Pub Date : 2026-02-15Epub Date: 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128450
P. Kleinschmidt , D. Bratek , M. Nandy , J. Koch , V.S. Chejarla , A. Beyer , K.D. Hanke , K. Volz , A. Paszuk , T. Hannappel
The epitaxy of III-V semiconductors on Si(1 0 0) is typically associated with the formation of antiphase domains within the III-V layer. The associated antiphase boundaries constitute planar defects that must be avoided in high-performance devices, or at least prevented from extending into the active region of the device. Here, we present top-view, atomically resolved STM images of thin GaP layers deposited by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on an As-containing Si(1 0 0) surface. We verify the atomic surface structure, clearly identify phase and antiphase at the surface, and provide high-resolution images of the antiphase boundaries. We show that these boundaries are far from ideal, and are associated with kinks, trenches, and many defects, in particular at the corners of the boundaries. Our work underlines the detrimental effect of the antiphase boundaries, and therefore the necessity for the underlying Si(1 0 0) substrate to be prepared with a near-single-domain surface to avoid antiphase domains in the III-V layer.
{"title":"Atomic surface structure of antiphase domains in heteroepitaxial GaP films grown on arsenic-terminated Si(100)","authors":"P. Kleinschmidt , D. Bratek , M. Nandy , J. Koch , V.S. Chejarla , A. Beyer , K.D. Hanke , K. Volz , A. Paszuk , T. Hannappel","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128450","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128450","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The epitaxy of III-V semiconductors on Si(1<!--> <!-->0<!--> <!-->0) is typically associated with the formation of antiphase domains within the III-V layer. The associated antiphase boundaries constitute planar defects that must be avoided in high-performance devices, or at least prevented from extending into the active region of the device. Here, we present top-view, atomically resolved STM images of thin GaP layers deposited by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on an As-containing Si(1<!--> <!-->0<!--> <!-->0) surface. We verify the atomic surface structure, clearly identify phase and antiphase at the surface, and provide high-resolution images of the antiphase boundaries. We show that these boundaries are far from ideal, and are associated with kinks, trenches, and many defects, in particular at the corners of the boundaries. Our work underlines the detrimental effect of the antiphase boundaries, and therefore the necessity for the underlying Si(1<!--> <!-->0<!--> <!-->0) substrate to be prepared with a near-single-domain surface to avoid antiphase domains in the III-V layer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"677 ","pages":"Article 128450"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145750043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-15Epub Date: 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128464
C. Stelian , P. de Marcillac , A. Giuliani , M. Velazquez
Crucial experiments to discover the origin of the neutrino mass and the nature of neutrino particles require the detection of extremely rare events, such as the neutrinoless double beta (0ν2β) decay. The core of large-scale heat-scintillation cryogenic bolometers used for the detection of such rare events will be made of hundreds of 45 mm-edge cubic Li2MoO4 (LMO) single crystals. LMO crystals of diameters close to 65 mm were grown in an optimized Czochralski (Cz) furnace configuration. Cutting a 62 mm diameter ingot revealed a radial cleavage at the top of the crystal, and a small crack located at the periphery of the bottom part of the crystal. Numerical modeling of heat transfer, convection and thermal stress in this configuration was applied to investigate these small defects, which anyway have no impact on the quality of the useful part of the ingot. Numerical results show that the thermal stress is smaller than the critical value of the tensile stress (7 MPa) over the entire crystal longitudinal section, except for a small region located at the periphery of the bottom part of the ingot. This explains the small crack observed after cutting. Numerical calculations performed for a shoulder angle greater than that in the experimental case show that the average values of the thermal stress are not significantly changed.
