Abstract:
A method for producing high-purity, large-volume monocrystals that are especially radiation-resistant and have low intrinsic birefringence. From a melt of crystalline raw material, with controlled cooling and solidification, a crystal is generated. As the crystalline raw material, shards and/or waste from already-grown crystals is used, and the re-used raw material 1) upon visual observation in daylight has no color; and 2) upon illumination with a white-light lamp in a darkroom a) has no or at maximum a just barely perceivable reddish and/or bluish fluorescence; and b) has no or at maximum a just barely perceivable diffuse scattering; and c) has no or only slight discrete scattering of at maximum two visually perceivable scattering centers per dm3. In this way, crystals can be obtained which after tempering have a BSDF value of