Close‐spaced crystal growth and characterization of BP crystals

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine if boron phosphide (BP) crystals could be produced by a simple technique, close-spaced vapor transport (CVST). This technique has proven very successful in achieving very high growth rates for a wide variety of materials including ZnSe, AlN, and SiC. Both silicon (100) and sapphire substrates were used for the CSVT growth. The resulting films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy. Sublimation of BP powder from 1050 to 1450 °C in an argon atmosphere produced a range of deep orange colour, single and polycrystalline BP crystals. The crystal size increased and the crystal density decreased with increasing temperature. Well-faceted crystals were produced at an intermediate temperature of 1200 °C. At temperatures higher then 1450 °C no BP crystals were grown. Only a fibrous mass of fine whiskers, loosely attached to the substrate were produced. The peak position of the Raman LO mode of the BP crystals was shifted to higher wavenumbers than the BP powder source, suggesting that the crystals were compressively strained. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)