{"title":"Thermomechanical stresses of 6.2 cm-diameter Czochralski-grown radiopure Li2MoO4 crystals","authors":"C. Stelian , P. de Marcillac , A. Giuliani , M. Velazquez","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Crucial experiments to discover the origin of the neutrino mass and the nature of neutrino particles require the detection of extremely rare events, such as the neutrinoless double beta (<em>0ν2β</em>) decay. The core of large-scale heat-scintillation cryogenic bolometers used for the detection of such rare events will be made of hundreds of 45 mm-edge cubic Li<sub>2</sub>MoO<sub>4</sub> (LMO) single crystals. LMO crystals of diameters close to 65 mm were grown in an optimized Czochralski (Cz) furnace configuration. Cutting a 62 mm diameter ingot revealed a radial cleavage at the top of the crystal, and a small crack located at the periphery of the bottom part of the crystal. Numerical modeling of heat transfer, convection and thermal stress in this configuration was applied to investigate these small defects, which anyway have no impact on the quality of the useful part of the ingot. Numerical results show that the thermal stress is smaller than the critical value of the tensile stress (7 MPa) over the entire crystal longitudinal section, except for a small region located at the periphery of the bottom part of the ingot. This explains the small crack observed after cutting. Numerical calculations performed for a shoulder angle greater than that in the experimental case show that the average values of the thermal stress are not significantly changed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"677 ","pages":"Article 128464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-15Epub Date: 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128460
Jing Zhang , Jiahe Li , Xiang Li , Jiawei Xu , Lili Zheng , Junfeng Chen
Barium fluoride (BaF2) crystal has received significant attention in high-energy physics due to its unique sub-ns ultrafast scintillation component. Previous studies have demonstrated that slow scintillation component in BaF2 crystal can be effectively suppressed through yttrium (Y) doping. Although crack-free growth of 10 at%Y-doped BaF2 crystals with cross-sections up to 35 × 35 mm2 have been achieved, high-concentration Y-doped BaF2 crystals with large size are difficult to obtain due to cracking arising from thermal stress and mechanical stress caused by segregation of Y. This study aims to address cracking issues in Y-doped BaF2 crystals through integrated thermophysical analysis and experimental parameter optimization. Upon comparing the thermophysical properties of undoped and Y-doped BaF2 crystals, the impact of a high concentration of Y-doping was studied quantitatively, thereby establishing a criterion for thermal field tolerance. Significantly, the critical strain threshold was determined based on experimental cracking results, from which optimized parameter boundaries were derived. Through iterative experimental refinement, we successfully achieved crack-free growth of 4-inch BaF2 crystals with 15 at%Y doping. The grown crystal exhibits good optical homogeneity, maintaining > 90% transmittance across most of the visible spectrum. This parameter optimization framework demonstrates transferability for large-scale doped crystal growth systems.
{"title":"Growth and stress control of large-diameter barium fluoride crystals with heavy yttrium doping concentration for radiation detection","authors":"Jing Zhang , Jiahe Li , Xiang Li , Jiawei Xu , Lili Zheng , Junfeng Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128460","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128460","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Barium fluoride (BaF<sub>2</sub>) crystal has received significant attention in high-energy physics due to its unique sub-ns ultrafast scintillation component. Previous studies have demonstrated that slow scintillation component in BaF<sub>2</sub> crystal can be effectively suppressed through yttrium (Y) doping. Although crack-free growth of 10 at%Y-doped BaF<sub>2</sub> crystals with cross-sections up to 35 × 35 mm<sup>2</sup> have been achieved, high-concentration Y-doped BaF<sub>2</sub> crystals with large size are difficult to obtain due to cracking arising from thermal stress and mechanical stress caused by segregation of Y. This study aims to address cracking issues in Y-doped BaF<sub>2</sub> crystals through integrated thermophysical analysis and experimental parameter optimization. Upon comparing the thermophysical properties of undoped and Y-doped BaF<sub>2</sub> crystals, the impact of a high concentration of Y-doping was studied quantitatively, thereby establishing a criterion for thermal field tolerance. Significantly, the critical strain threshold was determined based on experimental cracking results, from which optimized parameter boundaries were derived. Through iterative experimental refinement, we successfully