On voids in InxGa1−xSb crystals grown by an ultrasonic- vibration-introduced Czochralski method

The shape and size of voids, and the grown region surrounding a large void were investigated in InxGa1–xSb crystals, which were pulled under the introduction of ultrasonic vibrations into the source melt by using a modified Czochralski apparatus. The presence of voids in crystals resulted from (1) atmosphere gas was confined beneath the growth interface of a seed crystal during the seeding procedure, and (2) many bubbles–generated by the cavitation effect due to ultrasonic vibrations–were caught in the growing crystal. Voids were circular, deformed trapezoid, and complex in shape, and were in a range of 20 μm to 3 mm in size. Even in case of a void with the diameter as large as 2 mm, the grown region surrounding it was in the single crystalline state. In this interesting region, the microscopic variation of In concentration and the abrupt change of growth rate were observed.