Sintered compact target and method of producing sintered compact

A method of producing a sintered compact containing an element (A), an element (B) and one or more elements selected from (C) or (D), comprising the steps of:

• mixing raw material powder composed of the respective elements or raw material powder of an alloy of two or more elements;
• vacuum hot pressing the mixed powder under conditions that satisfy the following formula:
• P (pressure)≤(Pf/(Tf−T0))×(T−T0)+P0 wherein Pf:
• final pressure, Tf:
• final temperature, P0:
• atmospheric pressure, T:
• heating temperature, T0:
• room temperature, and temperatures are in Celsius;
• and
• further performing hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatment under the conditions of Phip>5×Pf;
• wherein the sintered compact is free from pores having an average diameter of 1 μm or more, and the number of micropores having an average diameter of 0.1 to 1 μm existing in an area of 40,000 μm2 of the target surface is 100 micropores or less;
• and
• wherein (A):
• one or more chalcogenide elements selected from S, Se, and Te;
• (B):
• one or more elements selected from Bi, Sb, As, P, and N;
• (C):
• one or more elements selected from Pb, Sn, Ge, Si, and C;
• and (D):
• one or more elements selected from Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, B, Al, Ga, In, Ti, and Zr.