achieved crack-free growth of 4-inch BaF<sub>2</sub> crystals with 15 at%Y doping. The grown crystal exhibits good optical homogeneity, maintaining > 90% transmittance across most of the visible spectrum. This parameter optimization framework demonstrates transferability for large-scale doped crystal growth systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"677 ","pages":"Article 128460"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Highly crystalline anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) with preferred (101) orientation were synthesized via peptization method using titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) as the precursor. The time dependent growth of anatase crystals was examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) contributing nano beam diffraction (NBD) analysis. Average crystallite size values obtained from several standard evaluation methods verified the successful formation of nanocrystalline anatase. The crystallite size of the synthesized NPs decreases with increasing the interval of time. Rietveld refinement analysis confirmed that the NPs consisted entirely of 100 % anatase phase. The anatase exhibited a high crystallinity of 74.26 %. Enhanced crystallinity, together with the obtained crystallographic parameters, confirms the successful synthesis of highly crystalline anatase with superior properties relative to the standard material. The NPs exhibited a band gap of 3.0651 eV, indicating enhanced photocatalytic activity. A zeta potential of 75.59 mV confirmed excellent colloidal stability, while TGA revealed an activation energy (Ea) of 53.22 kJ/mole, reflecting highly reactive species. NBD revealed that the atoms were preferentially oriented along the (101) crystal plane, exhibiting bright spots on the diffracted surface and a highly preferred d-spacing of 0.358 nm. The synthesized NPs also demonstrated excellent photocatalytic performance, achieving 97.5 % degradation of crystal violet dye.
{"title":"Crystallographic integration of highly preferred orientated peptization derived nano anatase TiO2","authors":"Fariha Zannat, Md. Ashraful Alam, Raton Kumar Bishwas, Shirin Akter Jahan","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128462","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128462","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Highly crystalline anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles (NPs) with preferred (101) orientation were synthesized via peptization method using titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) as the precursor. The time dependent growth of anatase crystals was examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) contributing nano beam diffraction (NBD) analysis. Average crystallite size values obtained from several standard evaluation methods verified the successful formation of nanocrystalline anatase. The crystallite size of the synthesized NPs decreases with increasing the interval of time. Rietveld refinement analysis confirmed that the NPs consisted entirely of 100 % anatase phase. The anatase exhibited a high crystallinity of 74.26 %. Enhanced crystallinity, together with the obtained crystallographic parameters, confirms the successful synthesis of highly crystalline anatase with superior properties relative to the standard material. The NPs exhibited a band gap of 3.0651 eV, indicating enhanced photocatalytic activity. A zeta potential of 75.59 mV confirmed excellent colloidal stability, while TGA revealed an activation energy (E<sub>a</sub>) of 53.22 kJ/mole, reflecting highly reactive species. NBD revealed that the atoms were preferentially oriented along the (101) crystal plane, exhibiting bright spots on the diffracted surface and a highly preferred d-spacing of 0.358 nm. The synthesized NPs also demonstrated excellent photocatalytic performance, achieving 97.5 % degradation of crystal violet dye.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"677 ","pages":"Article 128462"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145838161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-15Epub Date: 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128459
A. Lankinen , T.O. Tuomi , O. Anttila , S. Sintonen , P. Kostamo , P.J. McNally , C. Paulmann
Geometric analysis of synchrotron X-ray topographs of samples cut from heavily arsenic doped silicon crystal neck were used for the determination of the directions and the Burgers vectors of dislocations, which revealed their type. Straight dislocation lines in heavily As-doped silicon neck were observed in addition to easily eliminated half-loop dislocations. The straight dislocations were more resilient and disappeared later during the neck growth. Growth of a structural crystal body proved that the neck was dislocation free, but the straight dislocations associated with the heavy As-doping likely necessitate a longer neck growth than could be used in lightly doped silicon crystals.
