Crystal growth and characterization of the spin-ladder compound (Sr, Ca)14Cu24O41

Abstract High-quality centimetric size single crystals of Sr 14− x Ca x Cu 24 O 41 (0⩽ x ⩽12) have been successfully grown using the travelling solvent floating zone (TSFZ) method associated with an image furnace. We present the growth conditions together with a characterization of the single crystals by means of optical and electron microscopy, EDX, X-ray powder diffraction, Laue X-ray back-reflection and neutron diffraction.