Crystal growth of spin-ice pyrochlores by the floating-zone method

Single crystals of RE2Ti2O7 (RE=Tb, Dy and Ho) have been grown by the floating-zone technique in an image furnace in a controlled atmosphere. The effect of annealing the crystals in different atmospheres was studied and found to be very important. Small amounts of Y were doped on the Dy site to study its effect on the spin-ice behaviour. Results for the structural parameters obtained by X-ray diffraction and magnetic properties of the crystals are reported. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.