{"title":"Synchrotron X-ray topography investigation on dislocation propagation in heavily arsenic-doped silicon crystal necks","authors":"A. Lankinen , T.O. Tuomi , O. Anttila , S. Sintonen , P. Kostamo , P.J. McNally , C. Paulmann","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Geometric analysis of synchrotron X-ray topographs of samples cut from heavily arsenic doped silicon crystal neck were used for the determination of the directions and the Burgers vectors of dislocations, which revealed their type. Straight dislocation lines in heavily As-doped silicon neck were observed in addition to easily eliminated half-loop dislocations. The straight dislocations were more resilient and disappeared later during the neck growth. Growth of a structural crystal body proved that the neck was dislocation free, but the straight dislocations associated with the heavy As-doping likely necessitate a longer neck growth than could be used in lightly doped silicon crystals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"677 ","pages":"Article 128459"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-15Epub Date: 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128474
Sven Strüber, Lucrezia Tana, Ole Schneider, Cristina Grazzi, Tobias Wagner, Peter Wellmann
Close space physical vapor transport growth was applied to prepare SiC layer stacks for application in photonic applications. Due to flexible setting of the axial T-temperature gradient while keeping a low radial T-gradient, growth conditions for various SiC polytypes like 4H-SiC, 6H-SiC and also 3C-SiC are possible. Using 4° off-axis 4H-SiC seed wafers a high polytype stability of 25 to 150 µm thick layers grown on C-face as well as on Si-face substrates was observed. It is found that the ballistic growth regime enables a high efficiency of the dopant transfer, which enables highly p-type doped layer deposition. The found results indicate that CS-PVT can be used to replace epitaxial growth of layers for power electronic applications.
{"title":"Close space physical vapor transport growth of SiC, doped layers and thin crystals","authors":"Sven Strüber, Lucrezia Tana, Ole Schneider, Cristina Grazzi, Tobias Wagner, Peter Wellmann","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Close space physical vapor transport growth was applied to prepare SiC layer stacks for application in photonic applications. Due to flexible setting of the axial T-temperature gradient while keeping a low radial T-gradient, growth conditions for various SiC polytypes like 4H-SiC, 6H-SiC and also 3C-SiC are possible. Using 4° off-axis 4H-SiC seed wafers a high polytype stability of 25 to 150 µm thick layers grown on C-face as well as on Si-face substrates was observed. It is found that the ballistic growth regime enables a high efficiency of the dopant transfer, which enables highly p-type doped layer deposition. The found results indicate that CS-PVT can be used to replace epitaxial growth of layers for power electronic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"677 ","pages":"Article 128474"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145838159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oxide crystal growth from cold crucible was applied to trial enlargement of β-Ga2O3 single crystals in both diameter and length. Using a 150-mm Cu basket with automatic diameter control, stable seeding, necking, and shoulder formation were achieved. Consequently, single crystals with diameters of up to 32 mm and body lengths of 50.8 mm (2 in.) were successfully obtained, demonstrating considerable progress in crystal scaling. X-ray rocking curve analysis confirmed the full width at half maximum values, which were comparable to those of edge-defined film-fed growth substrates. Glow discharge mass spectrometry revealed no trace of Ir, Pt, and Rh impurities. These findings highlight the oxide crystal growth from cold crucible as a scalable, contamination-free, and cost-effective method for producing large β-Ga2O3 crystals, advancing their potential for power electronic applications.
