Single Crystal Growth of Zirconia Utilizing a Skull Melting Technique

This report reviews the problems associated with the high temperature growth of non-metallic single crystals, particularly refractory oxides. Various approaches to circumvent the problems of melt contamination and containment are discussed. The cold wall R.F. heated skull technique is discussed in detail. This technique is applied to the growth of yttria stabilized zirconia to meet specific requirements, and to establish the viability of this technique. The resulting crystals are characterized by a number of optical, chemical, and physical techniques.