In a crystal growth furnace having an array of vertically arranged heaters to provide controlled heating zones within a chamber, and a crucible for holding crystal material, wherein the crystal is grown vertically through the heating zones, the improvement includes a laser mounted outside the chamber which radiates a beam of energy to locally melt precipitates and inclusions. The furnace includes a mechanism to position the laser vertically to, at or near the interface between the formed crystal and crystal melt material above the formed crystal. The crystal material can be CdZnTe.

In a crystal growth furnace having an array of vertically arranged heaters to provide controlled heating zones within a chamber, and a crucible for holding crystal material, wherein the crystal is grown vertically through the heating zones, the improvement includes a laser mounted outside the chamber which radiates a beam of energy to locally melt precipitates and inclusions. The furnace includes a mechanism to position the laser vertically to, at or near the interface between the formed crystal and crystal melt material above the formed crystal. The crystal material can be CdZnTe.

A lithium metal negative electrode for an electrochemical cell for a secondary lithium metal battery includes a polycrystalline metal substrate having a major facing surface with a defined crystallographic texture. An epitaxial lithium metal layer is formed on the major facing surface of the polycrystalline metal substrate. The epitaxial lithium metal layer exhibits a predominant crystal orientation. The predominant crystal orientation of the epitaxial lithium metal layer is derived from the defined crystallographic texture of the major facing surface of the polycrystalline metal substrate.

An organic thin film includes an organic crystalline phase, where the organic crystalline phase defines a surface having a surface roughness (R.sub.a) of less than approximately 10 micrometers over an area of at least approximately 1 cm.sup.2. The organic thin film may be manufactured from an organic precursor and a non-volatile medium material that is configured to mediate the surface roughness of the organic crystalline phase during crystal nucleation and growth. The thin film may be formed using a suitably shaped mold, for example, and the non-volatile medium material may be disposed between a layer of the organic precursor and the mold during processing.

Methods and systems are provided for a homogenous, single crystal, electrically conductive, and narrow bandgap PbSe nanostructure is synthesized using a chemical bath deposition on, for example, quartz substrates, and includes a tunable iodine doping process to select the size and/or shape of the nanostructures. The single crystalline PbSe nanostructure can be exposed following an isolation process (e.g., etching process), and the concentration and/or distribution of iodine across multiple PbSe nanostructures (e.g., on a quartz substrate) can be adjusted during post processing steps, including heat treatments.

Methods and systems are provided for a homogenous, single crystal, electrically conductive, and narrow bandgap PbSe nanostructure is synthesized using a chemical bath deposition on, for example, quartz substrates, and includes a tunable iodine doping process to select the size and/or shape of the nanostructures. The single crystalline PbSe nanostructure can be exposed following an isolation process (e.g., etching process), and the concentration and/or distribution of iodine across multiple PbSe nanostructures (e.g., on a quartz substrate) can be adjusted during post processing steps, including heat treatments.

In accordance with a method of forming a halide perovskite thin film, a first halide perovskite material is chosen from which a halide perovskite thin film is to be formed. An epitaxial substrate formed from a second halide perovskite material is also chosen. The halide perovskite thin film is epitaxially formed on the substrate from the first halide perovskite material. The substrate is chosen such that the halide perovskite thin film formed on the substrate has a selected value of at least one property. The property is selected from the group including crystal structure stability, charge carrier mobility and band gap.

In accordance with a method of forming a halide perovskite thin film, a first halide perovskite material is chosen from which a halide perovskite thin film is to be formed. An epitaxial substrate formed from a second halide perovskite material is also chosen. The halide perovskite thin film is epitaxially formed on the substrate from the first halide perovskite material. The substrate is chosen such that the halide perovskite thin film formed on the substrate has a selected value of at least one property. The property is selected from the group including crystal structure stability, charge carrier mobility and band gap.

Provided is a method for producing a SiC single crystal wherein a 4H—SiC single crystal is grown by minimizing generation of polytypes other than 4H. A method for producing a SiC single crystal by a solution process, wherein a seed crystal is 4H—SiC, and a (000-1) face of the seed crystal is a growth surface, wherein the method includes: setting a temperature at a center section of a region of a surface of a Si—C solution where the growth surface of the seed crystal contacts to 1900° C. or higher, and limiting a ΔTc/ΔTa to 1.7 or greater, wherein the ΔTc/ΔTa is a ratio of a temperature gradient ΔTc between the center section and a location 10 mm below the center section in the vertical direction, with respect to a temperature gradient ΔTa between the center section and a location 10 mm from the center section in the horizontal direction.

Provided is a method for producing a SiC single crystal wherein a 4H—SiC single crystal is grown by minimizing generation of polytypes other than 4H. A method for producing a SiC single crystal by a solution process, wherein a seed crystal is 4H—SiC, and a (000-1) face of the seed crystal is a growth surface, wherein the method includes: setting a temperature at a center section of a region of a surface of a Si—C solution where the growth surface of the seed crystal contacts to 1900° C. or higher, and limiting a ΔTc/ΔTa to 1.7 or greater, wherein the ΔTc/ΔTa is a ratio of a temperature gradient ΔTc between the center section and a location 10 mm below the center section in the vertical direction, with respect to a temperature gradient ΔTa between the center section and a location 10 mm from the center section in the horizontal direction.