Germanium and Silicon Liquidus Curves

Abstract

New measurements are reported on the solubility of germanium in liquid gallium, thallium, tin, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium and zinc, and the solubility of silicon in liquid indium, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth and zinc. The measurements of other workers are reviewed, including those of the solubility of germanium and silicon in liquid copper, silver, gold and aluminum; of germanium in liquid indium, lead and antimony; and of silicon in liquid arsenic and nickel. All but two of the liquidus curves can be described within experimental error by a two‐constant equation. The form of this equation suggests that the liquid solutions exhibit certain simple thermodynamic properties, and some evidence is cited indicating that the constants of this equation can be used to estimate the excess free energy of the solutions. Figures for the complete liquidus curves of these binary systems (T—x and log x–1/T) have not been included in this paper, but sets of these figures can be supplied upon request.

Liquidus of Silicon Binary Systems

“…Parameters D " H Si and D " S e Si are in principle dependent on the temperature and composition, and the effect of temperature is negligible compared with composition. It has been shown that they can be expressed as follows [4] :…”

“…[6] and [7], a parameter called a can be defined. [4] This parameter can be calculated for every individual solubility measurement according to Eq. [8] a…”

“…Liquidus constants for silicon binary systems with Al, Ga, In, Tl, Sn, As, Sb, Bi, Cu, Ag, Au, and Zn were determined using this method by Thurmond and Kowalchik in 1960. [4] Because much experimental data on many of these systems have been reported since the 1970s, their liquidus constants are recalculated in the current study.…”

Rationalization of Nanowire Synthesis Using Low-Melting Point Metals

“…6 Most importantly, the solubility of Ge in Ga although relatively low is 5 orders of magnitude higher than that of Si in Ga at its eutectic temperature. 6 Unlike Si, Ge partially wets gallium at 300°C 8 in the absence of any gas-phase chemistry effects. Thus, the Ge nucleation and growth using Ga melts is interesting for studying the conditions that favor the growth of nuclei in 1-D and not in either 2-D or 3-D. Also, the synthesis of Ge nanowires is of interest for both biomedical and electronic applications as Ge exhibits an indirect band gap at 0.66 eV and a direct band gap at 0.8 eV.…”

Studies of Indium-Doped Silicon

“…Thurmond and }Cowalchik ( 16) have shown that the liquidus of many Si-metal systems, such as Si-In , are given by the expression…”