Low temperature X-ray diffraction study of CdI2 crystals

Solid state structural transformations in polytypic crystals of cadmium iodide have been investigated at low temperatures using X-ray diffraction techniques. The crystals were cooled to liquid nitrogen and liquid helium temperatures employing three different methods. The results obtained are discussed on the basis of bond dissociation energies of interlayer and intralayer bonds and the possible mode of layer displacements in MX₂-type polytypic crystals.     

Micromorphology of pure and PbI2‐doped CdI2 dendritic single crystals

Undoped and PbI₂‐doped dendritic single crystals were grown by vapour growth technique. The basal surfaces of the as grown crystals were examined by optical and electron microscopy to observe wide variety of growth and defect features. Apart from typical features of dendritic growth, features of overgrowth, slip bands, growth steps and their bunching, etc. were observed. The basal surfaces of the crystals were then etched by controlled condensation of water vapour, after optimizing the etching condition, and the microscopic studies were repeated. Etch pits of hexagonal and triangular shape, both symmetric and asymmetric, and of different density, were observed in the case of undoped and doped crystals, respectively. In some cases, crystallographic hillocks were also observed. The crystals were also examined by X‐ray diffraction for their polytypism and related behaviour. The results are analyzed to elicit information on the correlation of structure, defects and surface features of the crystals. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Special features of optical strength change in melt-grown NaCl crystals

The variation of the CO₂-laser pulse induced breakdown threshold has been studied experimentally in melt-grown NaCl crystals. An increase of the optical strength (up to two order of magnitude) is observed from the „top”︁ towards „bottom”︁ of the large diameter crystal boules, i.e. in the direction in which the impurities are driven away. The dependence of the threshold with the Ca²⁺ concentration demonstrates a complicated character of the effect of the impurity content on the optical strength of sodium chloride.     

Comparative optical absorption and photoreflectance study of n-type CuInSe2 single crystals

Optical absorption spectra in the photon energy range from 0.4 to 1.2 eV and photoreflectance spectra in the range of the fundamental edge are measured on n-type CuInSe₂ single crystals. Photoreflectance spectroscopy yields the true gap energy while the near-edge absorption spectra are dominated by acceptor–to–conduction band transitions, the acceptor ionisation energy being about 80 meV. Based on intrinsic defect chemistry considerations this acceptor is ascribed to copper vacencies.     

Growth and microhardness studies of melt-grown lead (II) chloride single crystals

In the present work, lead (II) chloride material is purified by directional solidification and single crystals of PbCl₂ are grown by vertical Bridgman technique employing double zone furnace. The growth conditions and the problems overcome are discussed. The grown crystals of pure and K₊-doped crystals are cleaved and subjected to microindentation tests. The validity of Kick's relation is checked, the value of K₁ the standard hardness number and n the work-hardening coefficient are discussed. The microhardness behaviour of pure and K⁺-doped lead(II) chloride have been compared.     

Structural,electrical and optical properties of Ge implanted GaSe single crystals grown by Bridgman technique

Structural, optical and electrical properties of Ge implanted GaSe single crystal have been studied by means of X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD), temperature dependent conductivity and photoconductivity (PC) measurements for different annealing temperatures. It was observed that upon implanting GaSe with Ge and applying annealing process, the resistivity is reduced from 2.1 × 10⁹ to 6.5 × 10⁵ Ω‐cm. From the temperature dependent conductivities, the activation energies have been found to be 4, 34, and 314 meV for as‐grown, 36 and 472 meV for as‐implanted and 39 and 647 meV for implanted and annealed GaSe single crystals at 500°C. Calculated activation energies from the conductivity measurements indicated that the transport mechanisms are dominated by thermal excitation at different temperature intervals in the implanted and unimplanted samples. By measuring photoconductivity (PC) measurement as a function of temperature and illumination intensity, the relation between photocurrent (I_PC) and illumination intensity (Φ) was studied and it was observed that the relation obeys the power law, I_PC αΦⁿ with n between 1 and 2, which is indication of behaving as a supralinear character and existing continuous distribution of localized states in the band gap. As a result of transmission measurements, it was observed that there is almost no considerable change in optical band gap of samples with increasing annealing temperatures for as‐grown GaSe; however, a slight shift of optical band gap toward higher energies for Ge‐implanted sample was observed with increasing annealing temperatures. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Studies on crystal growth,optical and electrical characterization of pure and Dy-doped bismuth silicate single crystals

(0.5 mol%) Dysprosium (Dy) doped bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) single crystals were grown by the Czochralski technique under air atmosphere. Detailed analysis of Dy-doped BSO with pure BSO has been studied through optical analysis. The absorption edges of pure and Dy-doped BSO crystals are found to be 405 nm and 415 nm, respectively. The shift in the absorption edge is contributed to the defect centers created in the crystal with Dy-doping. The shifts observed in the Raman spectra on doping Dy are found to be lower, when compared with the pure BSO crystal. This effect can be correlated to the lattice distortion induced by the Dy doping. The oxide formation and intrinsic defects in the BSO crystal have been identified by photoluminescence analysis. Dielectric measurements reveal that higher permeability value in the BSO sample is due to the presence of charged defects, which can be related to the space charge polarization. There is a slight decrease in dielectric constant on doping with Dy. The piezoelectric value explains the defects formed in the crystal. On poling, d₃₃ value of BSO and Dy-doped BSO are 32 pC/N and 40 pC/N, respectively.     

Solvent effect on the polytype structure of CdI2 crystals

Single crystal platelets of cadmium iodide have been grown from alcohols: n-propyl, isobutyl and isoamyl and from their aqueous solutions. The structures of 880 crystals has been identified and the effect of solvent on the polytype structure of CdI₂ has been discussed regarding: the stability of the basic structures 2H and 4H, the structure of complex polytypes, the effect of the solvent on the structure of faults, the period of polytypes. Some relations indicating the role of the solvent in the formation of polytype structure of CdI₂ have been found.     

