Growth of eutectic composites in the InSb–MnSb system

Eutectic composites in the InSb–MnSb system have been grown by the Bridgman method in vertical geometry using a growth charge of eutectic composition. The composites consisted of a [110]-oriented single-crystal InSb matrix and single-crystal MnSb needles aligned in the growth direction. As the solidification rate was raised from 0.5 to 6 mm/h, the length of the needles increased, whereas their diameter dropped from 20 to 4 µm. Further raising the solidification rate led to spontaneous crystallization. Characteristically, the electrical and magnetic properties of the eutectic composites in the InSb–MnSb system were found to exhibit large anisotropy. The low-temperature resistivity of the composites across the needles is four to five times that along the needles. With increasing temperature, the resistivity ratio drops by up to a factor of 2–3. This can be accounted for in terms of a geometric factor. The electrical conductivity of the composites is determined primarily by the MnSb phase, whose volume along the growth direction was considerably larger. According to magnetic measurements, the eutectic composites in the InSb–MnSb system are ferromagnets with a Curie temperature of ≃ 600 K.