Growth of single crystals of the new double perovskite Ba2HoRu1−xCuxO6 from high temperature solutions

Single crystals of Ba2HoRu1−xCuxO6 have been grown from high temperature solutions using PbO–PbF2 as solvent in the temperature range 1150–1250 °C. Crystals with a six sided plate like morphology measuring up to 3 mm across and 0.5 mm thick and polyhedral habit measuring up to 2 and 1 mm in thick mass were obtained. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns obtained on the crystals were indexed to give a monoclinic space group P21/n with lattice parameters a=5.875(2)a=5.875(2), b=5.874(3)b=5.874(3), c=8.960(1)c=8.960(1) and β=89.995(2)°β=89.995(2)°. The crystals with x=0x=0 show a single anomaly at 6.5 K corresponding to an antiferromagnetic phase with θ=-21.82K. The crystals containing Cu show additional anomalies at 18 and 48 K. The SEM and EDS analysis reveals a 2116 phase.