Three-dimensional simulation of floating-zone crystal growth of oxide crystals

The floating-zone (FZ) method is a popular technique for the growth of high-temperature oxide crystals. However, the growth usually requires skillful control of the zone stability, which is strongly coupled with heat flow, interfaces, and the grown crystal morphology. In this report, we present a three-dimensional self-consistent simulation of floating-zone oxide growth in a mirror furnace by taking these factors into account simultaneously. This model is based on an efficient finite volume method with multigrid acceleration and interface tracking. The steady growth of a YAG crystal in a double-ellipsoid mirror furnace is taken as an example to illustrate the intricate coupling of convection, interfaces, meniscus, and the grown crystal shape. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.