from solutions; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Physics; Theory and models of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth, crystal morphology and orientation
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0248(01)02135-2

It is advantageous to grow crystals of triglycine sulphate (TGS) with a large area in the plane perpendicular to the polar axis (i.e. the (0 1 0) plane), for applications in large-area infrared detectors and laser-energy meters. Growing TGS crystals with such a morphology, using a point seed, has been a difficult task because of a low growth rate along the c-direction. To overcome this problem a cylindrical seed of large dimension along the c-axis is commonly used. This paper reports the growth of TGS crystals by the platform technique, using seeds which need not be long along the c-axis. Crystals were grown from aqueous solution by placing seeds of size 5×5×5 mm 3 in different orientations on the platform. The variation of growth rates of various habit facets with different orientations of seeds was determined. An optimum seed orientation was found such that the platform technique permits one to grow TGS crystals from which large-area (0 1 0) plates can be cut. The grown crystals were characterised by various techniques. A laser-energy meter was designed, fabricated, and tested.