Synthesis and growth of PbTe crystals at low temperature and their characterization

Lead telluride crystals have been grown for the first time by the cold trav eling heater method. The structural properties of the crystals have been st udied by neutron diffraction, and rocking-curves with a full-width at half- maximum of about 36 arcsec have been measured, indicating a very weak mosai city, The lattice parameter of the crystals has been found to be similar to 0.64618 +/- 0.00004 nm by X-ray diffraction. Vickers microhardness in the range 25-30 kg/mm(2) have been measured, depending on the charge applied to the crystals. The electronic properties of the crystals, either as-grown o r annealed, have been measured and demonstrate their very high purity level , as expected from the low-temperature growth and purification process by t raveling heater method. Finally, the potentialities of PbTe as a substrate for the growth of HgCdTe layers are discussed in the light of all the resul ts reported. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.