Single crystal growth of superconducting La2-xBaxCuO4 by TSFZ method

Abstract Single crystals of La 2- x CuO 4 with 5 mm diameter and 25 mm length have been grown by the traveling solvent floating zone (TSFZ) method. The composition of the single crystal containing maximum Ba content and showing a superconducting transition at 30 K was determined to be La 1.935 Ba 0.065 CuO 4 . Electrical resistivities along the c -axis and in the ab -plane reveal significant anisotropy. Magnetic susceptibilities have been measured under a field of 50 Oe from 5 to 50 K. Under fields H ⊥ ab -plane and H ∥ ab -plane, the single crystal demonstrates 3.6% and 0.7% Meissner fractions, respectively, at 5 K.