An experimental apparatus consisting of a crystal growth room and a crystal growth observation system was developed for the study of the effect of the gravity convection perpendicular to the growth direction on the growth process by use of model alloy succinonitrile (SCN)-5wt%ethanol. It was found that the convection improves the stability of the interface and causes the downstream alternation of the cell growth direction because of the dual effect of the Stokes force and the gravity. The second dendrite arm facing the flow comes into being earlier than that at an- other side when the interface transforms cell to dendrite. Then the dendrite at the side facing the flow comes into being earlier. The second dendrite arm facing the flow grows faster and is more developed than that at another side. In addition, the primary dendrite arm spacing increases and the dendrite tip radius decreases un- der the gravity convection.
Magnetocaloric and colossal magnetoresistance effects of the layered perovskite La 1.4 Sr 1.6 Mn 2 O 7 compound have been studied.A broad peak of magnetic entropy change （-△S M） is found above the Curie temperature （T C =120 K）,which can be associated with the existence of two-dimensional short range ferromagnetic order.Additionally,the curvilinear shape of-△S M for layered perovskite is quite different from that of the Ln 1-x A x MnO 3 probably arising from magnetocrystalline anisotropy.At the same time,a wide peak of colossal magnetoresitance effect near T C is found in the layered provskite La 1.4 Sr 1.6 Mn 2 O 7.
