Crystal growth of inter-lanthanide LaLn'O_3 (Ln'=Y, Ho-Lu) perovskites from hydroxide fluxes

摘要

In this article, we report the growth of single crystals of the inter-lanthanide series LaLn'O_3 [Ln'=Y, Ho-Lu) using molten hydroxide fluxes. Inter-lanthanide oxides, LnLn'O_3 (where Ln and In'=lanthanides) typically crystallize in the A-, B- or C-Ln_2O_3 or in the ABO_3 perovskite structure types, depending on the relative sizes of the lanthanide cations involved. The inter-lanthanide oxides, LaLn'O_3 (Ln'=Y, Ho-Lu), reported herein were determined to crystallize in the orthorhombic (Pnma) perovskite-type structure. A discussion on the effect of cation radii on the resultant crystal structure for LaLn'O_3 {Ln'=Y, Ho-Lu) and other reported inter-lanthanide oxides is presented herein.