Sn-Se Binary and Cu-Sn-Se Ternary Thin Films Grown by Co-Evaporation Process

Unfavorable secondary phases like binaries and ternaries are often observed in synthesizing Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) quaternary crystal due to its narrow phase space, which strongly limits the performance of Kesterite solar cells. To identify the growth parameters against the stability of these secondary phases, we systematically studied the growth process of Sn-Se binaries and Cu-Sn-Se ternaries using co-evaporation method. We found that the compositions of Sn-related binary and ternary phases were strongly dependent on the substrate temperature and Se flux during deposition, which will be helpful in designing formation paths for quaternary system. Growth temperature of CZTSe higher than 490 °C will make the thin film free of Cu2SnSe3 phase. Our experiments also suggest that formation pathways in the Cu2SnSe3-ZnSe pseudobinary phase diagram at a slightly lower substrate temperature deserve more experimental and theoretical considerations because of its easier composition control.

Weldability Approach to Duplex Stainless Steels Using Multicomponent Phase Diagrams

Welding is a non-equilibrium process. However, some weldability issues, as the extension of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) can be addressed using equilibrium phase diagrams. The 70 wt% Fe-Cr-Ni pseudo-binary phase diagram is commonly used to establish the phase transformations during welding of duplex stainless steels. The predicted results are assumed to be reasonably good for most of the duplex stainless steels. Thermodynamic calculations were used to determine multicomponent phase diagrams and volumetric fraction of phases present as a function of temperature several commercial duplex stainless steels. Results showed that simplified pseudobinary phase diagram approach is valid to estimate welded joint microstructures only for the low alloy duplex stainless steels as UNS S32304, but phase transformations and mainly solidification paths of high alloy duplex stainless steels should predicted only using a multi-component phase diagram.

LMTO/CVM and LAPW/CVM Calculations of the Nial-Niti Pseudobinary Phase Diagram

ABSTRACTLinear Muffin Tin Orbital and Linearly Augmented Plane Wave calculations of equations of state were performed for observed and hypothetical ordered structures in the NiAl-NiTi system. Total energies were parameterized in both the Connolly-Williams and ∈-G approximations, and the resulting parameters were used to calculate theoretical phase diagrams by the cluster variation method. Third nearest neighbor Al-Ti pairwise interactions are predicted to be strongly repulsive, and to be a major cause of observed B2+L21 two phase fields.

Growth and characterization of Al–Cu–Li quasicrystals

The alloy system Al–Li–Cu was investigated extensively over the composition range 5.8–8 Al–Cu–3Li to develop a detailed understanding of the formation and properties of the icosahedral phase, known as T2. Material from the various charges was analyzed by optical and electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, differential thermal analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The role of the melt composition and the solidification velocity were found to be crucial in determining the micro- and macrostructure and the existence of the icosahedral phase. A pseudobinary phase diagram for the region around Al6CuLi3, is presented based on these analyses. Based on this phase diagram the largest single icosahedral crystals of Al5.1CuLi3 yet reported, with diameters greater than 1 cm, were produced by Bridgman methods.

X-Ray, Photoluminescence and Etching Studies of Indium-Doped LPE GaAs Layers

ABSTRACTThe effects of In doping on the structural properties of liquid phase epitaxially (LPE) grown GaAs layers are studied. The distribution coefficient of In in the GaAs at 800 ° C was determined to be 0.033 which was consistent with the value calculated from the pseudobinary phase diagram of the ternary system at a dilute In concentration. The full widths at halfmaximum (FWHM) of x-ray double crystal rocking curves show that a GaAs epi-layer of good crystalline quality can be obtained by doping In to a concentration up to 4.3 × 1019 cm−3, beyond which a sharp increase in the FWHM is observed. Etch pit density (EPD) measurement shows that the dislocation density is reduced by doping the epi-layer with In. At the optimal In concentration of 2.4 × 1019 cm−3, the EPD is reduced by a factor of 20 when measured at the surface of a 9 um thick epilayer.Photoluminesce measurements made at 15 K show two sharp emission spectra near the bandedge. The relative intensities of the two emissions, I(l.49eV)/I(l.5eV) are reduced with increasing In content. This suggests that incorporation of Carbon acceptors is suppressed by In doping in the GaAs epilayers. The FWHM as small as 5 meV of the bandedge transition was obtained for the epi-layer doped with In concentration of 2.4 × 1019 cm−3.

A Review of Recent Results on Single Crystal Metastable Semiconducfors: Crystal Growth, Phase Stability, and Physical Properties

Recent results on metastable semiconducting alloys, concerning in particular the growth of new Sn-based alloys (GaSb)1−x(Sn2)x and Gel−xSnx and the physical properties of (GaAs)1−x(Ge2)x and (GaSb)1−x(Ge2)x, are discussed. (GaSb)1−x(Sn2)x and Ge1−xSnx alloy films were grown with x-values as high as 0.20 and 0.15, respectively, well in excess of equilibrium Sn solid solubility limits (<1%) while epitaxial (GaAs)1−x(Ge2) and (GaSb)1−x(Ge2)x alloys were obtained on (100) GaAs at compositions ranging across the pseudobinary phase diagram. Low energy ion bombardment induced collisional mixing and preferential sputtering during film growth played a critical role in obtaining single phase alloys. An optimal ion energy, which depended on the ion flux and the alloy composition, was determined, allowing in most cases growth at temperatures T, sufficient for obtaining single crystal alloys on (100) GaAs and (100) Ge substrates. Decomposition of the Sn-based alloys occurred above a critical Ts- value via α-Sn-rich precipitates which were stable above the β-Sn melting point. X-ray diffraction, STEM, EXAFS, and Raman spectroscopy measurements, performed on single crystal (GaAs)1−x(Ge2)x and (GaSb)1−x(Ge2)x alloys, indicate that there is a transition in the long-range order from zincblende to diamond with increasing x while the short-range order remains perfect at all compositions, i.e. no V-V or III-Ill bonds are observed. These results are discussed in light of recent models which relate (GaAs)1−x(Ge2)x atomic structure to its band structure and optical properties.