Single-Crystal Growth of Magnesium Orthovanadate, Mg₃(VO₄)₂, by the Optical Floating Zone Technique

Magnesium orthovanadate crystals (< Φ 5 mm × L 55 mm) with a well-defined crystallographic orientation have been grown successfully in a four-mirror optical floating zone furnace. The crystals grow in the [010] direction. The transparent orange-brown crystals develop a predominant facet along the [20−1] during the crystal growth and cleave along the [20−1] and [100] directions.