Crystal growth of HgZnTe alloy by directional solidification in low gravity environment

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2002, Vol.234 (2), p.487-497
• Main Authors: Su, Ching-Hua, Sha, Yi-Gao, Lehoczky, S.L., Szofran, F.R., Gillies, D.C., Scripa, R.N., Cobb, S.D., Wang, J.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Characterization; A1. Defects; A1. Dendrites; A1. Directional solidification; A1. Solid solutions; A2. Bridgman technique; A2. Growth from melt; A2. Microgravity conditions; B1. Zinc compounds; B2. Semiconducting II–VI materials; B2. Semiconducting mercury compounds; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Geosciences (General); Growth from melts; zone melting and refining; Growth in microgravity environments; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Physics
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0248(01)01735-3

An Hg 0.84Zn 0.16Te alloy crystal was back-melted and partially resolidified during the first United States Microgravity Laboratory mission in the Marshall Space Flight Center's Crystal Growth Furnace. The experiment was inadvertently terminated at about 30% of planned completion. Nonetheless, it was successfully demonstrated that a HgZnTe alloy ingot partially grown and quenched on the ground can be back-melted and regrown in space under nearly steady-state growth conditions. An identical “ground-truth” experiment was performed following the mission and a comparison between the properties of the crystals is described. The results indicate the importance of residual microgravity acceleration (≲0.4 μg) even in the submicrogravity range for the slow solidification velocities and large density gradients.