Investigations on nucleation thermodynamical parameters of NdBa2Cu3O7-δ (Nd123) crystallization by high temperature solution growth

Abstract

Investigations on nucleation thermodynamical parameters are very essential for the successful growth of good quality single crystals from high temperature solution. A theoretical estimation of the nucleation thermodynamical parameters like interfacial energy between the solid Nd123 and its flux BaO-CuO, metastable zone-width, Gibbs free energy, critical energy barrier for nucleation and critical nucleation radius have been calculated from the knowledge of solubility data and by applying the classical nucleation theory. Results are discussed to understand the growth kinetics of Nd123 crystals.