Kiril A. Pandelisev, Single Crystal Technologies, Gilbert, AZ, USA

Materials of poor heat conducting properties and poor starting material quality, such as Calcium Fluoride, have severe constraints on the usable material produced from each crystal grown in a Bridgman-Stockbarger type crystal grower. By using new purification techniques together with crystal growth method for plate or slab form, SCT has obtained ways for production of Calcium Fluoride that have far superior yield and quality. The new methods for material purification and crystal plate growth and their advantages over the Bridgman-Stockbarger method are discussed.