STUDY OF ALPHA-LIIO3 SINGLE-CRYSTALS GROWN IN-SPACE

alpha-LiIO3 single crystals were grown by the aqueous solution method with a pH value from 3.6 to 12 in Chinese Scientific recoverable satel lites. The morphology of the crystals grown in space is similar to tha t of earth-grown crystals. The growth rate of the crystals is influenc ed by both the pH value of solution and gravity except for the solutio n concentration. It is found that the growth rates of the positive and negative sides of the space-grown crystals are almost the same in a s olution with pH=4.02. The perfection of both crystals grown in space a nd on the earth was examined by X-ray topography.