Correlation between bond strength parameters in molten materials exhibiting semiconductor-semiconductor melting behavior

Abstract

Experimental data on the thermal expansion of molten semiconductors are used to evaluate the Debye characteristic temperature of the melt, the m>Θ2value (characterizing the energetics of the short-range-order structure), and the root-mean-square dynamic displacement of atoms from their equilibrium positions. These bond strength parameters are shown to be correlated with one another. Comparison with earlier data for crystalline materials demonstrates that melting notably reduces the bond strength and changes the vibrational spectrum of the material.