Producing a Heusler Alloy Single Crystal

The Heusler alloy Cu2MnAl is a ferromagnetic compound that is in the form of a single crystal suitable for the simultaneous monochromatization and polarization of a neutron beam. Our purpose is to produce such a monochromator. Pre-cast polycrystalline samples were resolidified in crucibles made of different materials with different sizes in the Universal Multizone Crystallizator (UMC) developed in the Institute of Material Sicence at University of Miskolc. Single crystals were obtained as a result of the resolidification. The quality of the single crystals was verified with neutron diffraction, then the ones having suitable quality were oriented crystallographically by using the Laue method. By using the spark machining method, seed crystals with suitable orientation were cut from the single crystals, and oriented single crystals will be grown from them.