Process for growing a multi-component crystal
AssigneeSumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
InventorKenji Miyazaki
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for growing in a sealed reaction container a multi-component type crystal from the melt of a starting material consisting of more than three elements of the multi-component crystal. The sealed reaction container is divided into a reaction zone and a vapor pressure control zone which are in communication with each other through at least one opening. The starting material for the multi-component crystal is charged in the reaction zone while a vapor pressure control material consisting of more than two components of the multi-component crystal is charged in the vapor pressure control zone. The temperature in the reaction control zone is adjusted and maintained at a predetermined value to grow the crystal from the melt under a controlled vapor pressure.
Claims11
A process for growing a multi-component type crystal from the melt of a starting material consisting of more than three elements in a sealed reaction container divided internally into two zones consisting of a reaction zone and a vapor pressure control zone which are in communication through at least one opening, characterized by the steps of
- placing said starting material for the multi-component crystal in said reaction zone while a vapor pressure control material consisting of more than two elements which are constituent elements of said multi-component crystal and are volatile as compared with the rest of constituent elements of said multi-component crystal is placed in said vapor pressure control zone,
- raising the temperature in the reaction zone to fuse said starting material while said vapor pressure control material in said vapor pressure control zone is heated to such a temperature that is sufficiently high to cause the formation and maintenance of a vapor pressure of said pressure control material in said vapor pressure control zone,
- creating such a temperature gradient in said reaction zone that a first portion of said reaction zone is maintained lower than a melting point of the multi-component crystal and a second portion of said reaction zone is maintained higher than the melting point in such a manner that the fused front of the starting material is created between the first portion and the second portion, and then
- effecting a relative motion between said sealed reaction container and a heating means surrounding the sealed container so that the fused front is retracted gradually until the total of the fused material is solidified.
A process for growing a three-component type crystal from the melt of a starting material consisting of three elements in a sealed reaction container divided internally into two zones cocsisting of a reaction zone and a vapor pressure control zone which are in communication through at least one opening, characterized by the steps of
- placing said starting material in said reaction zone while a vapor pressure control material consisting of two elements which are constituent elements of said three-component crystal and are volatile as compared with the rest of constituent elements of said multi-component crystal is placed in said vapor pressure control zone,
- raising the temperature in said reaction zone to fuse said starting material while said vapor pressure control material in said vapor pressure control zone is heated to such a temperature that is sufficiently high to cause formation and maintenance of a vapor pressure of said pressure control material in said vapor pressure control zone,
- creating such a temperature gradient in said reaction zone that a first portion of said reaction zone is maintained lower than a melting point of the three-component crystal and a second portion of said reaction zone is maintained higher than said melting point in such a manner that the fused front of the starting material is created between the first portion and the second portion, and then
- effecting a relative motion between said sealed reaction container and a heating means surrounding the sealed container so that the fused front is retracted gradually until the total of the fused material is solidified.
A process for growing a mixed semiconductor crystal composed of Cd, Zn, and Te from the melt of a starting material consisting of Cd, Zn and Te in a sealed reaction container divided internally into two zones consisting of a reaction zone and a vapor pressure control zone which are in communication through at least one opening, characterized by the steps of
- placing said starting material in said reaction zone while a vapor pressure control material consisting of an alloy Cd and Zn is placed in said vapor pressure control zone,
- raising the temperature in said reaction zone to fuse said starting material while said vapor pressure control material in said vapor pressure control zone is heated to such a temperature that is sufficiently high to cause the formation and maintenance of a vapor pressure of said pressure control material in said vapor pressure control zone,
- creating such a temperature gradient in said reaction zone that a first portion of said reaction zone is maintained lower than a melting point of the crystal and a second portion of said reaction zone is maintained higher than said melting point in such a manner that the fused front of the starting material is created between the first portion and the second portion, and then
- effecting a relative motion between said sealed reaction container and a heating means surrounding the sealed container so that the fused front is retracted gradually until the total of the fused material is solidified.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.