SINGLE CRYSTAL GROWTH OF CALCIUM CARBONATE (SYNTHETIC CALCITE)

CALCITE, A NATURALLY OCCURING CRYSTALLINE FORM OF CALCIUM CARBONATE (CACO3), HAS BEEN USED AS POLARIZERS. THIS FORM HAS LIMITED THE SIZE OF THE POLARIZERS AND THE POWER HANDLING CAPABILITY. GROWTH OF CALCIUM CARBONATE FROM THE MELT REQUIRES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS. FLUXED GROWTH HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED; HOWEVER, INITIAL CRYSTAL NUCLEATION AND SPURIOUS NUCLEATION DURING GROWTH HAS SEVERELY LIMITED THE SIZE OF CACO3 CRYSTALS TO MAKE IT A FEASIBLE PROCESS. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS TO ADAPT THE HEAT EXCHANGER METHOD (HEM) FOR FLUXED GROWTH OF CACO3 CRYSTALS. WITH HEM IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE INITIAL NUCLEATION AND PREVENT SPURIOUS NUCLEATION DURING GROWTH. IT IS INTENDED TO UTILIZE THE UNIQUE ADVANTAGES OF HEM FOR SEEDING, ATMOSPHERE CONTROL AND CRUCIBLE DIMENSIONS TO ESTABLISH FEASIBILITY OF SINGLE CRYSTAL GROWTH OF CALCIUM CARBONATE (SYNTHETIC CALCITE).