Airplane and Drop Experiments on Crystallization of In_xGa_1−xSb Semiconductor under Different Gravity Conditions

Abstract

Melting and crystallization experiments of InGaSb were done under the reduced gravity condition (102G) in an airplane and at the normal gravity condition (IG) in the laboratory. Crystallized InGaSb was found to contain many needle crystals in both the cases. Reduced gravity condition was found to be more conducive for crystal growth than the normal gravity condition. Formation of spherical projections on the surface of InGaSb during its crystallization was in-situ observed using a high speed CCD camera in the drop experiment. Spherical projections showed dependence of gravity during its growth. Indium compositions in the spherical projections were found to vary depending on the temperature.