Self-organized, rodlike, micrometer-scale microstructure of Tb3Sc2Al3O12-TbSCO3:Pr eutectic

The self-organized rodlike microstructure of terbium-scandium-aluminum garnet-terbium-scandium perovskite, Tb3Sc2Al3O12-TbScO3, eutectic crystals has been studied. The growth of the eutectic by the micro-pulling down method is presented. The obtained self-organized dielectric microstructure is made of perovskite fibers embedded in a garnet phase matrix. The crystal quality of both phases is confirmed by the structural analysis. Both phases can be etched away, depending on the composition, leaving a pseudo-hexagonally packed dielectric array of pillars or an array of pseudo-hexagonally packed holes in dielectric material. Both structures can be filled with metal or another material and, hence, have possible metamaterials or photonic crystals applications.