{"title":"β-Ga2O3 crystal growth with cold container crucibles: Large-scale oxide crystal growth from cold crucible method","authors":"Masanori Kitahara , Taketoshi Tomida , Vladimir Kochurikhin , Gushchina Liudmila , Kei Kamada , Yasuhiro Shoji , Koichi Kakimoto , Akira Yoshikawa","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oxide crystal growth from cold crucible was applied to trial enlargement of β-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> single crystals in both diameter and length. Using a 150-mm Cu basket with automatic diameter control, stable seeding, necking, and shoulder formation were achieved. Consequently, single crystals with diameters of up to 32 mm and body lengths of 50.8 mm (2 in.) were successfully obtained, demonstrating considerable progress in crystal scaling. X-ray rocking curve analysis confirmed the full width at half maximum values, which were comparable to those of edge-defined film-fed growth substrates. Glow discharge mass spectrometry revealed no trace of Ir, Pt, and Rh impurities. These findings highlight the oxide crystal growth from cold crucible as a scalable, contamination-free, and cost-effective method for producing large β-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> crystals, advancing their potential for power electronic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"677 ","pages":"Article 128461"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128456
Bing Yan, Weihua Liu, Chang Yu, Pandeng Gao, Tuanjie Liang, Kaifeng Liao, Biru Jiang, Tiantai Wang, Fan Liu, Hongyu Liang, Kun Feng, Li Huang
CdZnTe (CZT) is an ideal substrate for growing HgCdTe (MCT) epitaxial layers in infrared devices. A convex growth interface is desired but is typically difficult to form during the Bridgman process of CZT crystals owing to their low thermal conductivity. Obtaining high-quality CZT single crystals with high yields remains a challenge. This study proposes a method for achieving a slightly convex interface during the CZT crystal growth process. The presence of the slightly convex interface is confirmed via Zn component mapping calibration. Single crystals were reproducibly obtained using this method, improving the crystal quality of CZT for high-performance device applications. The obtained CZT crystals were characterized via optical microscopy, infrared transmission microscopy, high-resolution X-ray diffraction, X-ray tomography (XRT), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The etch pit density of (111)-B (tellurium-polar face) CZT sliced wafers was < 4.0 × 103 cm−2. For the double-grinding wafers, the Te inclusions in the CZT volume of were sparsely distributed, and their sizes could be controlled to < 5 μm. The typical full width at half maximum of the Bragg diffraction peaks was < 18″. A uniform XRT image of (111)-B CZT polished wafers was obtained. The responsivity of the prepared mid-wave 640 × 512 MCT FPA final image was uniform, with no noticeable electro-optical clustering. Additionally, the noise-equivalent temperature difference was measured to be 14.5 mK, indicating the high quality of the as-grown CZT crystals. This study provides useful guidelines for CZT crystals growth and a promising method for reducing the current cost of commercial CZT substrates.
{"title":"Optimizing growth interface shape in CdZnTe single crystal growth using vertical Bridgman method","authors":"Bing Yan, Weihua Liu, Chang Yu, Pandeng Gao, Tuanjie Liang, Kaifeng Liao, Biru Jiang, Tiantai Wang, Fan Liu, Hongyu Liang, Kun Feng, Li Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>CdZnTe (CZT) is an ideal substrate for growing HgCdTe (MCT) epitaxial layers in infrared devices. A convex growth interface is desired but is typically difficult to form during the Bridgman process of CZT crystals owing to their low thermal conductivity. Obtaining high-quality CZT single crystals with high yields remains a challenge. This study proposes a method for achieving a slightly convex interface during the CZT crystal growth process. The presence of the slightly convex interface is confirmed via Zn component mapping calibration. Single crystals were reproducibly obtained using this method, improving the crystal quality of CZT for high-performance device applications. The obtained CZT crystals were characterized via optical microscopy, infrared transmission microscopy, high-resolution X-ray diffraction, X-ray tomography (XRT), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The etch pit density of (111)-B (tellurium-polar face) CZT sliced wafers was < 4.0 × 10<sup>3</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>. For the double-grinding wafers, the Te inclusions in the CZT volume of were sparsely distributed, and their sizes could be controlled to < 5 μm. The typical full width at half maximum of the Bragg diffraction peaks was < 18″. A uniform XRT image of (111)-B CZT polished wafers was obtained. The responsivity of the prepared mid-wave 640 × 512 MCT FPA final image was uniform, with no noticeable electro-optical clustering. Additionally, the noise-equivalent temperature difference was measured to be 14.5 mK, indicating the high quality of the as-grown CZT crystals. This study provides useful guidelines for CZT crystals growth and a promising method for reducing the current cost of commercial CZT substrates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"676 ","pages":"Article 128456"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We grew highly tin- (Sn-) doped germanium (Ge) crystals using the Czochralski technique. Full single crystals with a maximum Sn concentration of approximately 1020 cm−3 were obtained. Variations in the Sn concentration of the grown crystals were well reproduced based on the Scheil-Pfann relation, which has a segregation coefficient of k = 0.02. Sn precipitates were formed during the cooling stage after the solidification. In Ge and silicon (Si), the segregation coefficients of Sn and other impurities exhibit a distinctive relationship with respect to the volume misfit strain, wherein the segregation coefficient decreases as the volume misfit strain increases. We discuss a design to increase the dopant concentration by co-doping Sn into Ge. An increase in the Sn fraction is expected in the Si-rich SiGe alloy.
