Growth and thermal properties of Yb : Ca4YO(BO3)(3) crystal

Yb:Ca4YO(BO3)(3) (Yb:YCOB) crystal of good quality and large size has been grown by the Czochralski method. The thermal expansion and specific heat have been measured. The thermal expansion coefficients along X, Y and Z axes are 12.0 X 10(-6)/K, 3.3 x 10(-6)/K and 6.6 x 10(-6)/K, respectively. The specific heat is 79.5 cal/mol K at 330 K. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.