EVOLUTION OF MACROSCOPIC STRUCTURAL DEFECTS IN SOLID-SOLUTIONS OF CDXHG1-XTE

Electron-probe methods have been used to study the evolution of the to pology of near-surface macroscopic growth defects and macroscopic defe cts introduced by mechanical processing in CdxHg1-xTe (x similar or eq ual to 0.2) crystals. When the samples were stored for a long time, th e formation of inclusions saturated with mercury or tellurium was obse rved in the region of the macroscopic defects. The effective self-diff usion coefficients of mercury, estimated from the growth rate of the m ercury inclusions at their formation stage, exceeded those known from the literature. The possible causes of such a discrepancy are discusse d; they are connected, in particular, with the fact that the mass-tran sfer process involves internal elastic stresses that arise when the su rface is mechanically processed, when diffusional fluxes that differ i n their mechanisms are applied, etc. (C) 1996 American Institute of Ph ysics.