Growth of single crystal K3Y3(BO3)4 with low-symmetry structure and multi-type of substitutional sites

Single crystals of K3Y3(BO3)4 were grown using the KBO2, LiF, and Li2CO3 as the fluxes by the top-seed solution method. The K3Y3(BO3)4 can be an excellent host for doping of Yb3+, because there are six low-symmetric yttrium atoms in one unit-cell of K3Y3(BO3)4. The growth of K3Y3(BO3)4 was studied in detail, and a good crystal with sizes of 24 mm × 15 mm × 8 mm was grown successfully below 900 °C. Some characteristics, such as the X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and thermal analysis, were also performed.