X-ray diffraction study of cerium-and thulium-doped (Sr,Ba)Nb2 O6 single crystals

The structural models of cerium-and thulium-doped (Sr_0.61Ba_0.39)Nb₂O₆ solid solutions were established and refined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The dopants were located, and their concentrations in the specimens were refined. The effect of the Sr/Ba ratio and doping with rare earth elements on the structural characteristics of (Sr_xBa_1-x )Nb₂O₆ crystals was analyzed.     

Growth and structural, optical, and electrical properties of zincite crystals

An X-ray diffraction study of ZnO crystals grown by the hydrothermal method has revealed reflections that give grounds to assign them to the sp. gr. P3 rather than to P6₃ mc. The distribution of Zn1, Zn2, O1, and O2 over structural positions, along with vacancies and incorporated zinc atoms, explains the dissymmetrization observed in terms of the kinetic (growth) phase transition of the order-disorder type, which is caused by ordering Zn and O atoms over structural positions. The color of crystals of refined compositions (Zn_0.975□_0.025)Zn _i(0.015)(O_0.990□_0.010) (green) and (Zn_0.965□_0.035)Zn _i(0.035)O (bright green) is related to different oxygen contents, which is confirmed by the results of electron probe X-ray microanalysis and absorption spectroscopy. The degree of the structural quality of crystals, their resistivity, and activation energy are also related to oxygen vacancies.     

Orientation dependence of electrical and optical properties of ZnSiP2 crystals grown from melt

Undoped and Ga-doped ZnSiP₂ crystals grown by spontaneous crystallization from nonstoichiometric melt show a pronounced dependence of electrical properties (conductivity, carrier concentration) and cathodoluminescence on the orientation of various crystal faces. Breakdown voltage measurements and Hall measurements yielded that the (112)B face is always low-resistivity n-type and the (112)A face is always semi-insulating. The spectral position of the broad luminescence band observed at 80 K differs in a characteristical manner for the various crystal faces. The luminescence behaviour correlates partly with the electrical properties. The results are explained by an orientation dependence of the impurity incorporation which is reflected also in the bulk properties of the crystals.     

X-ray and Raman studies of single crystals of CsSbF6

Crystals of CsSbF₆ belong to the rhombohedral space groupR¯3-C _3i ² witha=7.904(1)andc=8.261(1) Å,V=446.95 ų,Z=3,D _c=4.11 gcm^–3. The antimony atom is surrounded by six fluorine atoms in a nearly perfect octahedral configuration with Sb-F 1.875(9) Å, while 12 fluorine atoms surround the cesium atom with closest contact 3.116 Å. Polarized Raman spectra of single crystals of CsSbF₆ have been obtained, and it is shown that these results can be interpreted in terms of a unimolecular rhombohedral structure. The small distortion from an octahedral arrangement for the SbF ₆ ^– group is clearly reflected in the spectra. The Raman results are in better agreement with the space groupR¯3m-D _3d ⁵ than withR¯3-C _3i ² , but this conclusion must be regarded with caution since the two features in the vibrational spectra of CsSbF₆ which can be used to distinguish between the two structures are weak and ill-defined.     

X-ray crystal orientation determination for semiconductor single crystals

An improved method to measu reorientation angles of flat single crystals was developed taking Buerger precession technique. The method is described and compared with Laue- and goniometer techniques. Advantages are low costs and short measuring time. An easy evaluation of the records allows to take this method as a routine angle determination for semiconductor manufacturing.     

Growth,optical and thermal studies of nonlinear optical L‐arginine perchlorate single crystals

A potentially useful semiorganic nonlinear optical (NLO) material, L‐arginine perchlorate, has been synthesized and bulk crystals have been grown by slow cooling technique. The grown crystals were characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction, UV‐Vis‐NIR spectroscopy, FT‐IR, thermal analysis and SHG measurements. The grown crystals were thermally stable upto 153°C and exhibit SHG efficiency of about 0.17 with respect of Urea. The etching studies have been carried out on the grown crystal. LAPC has good optical transmission not only in the visible range, however, also in the near UV part of the spectra and hence it is a potential material for nonlinear frequency conversion. The refractive index was measured by the Brewster's angle method. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Anisotropy of optical absorption in layered single crystals

The optical energy gap of Re doped MoSe₂ single crystal Mo_0.995Re_0.005Se₂ has been measured at room temperature near the fundamental absorption edge. The incident light was kept normal to the basal plane i.e. along the c‐axis of the grown crystals. Results have been given on the basis of two and three dimensional models. Both direct and indirect transitions are involved in the absorption process. The indirect transition was found to be allowed with two phonons involved in the process. The three dimensional model and not the two dimensional could be used to describe the optical properties of Re doped MoSe₂ single crystal. Also, the optical energy gaps depend upon the amount of the intercalating Re material. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

X-ray investigations of BaLaGa3O7 single crystals

X-ray investigations have been carried out on single crystals of BaLaGa₃O₇. Debye temperature as well as thermal expansion coefficients were determined, and values of which are respectively     

Ion channeling study of defects in CuInTe2 single crystals

Ion channeling spectra of as-grown CuInTe₂ single crystals are measured using a 2 MeV ⁴He⁺ analysing beam. It is found that the measured minimum yields cannot be explained within a model of randomly distributed non-interacting point defects caused by deviations from ideal stoichiometry. A model with extended defects due to vacancy clustering and dislocation formation is proposed to interprete the experimental results.