Method for growing crystals

A method of growing a single crystal from a material which exhibits large supercooling, said method comprising the steps of positioning a foraminous susceptor above and adjacent to a seed crystal and below and in contact with a column of crystal feed material selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the formulas M.sub.3 AB.sub.3 and M.sub.4 A.sub.2 B.sub.5, wherein A is P, As or Sb;

• B is S, Se or Te;
• and M is Na, K, Li, Ba, Ca, Mg, Be, Zr, Mn, Zn, Ce, Fe, Co, Ni, Cd, Pb, Sn, Cu, Ag, Au or Pt;
• inductively heating the susceptor so as to melt the top of the seed crystal and a layer of the column of the crystal feed material adjacent the susceptor;
• passing crystal feed material melt through openings in the susceptor into contact with the melted seed crystal, thereby commencing crystal growth;
• lowering the column toward the heated susceptor so as to melt the end of the column;
• passing the resulting melt through openings in the susceptor to provide material for continued crystal growth;
• and maintaining the temperature of the susceptor at a temperature such that the height of the melt on which the susceptor floats as measured between the lower surface of the susceptor and the interface between the melt and the grown crystal is in the range of about 2 to 10 millimeters.