Experimental study of ternary Pd-Zn-Se phase equilibria and Pd/ZnSe bulk diffusion

Abstract

The ternary system Pd-Zn-Se was investigated at 340 °C. A complete isothermal phase diagram is given, containing the formerly known ternary phase Pd5ZnSe (τ1) as well as a newly discovered ternary phase τ2 of approximate composition Pd62Zn32Se6. The reaction diffusion between Pd and ZnSe was investigated at 340 °C with bulk diffusion couples Pd/ZnSe, annealed from 6 to 192 h, and the diffusion path is described. For the investigation x-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray analysis was used. Implications for the application of Pd as metallic contact to semiconducting ZnSe are outlined.