CRYSTAL-GROWTH OF THE BI2SR2CACU2O8 SUPERCONDUCTOR

Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 crystal growth has been made by slow cooling of samples completely or partially melted in gold crucibles. All 2212 growth experiments were made under air atmosphere, using presynthetised ceramics as starting materials. A growth may be noticed when the cooling is effective, from a T-s epsilon [905;980 degrees C] starting temperature at a v(c) epsilon [0.5;20 degrees C h(-1)] speed. Crystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-micro-analysis and electrical resistivity. Such grown crystals are superconducting with T-c epsilon [88;96 K] and a sharp Delta T-c transition.