Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.36 Structure of KTiOPO
4
[139]
.
and Grenier (1971)
[141]
prepared KTP in the polycrystalline form. However, the
single crystals of KTP were first obtained by Zumsteg et al. (1976)
[134]
at the
DuPont Experimental Station.
5.5.1 Crystal Growth of KTP
KTP decomposes before melting at 1148
C. Thus, incongruent melting and glass
formation make it impossible to grow KTP crystals directly from the melt.
Similarly, growth from an aqueous solution at low temperature (
300
C) is impos-
sible because of the low solubility of KTP. Therefore, large single crystals of KTP
can be grown by both high-temperature and -pressure hydrothermal and flux tech-
niques. There are several problems with reference to the quality of the crystals
grown by the flux method. When pure phosphate self-fluxes are used, the main
,
