Recently, we were successful with the single crystal growth of AFe₂As₂ single crystal by high temperature solution growth using excess Sn as flux.  The CaFe₂As₂ single crystals are malleable where as the EuFe₂As₂ single crystals are rather brittle.  Both the the compounds exhibit spin density wave (SDW) transition at 170 and 190 K respectively.  In the case of EuFe₂As₂, it undergoes an antiferromagnetic ordering at 19 K indicating that Eu is in 2+ state.

The single crystals of AFe₂As₂ were grown out of Sn flux.  Crystals as large as 2 cm in length were obtained for CaFe₂As₂ and for EuFe₂As₂ single crystal of 1 cm in length were obtained

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The heat capacity measurement on these samples indicate a very sharp first order like transition at 170 K for CaFe₂As₂ and at EuFe₂As₂. The magnetic field as high as 12 T field does not have any influence on the SDW transition as can be seen from the heat capacity data shown here: