Phase diagram of the (CuInTe 2) 1− x(2ZnTe) x system and crystal growth of CuZn 2InTe 4 from zinc chloride flux

Abstract

The phase diagram of the system (CuInTe 2) 1− x (2ZnTe) x has been investigated by microstructure, DTA, and X-ray examinations. It has been found that CuInTe 2 and ZnTe form, at elevated temperatures, a continuous series of zincblende solid solutions. The boundaries of the solid-phase fields have been established: At room temperature, the tetragonal chalcopyrite phase α is stable up to about the x = 0.10 composition and is followed by a two-phase region (α + β), extending from x = 0.10 to x = 0.33 composition, and by a region x ⩾ 0.33 with the cubic zincblende β structure. Using the flux growth technique with ZnCl 2 as solvent, single crystals of the CuZn 2InTe 4 composition ( x = 0.50), closely related to the diamond lattice, have been obtained.