A single crystal production apparatus that is designed to produce a single crystal by cooling a melting zone formed by a heating part including an infrared generation part and a reflection part, wherein: the reflection part includes a spheroidal mirror and a concave spherical mirror; the infrared generation part is disposed at one focal point of the spheroidal mirror; an opening is formed in the spheroidal mirror on the side of the other focal point of the spheroidal mirror; and the one focal point and the spherical center of the concave spherical mirror fall on the same location.

A single crystal production apparatus that is designed to produce a single crystal by cooling a melting zone formed by a heating part including an infrared generation part and a reflection part, wherein: the reflection part includes a spheroidal mirror and a concave spherical mirror; the infrared generation part is disposed at one focal point of the spheroidal mirror; an opening is formed in the spheroidal mirror on the side of the other focal point of the spheroidal mirror; and the one focal point and the spherical center of the concave spherical mirror fall on the same location.

FZ single crystals are pulled by melting a polycrystal with electromagnetic melting apparatus and then recrystallizing. First, a lower end of the polycrystal is melted; second, a monocrystalline seed is attached to the lower end of the polycrystal and melted beginning from an upper end thereof; third, between a lower section of the seed and the polycrystal, a thin neck is formed whose diameter (d.sub.D) is smaller than that (d.sub.I) of the seed; and fourth, between the thin neck section and the polycrystal, a conical section is formed. Before the conical growth, a switchover position (h′) of the polycrystal, the position at which the rate of polycrystal movement relative to the melting apparatus is to be reduced is determined, and the rate is reduced, in amount when the switchover position (h′) is reached.

FZ single crystals are pulled by melting a polycrystal with electromagnetic melting apparatus and then recrystallizing. First, a lower end of the polycrystal is melted; second, a monocrystalline seed is attached to the lower end of the polycrystal and melted beginning from an upper end thereof; third, between a lower section of the seed and the polycrystal, a thin neck is formed whose diameter (d.sub.D) is smaller than that (d.sub.I) of the seed; and fourth, between the thin neck section and the polycrystal, a conical section is formed. Before the conical growth, a switchover position (h′) of the polycrystal, the position at which the rate of polycrystal movement relative to the melting apparatus is to be reduced is determined, and the rate is reduced, in amount when the switchover position (h′) is reached.

A turbine engine component has a first portion and a hotspot portion with both portions being substantially covered with a thermal barrier coating (TBC). The hotspot portion may be additively manufactured to the first portion. Furthermore, the hotspot portion may have a single crystal microstructure to resist high temperatures and the first portion may not have such a microstructure and may further be cast. A method of forming the component includes the steps of casting the first portion and additively manufacturing the hotspot portion to the first portion, then covering the first and hotspot portion with the TBC.

A turbine engine component has a first portion and a hotspot portion with both portions being substantially covered with a thermal barrier coating (TBC). The hotspot portion may be additively manufactured to the first portion. Furthermore, the hotspot portion may have a single crystal microstructure to resist high temperatures and the first portion may not have such a microstructure and may further be cast. A method of forming the component includes the steps of casting the first portion and additively manufacturing the hotspot portion to the first portion, then covering the first and hotspot portion with the TBC.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for growing a large-size crystal by laser assisted heating and a dedicated device. The device comprises a laser core heating device, a xenon lamp surface heating device, a base, a vacuum cavity and etc. When a crystal is prepared, seeding and crystal growing are implemented by a xenon lamp-laser synergetic heating mode. According to the present invention, the structure and functions of the dedicated device are designed to introduce, at the center of a float melting zone, a laser heating source having high precision and strong controllability, so that a composite heating mode with xenon lamp surface heating and laser core heating is formed; and combined with the control of process, the method and the device solve the difficulty in growing a large-size test crystal bar and enable the growth of the crystal bar having a diameter up to 35 mm so as to facilitate engineering uses.

A multi-layer thin film composite is formed by applying a thin film formed from non-single-crystalline oxide onto a substrate; applying a protection film onto the thin film; and supplying energy to the thin film through at least one of the protection film or the substrate.

In general, the systems and methods described in this application relate to laser-induced nucleation in continuous flow. A method of laser-induced nucleation in continuous flow includes injecting a saturated solution, undersaturated solution, or supersaturated solution through an inlet of a device. The method can include converting the saturated solution or undersaturated solution into supersaturated solution by changing a temperature of the saturated solution or undersaturated solution. The method can include passing one or more laser pulses through the supersaturated solution within the device. The method can include flowing the saturated solution, undersaturated solution, or the supersaturated solution through an outlet of the device.

In general, the systems and methods described in this application relate to laser-induced nucleation in continuous flow. A method of laser-induced nucleation in continuous flow includes injecting a saturated solution, undersaturated solution, or supersaturated solution through an inlet of a device. The method can include converting the saturated solution or undersaturated solution into supersaturated solution by changing a temperature of the saturated solution or undersaturated solution. The method can include passing one or more laser pulses through the supersaturated solution within the device. The method can include flowing the saturated solution, undersaturated solution, or the supersaturated solution through an outlet of the device.