First Step in Exploration of Fe–Ga–N System for Efficient Crystallization of GaN at High N₂ Pressure

Abstract

According to the existing data, iron is a very efficient solvent for nitrogen. In this work, the results of first steps toward crystallization of GaN from Fe-based solutions at 1 GPa N 2 pressure are reported. Melting of Fe at 0.88 GPa N 2 pressure is studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA) which shows a strong (%200 C) decrease of melting temperature as compared to the wellestablished value of 1570 C for pure Fe at 0.88 GPa at inert atmosphere. The N content of about 11.9 at.% is found by ON836 LECO analyzer in the Fe samples after DTA. It means that the observed drop of T m (Fe) is related to the high solubility of nitrogen in Fe metal. Also the dissolution of GaN in Fe in 1370-1480 C temperature range is studied. Encouragingly high (22-30 at.%) solubilities of Ga (direct measurement) and most probably, as high for N (evaluated from mass balance) are found.

Nitrogen Dissolution in Liquid Ga and Fe: Comprehensive Ab Initio Analysis, Relevance for Crystallization of GaN

“…It was assumed that the increase of the sample mass was due to N dissolved in the metal. A background for such an assumption was our previous analysis reported in references [ 15 , 33 ]. For the reported analysis, the composition of the Fe-N samples treated in a similar way as in this work was studied by the Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX—ZEISS SEM with BRUKER detector, Oberkochen, Germany) and the Inert Gas Fusion spectroscopy (ON836 LECO, St. Joseph, MI, USA).…”