Crystal growth, structural, low temperature thermoluminescence and mechanical properties of cubic fluoroperovskite single crystal (LiBaF3)

Polycrystalline compounds of LiBaF₃ were synthesized using conventional solid state reaction route and the phase purity was confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction technique. Using vertical Bridgman technique single crystal was grown from melt. Rocking curve measurements have been carried out to study the structural perfection of the grown crystal. The single peak of diffraction curve clearly reveals that the grown crystal was free from the structural grain boundaries. The low temperature thermoluminescence of the X-ray irradiated sample has been analyzed and found four distinguishable peaks having maximum temperatures at 18, 115, 133 and 216 K. Activation energy (E) and frequency factor (s) for the individual peaks have been studied using Peak shape method and the computerized curve fitting method combining with the T_max- T_Stop procedure. Nanoindentation technique was employed to study the mechanical behaviour of the crystal. The indentation modulus and Vickers hardness of the grown crystal have values of 135.15 GPa and 680.81 respectively, under the maximum indentation load of 10 mN.