Bulk crystal growth of antimonide based III-V compounds for thermophotovoltaics applications

Conference · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:307869

Dutta, P S; Ostrogorsky, A G; Gutmann, R J ^[1]

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1. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)

In this paper, the bulk growth of crack-free GaInSb and single phase GaInAsSb alloys are presented. A new class of III-V quasi-binary [A{sub III}B{sub V}]{sub 12{minus}x}[C{sub III}D{sub V}]{sub x} semiconductor alloys has been synthesized and bulk crystals grown from the melt for the first time. The present investigation is focused on the quasi-binary alloy (GaSb){sub 1{minus}x}(InAs){sub x} (0 < x < 0.05) due to its importance for thermophotovoltaic applications. The structural properties of this melt-grown quasi-binary alloy are found to be significantly different from the conventional quaternary compound Ga{sub 1{minus}x}In{sub x}As{sub y}Sb{sub 1{minus}y} with composition x = y. Synthesis and growth procedures are discussed. For the growth of ternary alloys, it was demonstrated that forced convection or mixing in the melt during directional solidification of In{sub x}Ga{sub 1{minus}x}Sb (0 < x < 0.1) significantly reduces cracks in the crystals.

• Research Organization: Knolls Atomic Power Lab., Schenectady, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC12-76SN00052
• OSTI ID: 307869
• Report Number(s): KAPL-P--000116; K--98158; CONF-981055--; ON: DE99001631
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL GROWTH
GALLIUM ANTIMONIDES
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
INDIUM ANTIMONIDES
INDIUM ARSENIDES
MICROSTRUCTURE
SOLIDIFICATION
THERMOPHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERTERS