Solid-phase growth of Mg2Si by annealing in inert gas atmosphere

Magnesium silicide (Mg2Si) is an attractive semiconductor material for application to thermo‐electric conversion devices because it consists of non‐toxic and resource‐abundant elements. There were difficulties, however, in preparation of Mg2Si thin films coming from large difference in thermodynamic properties between Mg and Si. In the present study, preparation of Mg2Si thin films by solid‐phase synthesis; thermal annealing of metallic Mg on a Si substrate in argon gas atmosphere, is tested and optimum annealing conditions for the synthesis are explored. As a result, it is found that the optimum annealing temperature is 300‐350 °C and the argon gas pressure should be higher than 50 Pa. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)