Utilization of mechanical alloying method for flux growth of single crystalline BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$

Abstract

Mechanical alloying method has been employed to prepare the Ba-Fe-As-P precursors, necessary for the Ba-(As,P) flux growth of the single crystalline BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$. By alloying constituent elementals mechanically, the Ba-(As,P) precursors are successfully formed at the room temperature within one hour, significantly reducing preparation time. Using the mechanically alloyed precursors, we have grown single crystals of BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$ with the sizes up to 5~mm $\times$ 5~mm $\times$ 0.1~mm.