FAST GROWTH OF BI2SR2CA2CU3O10-CRYSTALS AT THE SURFACE OF KCL FLUXES(X AND BI2SR2CACU2O8+X THIN)

We report a novel technique to grow crystals of the high-temperature s uperconductor Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+x and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x (2223 and 2212 BSC CO phases), both pure and Pb substituted. The technique, based on chem ical transport in a thermal gradient in molten KCl, is simple and inex pensive, and yields a continuous output of crystals, with growth times of a few minutes, i.e., orders of magnitude shorter than conventional flux methods. Depending on melt aging, crystals of either the pure 22 23 or the pure 2212 BSCCO phases are obtained, having zero-resistance temperature of 105 and 90 K, respectively, and a transport critical cu rrent density of 10(4) A cm-2 at liquid nitrogen temperature.