Co₃V₃O₈ and Ni₃V₃O₈ crystals with the so called staircase Kagomè structure exhibit unusual magnetic properties due to a partial magnetic frustration, therefore these materials have recently attracted much interest [1-3]. In the last years Mg, Co, Ni and orthovanadates were obtained by the floating zone [4,5].

The orthorombic crystal structure of Co, Ni and Mg orthovanadates is based on slightly deformed cubic close packing of oxygen ions. 3/8 of existing octahedral positions are occupied by Co²⁺ , Ni²⁺ or Mg²⁺ ions and 1/8 of tetrahedral positions by V⁵⁺ ions. Similarity both in the lattice parameters (determined mainly by the ionic radius of oxygen ions) and in chemical properties of these compound cause the possibility of formation their solid solutions in the whole composition range. Therefore it is possible to modify the magnetic properties by putting magnetic Co²⁺ (with S=3/2), Ni²⁺ (S=1) or nonmagnetic Mg²⁺ ions in the staircase Kagomè structure. Single crystals of mixed orthovanadates were grown from polycrystalline feed rods by floating zone technique using a double ellipsoidal optical image furnace. Crystallization processes were carried out in 0.1MPa oxygen atmosphere at growth rate of 2 mm/h. Due to the noncongruent crystal melting a special attention was paid to finding the proper starting composition.

[1]. R. Szymczak, M. Baran, R. Diduszko, J. Fink-Finowicki, M. Gutowska, A. Szewczyk, and H. Szymczak. Phys. Rev. B. 73, 094425 (2006).

[2]. Y. Chen, J. W. Lynn, Q. Huang, F. M. Woodward, T. Yildirim, G. Lawes, A. P. Ramirez, N. Rogado, R. J. Cava, A. Aharony and O. Entin-Wohlman, A. B. Harris, Phys. Rev. B. 74, 014430 (2006)

[3]. M. Kenzelmann, A. B. Harris, A. Aharony, O. Entin-Wohlman, T. Yildirim, Q. Huang, S. Park, G. Lawes, C. Broholm, N. Rogado, R. J. Cava, K. H. Kim, G. Jorge, and A. P. Ramirez, Phys. Rev. B. 74, 014429 (2006)

[4]. J. D. Pless, N. Erdman, D. Ko, L.D. Marks, P. C. Stair, and K. R. Poeppelmeier, Crystal growth & Design 3, 613 (2003)

[5]. G. Balakrishnan, O. A. Petrenko, M. R. Lees, and D. M. K. Paul, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 16, L347 (2004).

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