Crystal growth of bulk high-Tc superconducting oxide materials

The growth of single crystals and highly oriented polycrystals of bulk high critical temperature (Tc) superconducting (HTSC) materials is reviewed. Steady progress continues to improve the critical current density of polycrystals and the size and crystallinity of single crystals in HTSC materials using various solidification processes. In this article, advances in solidification processing, the understanding of the growth mechanism and promising new developments in bulk HTSC crystals are discussed. In particular, we describe the recent progress of crystal growth research on REBa2Cu3O7−δ (RE, rare earth), the most widely studied HTSC material. © 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.