The traveling solvent floating zone method was employed within an infrared radiation furnace to grow crystals of Bi-2(SrxCa3-x)Cu2Oy, x = 1.5-2. Crystals of various Sr/Ca ratios were obtained with lowest value approximately 1.32. The ratio of the temperature gradient G over the growth rate R, i.e. G/R, directly relates to the occurrence of constitutional supercooling. The minimum critical value of G/R in a stable growth condition is 4.5 x 10(11) K s/m(2) from this experimental result and fundamental estimation. A rotation rate of 30 rpm produced a slightly convex growth front and therefore enhanced the morphological stability of the growing crystal. Compositional analysis of the steady-state solvent zone indicated a primary crystallization field (PCF) located at the bismuth-rich and copper-deficient region relative to the 2 2 12 stoichiometry, and this compositional range equaled proximal to Bi2.425Sr1.911Ca0.807Cu1.857Oy. Meanwhile this PCF composed a corresponding tie-line relationship with a slightly copper-deficient 2 2 1 2 single-phase region. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.