Ultra high-pressure laser pedestal/zone (HP-LDFZ) furnace combines the unique features of the tilting laser diode floating zone design with high pressure (1000 bar). The growth/materials synthesis can be performed in different supercritical gas-atmospheres of Ar, N2, and O2. The HP-LDFZ consists of seven, 400 W, 1064 nm, fiber lasers which are fiber-coupled to chamber’s central axis. This arrangement provides a hot zone of 2-4 mm in length and temperature above 2500° C, with a very high temperature gradient. To enable the laser pedestal method, some of the lasers are angled.
The growth chamber is fabricated by using a nickel-base superalloy with exceptional fracture toughness, stable high-temperature mechanical properties, and intrinsic resistance to chemical attack and oxidation. In order to provide a flawless translation stability to the feed and seed rod inside the high-pressure chamber a magnetically coupled translation mechanism has been adopted, developed by Sci-Dre corporation.
For a visual and thermal monitoring of zone and growth process multiple measurement devices – including a pyrometer temperature sensor, high resolution optical imaging, and a hyperspectral camera are available.
As pressure and temperature are two essential parameters to create a product with a low free energy from reactants with high free energy. Under certain conditions of pressure and temperatures the metastable can be achieved by creating an equilibrium between reactants and products.
A high-pressure, high temperature and high-temperature gradient in the hot zone of HP-LDFZ is an ideal avenue for the synthesis and/or growth of incongruent melting materials and to push the thermodynamic boundaries to stabilize new phases out of the equilibrium.
This unique capability, coming in 2023, pushes the boundaries of electronic and optical materials discovery for MIP.
