Single crystal growth and properties of MgB2 and Mg(B1-xCx)2

TL;DR

This paper reports the growth of MgB2 and Mg(B1-xCx)2 single crystals with varying carbon content, analyzing their superconducting transition temperatures, substitution effects, and mechanical properties.

Contribution

It introduces a method for growing MgB2 and Mg(B1-xCx)2 single crystals with controlled carbon doping and characterizes their properties.

Findings

Tc varies from 39 to 9 K with carbon content

SiC precursor leads to carbon substitution, not silicon

Micro-hardness of MgB2 crystals is 1100 kg/mm2

Abstract

Single crystals of MgB2 and Mg(B1-xCx)2 have been grown using cubic anvil technique. Tc values vary in a wide range (39-9 K) with carbon content varying from 0 up to 16%. Using SiC as the precursor leads to C and not to Si substituted crystals. Micro-hardness measurements performed on MgB2 single crystals give average value of 1100 kg/mm2.