Dendritic growth of TmBa2Cu3O6+x single crystals

We report on the growth of whisker-like TmBa2Cu3O6+x (Tm-123) single crysta ls which are especially suitable for studying the anisotropic electron tran sport. We have found that the formation of Tm-123 crystals from the flux st arts with the growth of skeletons (dendrites), and their familiar plate hab it develops through the following skeleton overgrowth. Incomplete growth re sults in large clear dendrites, whose branches are exotic whisker-like sing le crystals with sizes up to 50 x 1200 x 600 mum(3) with the bc-face being the largest one. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.