{"title":"Growth of tin-doped Ge crystals: A comparison of impurity segregation behavior with IV element crystals and alloys","authors":"Ichiro Yonenaga , Toshinori Taishi , Yu Murao , Kaihei Inoue","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We grew highly tin- (Sn-) doped germanium (Ge) crystals using the Czochralski technique. Full single crystals with a maximum Sn concentration of approximately 10<sup>20</sup> cm<sup>−3</sup> were obtained. Variations in the Sn concentration of the grown crystals were well reproduced based on the Scheil-Pfann relation, which has a segregation coefficient of <em>k</em> = 0.02. Sn precipitates were formed during the cooling stage after the solidification. In Ge and silicon (Si), the segregation coefficients of Sn and other impurities exhibit a distinctive relationship with respect to the volume misfit strain, wherein the segregation coefficient decreases as the volume misfit strain increases. We discuss a design to increase the dopant concentration by co-doping Sn into Ge. An increase in the Sn fraction is expected in the Si-rich SiGe alloy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"676 ","pages":"Article 128452"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The high-purity preparation of gallium (Ga) faces bottlenecks such as low purification efficiency and lengthy processing steps. This study innovatively proposes the introduction of magnetically controlled flow during the directional crystallization purification of Ga. This magnetically controlled technique more than doubles the purification efficiency, achieving a purity of 11.629 ppm in only two passes compared to the 11.843 ppm obtained by the conventional method in six passes. The underlying mechanism for this enhancement lies in the fact that the magnetically controlled flow promotes the migration of impurities at the solidification front, reduces the thickness of the solute boundary layer, and lowers the effective distribution coefficient, thereby significantly increasing purification efficiency. This magnetically controlled purification technique offers a new approach for efficient production of high-purity and even ultra-high-purity Ga, and can be further extended to the purification of other metals.
{"title":"Over two-fold purification efficiency improvement via magnetically controlled directional crystallization of Ga","authors":"Zhe Shen, Dewei Xun, Meng Sun, Biao Ding, Zhongze Lin, Tianxiang Zheng, Bangfei Zhou, Yunbo Zhong","doi":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2025.128449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The high-purity preparation of gallium (Ga) faces bottlenecks such as low purification efficiency and lengthy processing steps. This study innovatively proposes the introduction of magnetically controlled flow during the directional crystallization purification of Ga. This magnetically controlled technique more than doubles the purification efficiency, achieving a purity of 11.629 ppm in only two passes compared to the 11.843 ppm obtained by the conventional method in six passes. The underlying mechanism for this enhancement lies in the fact that the magnetically controlled flow promotes the migration of impurities at the solidification front, reduces the thickness of the solute boundary layer, and lowers the effective distribution coefficient, thereby significantly increasing purification efficiency. This magnetically controlled purification technique offers a new approach for efficient production of high-purity and even ultra-high-purity Ga, and can be further extended to the purification of other metals.</div><div><strong>Kewwords:</strong> High-purity gallium; Directional crystallization; Magnetically controlled flow; Effective distribution coefficient; Solute boundary layer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":353,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Crystal Growth","volume":"676 ","pages":"Article 128449"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145682805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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