Local interface velocities are tracked radioscopically in the III-V semiconductor compound indium-antimony grown in a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger furnace. Comparisons are made of interface velocities from five different compositions (40, 49, 50, 55, and 60 at.% Sb). Under specific growth conditions, the growth velocity for stoichiometric melts was comparatively constant and very close to the translation velocity. Measured chemical homogeneity was excellent, though polycrystallinity could occur when concentration boundary layers formed ahead of the interface. Off-stoichiometric melts exhibited initial supercooling, resulting in transient interface velocities and polycrystallinity. The observed supercooling is governed by chemical segregation in the melt. Thus, local growth velocity fluctuations are unambiguously attributed to a coupling of compositional effects in the melt and crystal facetting kinetics.
bulk growth, InSb, radioscopy, Bridgman-Stockbarger, interface, growth rate
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