Preparation and thermophysical properties of erbium disilicate

Erbium disilicate compound was prepared by the solid state reaction technique. The structural analysis of this compound by X-ray diffraction showed that Er2Si2O7 compound exists in three polymorphs: triclinic (type B), monoclinic (type C), and the high-temperature monoclinic phase (type D). Fabrication of single crystals of this material by a flux method showed that only the C-and D-types were formed. Structural analysis, along with the thermal properties of D-Er2Si2O7, are reported. Both the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of this material are measured by the transient plane source technique simultaneously. Heat capacity per unit volume was also calculated, using the measured density of D-Er2Si2O7.