Melt Mixing of the 0.3In/0.7GaSb/0.3Sb Solid Combination by Diffusion under Microgravity

Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of diffusion and convection on the melt mixing of semiconductors, experiments under microgravity in space and 1-g on earth were conducted. Sandwich combinations of In/GaSb/Sb solids closed in a BN cylinder were heated up to 733° C in space and 744° C on earth, and they were then cooled rapidly. In both samples, many needle crystals were distributed in the whole area. It was observed that the melt mixing in space was controlled by diffusion which was represented with an error function, and the diffusion coefficient of indium was given by a value of 2.4×10-4 cm2/ s. In the earth sample, however, the indium concentration distribution followed an exponential curve. This indicated that both factors, diffusion and thermal convection, have contributed to the mixing of semiconductor melts.

Effect of gravitational direction on dissolution and growth in GaSb/InSb/GaSb sandwich system

“…The effects of diffusion and convection on the mixing of multi-component melts were investigated using sandwich samples of In/GaSb/Sb in the space shuttle. As a result, (1) the apparent diffusion coefficient of indium was obtained to be 2.4 Â 10 À8 m 2 /s [10]. (2) Marangoni convection enhanced the mixing of the melt compositions.…”

“…One was performed in a space shuttle [8][9][10][11], and the other was carried out in a Chinese recoverable satellite [12][13][14]. The effects of diffusion and convection on the mixing of multi-component melts were investigated using sandwich samples of In/GaSb/Sb in the space shuttle.…”

Measurement of growth rate by thermal pulse technique and growth of homogeneous In Ga1−Sb bulk crystals

“…The effects of diffusion and Marangoni convection on the mixing of multi-component melts were investigated using sandwich samples of In/GaSb/Sb in the space shuttle [9][10][11]. In the drop tower experiments, the in situ solidification process under microgravity was observed using a CCD camera [12].…”

Numerical analysis of constitutional supercooling in InGaSb crystal growth under different gravity levels

“…We performed microgravity experiments using a space shuttle and a Chinese recovery satellite [3][4][5][6][7] and investigated the effect of gravity on solute transportation. In order to make clear the effect of gravity and cooling rate on crystallization, flow patterns, concentrational profile and degree of constitutional supercooling have been calculated as a function of gravity level and cooling rate.…”