Crystal Growth of Quasicrystals

Quasicrystals (QCs), which reveal diffraction patterns with symmetries forbidden in crystallography and quasiperiodicity, have been found to be stable phases in several alloy systems. Because of this stability, one can grow single-grained QCs on a large scale by traditional crystal-growth techniques. Consequently, single grains of QCs are highly ordered structures with grain sizes that are sufficient for studying their surfaces, neutron scattering, and structures. Single grains of QCs have been successfully grown by different techniques in recent decades. In this chapter, we first introduce QCs and then describe their alloy systems. There are three groups of stable QCs-Al-base alloys, Zn-Mg-rare earth metals, and Ag-In-Yb-which are grown by various techniques, such as the Czochralski method, Bridgman method, floating zone, and solution growth method. According to structural quality evaluation and growth direction, the growth mechanisms will be discussed.