Bridgman growth without crucible contact using the dewetting phenomenon

A new crystal growth process, based on the Bridgman method, but with the aim to avoid crystal crucible contact. has been studied and implemented. The principle is to impose a gas pressure at the cold part of the crucible, approximately equal to the hydrostatic pressure of the molten sample, in order to get a small liquid meniscus between the solid-liquid interface and the crucible. A first-order capillary stability analysis shows that stable conditions can be reached for the growth of semiconductors by this technique. The relevant technical parameters were computed for the growth of antimonide semiconductors and contactless samples of these materials have been obtained in silica crucibles. They show surface roughness close to what is generally observed when dewetted growth occurs in space. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.