Synthesis, growth and some properties of single crystals with the Ca/sub 3/Ga/sub 2/Ge/sub 4/O/sub 14/ structure

Brief review on synthesis, thermal stability and systematics of compounds with the Ca/sub 3/Ga/sub 2/Ge/sub 4/O/sub 14/ structure are reported. The crystal structure, isomorphism and order-disorder problems are discussed. Main growth parameters, including congruent melt composition and field of homogeneity, influence of ambient compositions on phase relations in these multicomponent systems, thermal stability of melt and crystal defects are under consideration. Structure-property correlation and some criteria for prediction of piezoelectric properties are formulated.